 TITLE: Can You Freeze a Credit Score? CONTENT: What Is a Credit Freeze?\n------------------------\nAlso known as a security freeze, a credit freeze is a tool provided by the three national credit bureaus—Experian, TransUnion and Equifax—that allows you to restrict who can view your credit reports.\nWhen you or someone else submits a credit application in your name, most lenders run a credit check to determine your eligibility for the loan or credit card. But with a credit freeze, lenders are unable to view the credit reports that you've frozen, so they are unable to complete the application.\nAs a result, a credit freeze is an excellent defense against identity thieves who have your personal information and may attempt to use it to open fraudulent credit accounts in your name without your permission. But it's also an extreme measure that could prevent authorized creditors from checking your credit and complicate the loan or credit card application process. END