 TITLE: How to Freeze Your Credit CONTENT: Does a Credit Freeze Hurt Your Credit Score?\n--------------------------------------------\nA credit freeze has no effect on your ability to qualify for loans or credit cards, but a freeze can prevent a creditor's evaluation of your credit application. Unless you thaw your credit before you submit a loan application, the lender cannot use your credit report or credit score to gauge your qualifications as a borrower. That could delay the processing of your application.\nFreezing, locking or applying for fraud alerts on your credit reports are all options for protecting your credit history after confirmed or suspected identity theft or fraud.\nIf a credit freeze is something you'd like to apply to your credit reports and scores, learn how to request one at the Experian's Security Freeze Center. END