 TITLE: Does a Credit Freeze Hurt Your Credit Score? CONTENT: Should I Freeze My Credit?\n--------------------------\nIt's a good idea to freeze your credit if you know or strongly suspect your Social Security number has been stolen or exposed in a data breach, or if you have evidence of identity theft or bogus attempts to open credit in your name. If you know you will not be seeking new loans or credit cards in the foreseeable future, it might make sense to freeze your credit reports as a precaution. But remember that you might need to thaw your accounts when dealing with companies that include credit checks in their customer-screening processes, such as when renewing a car insurance policy, renting a car or opening a new utility account.\nUnless you are certain your personal data is exposed or has been abused, you might want to consider adding fraud alerts to your credit files instead of freezing them. Somewhat less drastic than a freeze, a fraud alert requires creditors who receive applications in your name to verify your identity before proceeding with a credit check. There are several types of fraud alerts, so do your research to see which one is right for you.\nIf you want the security of blocking access to your credit reports altogether, but would prefer the ability to turn access off and on yourself without contacting the credit bureau each time, consider a credit lock. Experian offers credit locking as part of its CreditWorksSM Premium subscription service. END