Fraud Alert Vs. Credit Freeze: Protecting Your Identity

The Credit Pros Podcast

Fraud alerts and credit freezes are tools to combat identity theft, with fraud alerts requiring creditors to verify identity and credit freezes stopping access to credit reports. There are three types of fraud alerts: initial, extended, and active-duty, each with different validity periods. Credit freezes can be lifted temporarily or permanently, with possible fees. Both have advantages and disadvantages, such as cost and convenience versus level of protection. Neither directly affects credit scores, but they can impact credit application processes.