Consumers lost $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024 – 25% more than the year prior.
You’ll need to make copies of sensitive documents and mail them.
Here’s a rundown of all the documents you’ll need to have ready for each credit bureau.
Step 2: Fill out the security freeze form
This process varies slightly by credit bureau.
In both cases, both must be mailed with your supporting documents.
Meanwhile, TransUnion asks you to send a written request for a child security freeze.
Step 3: Mail required documents via secure mail.
The address where you’ll send documentation for each credit bureau is detailed in the chart below.
You should also receive a letter from each credit bureau when the protected consumer freeze is in place.
Why should you freeze your kids' credit reports?
This offers identity thieves a clean slate they can use for their own purposes, like creatingsynthetic identities.
Protected consumer freezes for your kids aren’t as flexible as standard credit freezes for adults.
They can’t be unfrozen on a whim.
We were fine with this since our teenage kids won’t be applying for credit any time soon.
They can unfreeze their credit when they turn 18.
Take the following steps if you believe your child’s identity has been stolen:
