 TITLE: When Should You Lock Your Credit? CONTENT: When Is the Right Time to Lock Your Credit?\n-------------------------------------------\nYou may consider locking your credit if you believe someone has accessed your personally identifiable information and is using it to apply for credit or services in your name. If you believe your Social Security number has been compromised or if one of your creditors experienced a data breach, taking safety measures right away can help prevent heartache later.\nEven if your credit file is locked, it's important to continue monitoring your credit report. You can do this on your own or with help from Experian. Be sure to look out for major red flags, including hard inquiries you don't recognize, new credit accounts opened without your permission and unexpected changes to your credit scores. END