Freezing your credit history accounts (see links at the end of the post) and credit monitoring are both tools to protect your credit history, but they work differently:
- Credit Freeze:
- Security: Freezing your credit offers a higher level of security. It prevents new creditors from accessing your credit report, making it very difficult for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name.
- Cost: Depending on your location, freezing your credit may involve fees, although many states offer it for free.
- Inconvenience: It can be somewhat inconvenient because you need to unfreeze your credit when you want to apply for new credit, which can take some time and may incur additional fees.
- Protection: It is a proactive measure to prevent identity theft and unauthorized credit applications.
- Credit Monitoring:
- Security: Credit monitoring provides ongoing surveillance of your credit reports for suspicious activities. It alerts you to any changes or inquiries on your credit reports.
- Cost: Credit monitoring services typically come with a monthly or annual fee.
- Convenience: It’s more convenient than freezing your credit because you don’t need to lift freezes when applying for credit. However, it’s reactive, as it alerts you after an event has occurred.
- Protection: Credit monitoring is more of a detection and notification system; it doesn’t prevent unauthorized access to your credit.
In summary, freezing your credit is a proactive security measure that restricts access to your credit reports but can be less convenient when you need to apply for credit yourself. Credit monitoring, on the other hand, provides ongoing surveillance and alerts but doesn’t prevent unauthorized access.
Your can freeze your credit history at Equifax here, click here for Trans Union, and here for Experian.
