10/11/2026
Sunday, October 11: Lock the door on your credit đź”’
đź”§ CREDIT FIX OF THE DAY: Freeze your credit for free
A credit freeze helps stop someone from opening new accounts in your name, so a thief can't undo the hard work you are putting in.
1. Go straight to each of the three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. You have to ask each one. Use their official websites or phone numbers.
2. Ask for a "credit freeze" (also called a security freeze). It is free to place and free to lift.
3. Save your login details or any PIN for each bureau somewhere safe. You will need them later.
4. Planning to apply for a loan, a card or an apartment? Ask which bureau they check, lift the freeze at that one, then freeze it again after.
5. Not ready for a freeze? Ask one bureau for a free fraud alert. It lasts one year, and that bureau must tell the other two.
A freeze stays in place until you lift it.
🌱 CREDIT BUILDER TIP: Become an authorized user
When someone you trust adds you to their well-managed credit card, that account's history can show up on your credit reports too.
- Pick a person who always pays on time and keeps the balance low. Their late payments or high balances could hurt you instead of help.
- Ask them to check with the card company that it reports authorized users to all three credit bureaus. Not every company does.
- You don't even need to carry or use the card. Agree on the rules up front.
⚠️ WATCH OUT: Never pay a stranger or a company to add you to someone's card, and never pay anyone to freeze your credit. You can do a freeze yourself for free.
âś… MYTH OR FACT: Myth: Freezing your credit lowers your score. Fact: A freeze does not affect your credit score.
đź’¬ Have you ever frozen your credit? Was it easy or a hassle? Tell us below.
This is general education, not financial or legal advice.