 TITLE: What Is a Fraud Alert? CONTENT: When Does It Make Sense to Get a Fraud Alert?\n---------------------------------------------\nA fraud alert is a good precaution to take if you're worried about potential misuse of your personal information. If you suspect your credit card number or Social Security number has been stolen or exposed in a data breach, for instance (or if you'll be on a military assignment and unlikely to be monitoring your credit activity closely), placing a fraud alert is a good way to quickly add a measure of security to your credit files. You only need to notify one credit bureau to activate one, and it's only slightly more time-consuming to deactivate fraud alerts than it is to put them in place.\nIn addition, a fraud alert can prevent unauthorized access to your credit files without significantly hindering authorized access to them. It's easy to remove fraud alerts if you discover your data was not compromised, or to just let them lapse if you find you aren't getting any indication that fraudsters are applying for credit in your name.\nIf you're certain your data has been compromised and you're seeking an extended fraud victim alert, you may want to consider a credit freeze instead. A credit freeze is a more severe measure—it prevents all access to your credit report unless you remove it or authorize temporary access to your files, and it never expires unless you remove it. A credit freeze can be inconvenient for individuals who are actively applying for new loans or credit cards, but it can be useful for those who don't soon plan to seek new credit, and don't want to worry about renewing a fraud alert upon its expiration. END