A fraud alert is a free notice on your U.S. credit reports. Place one if you suspect identity theft or think someone could open credit in your name. Prospective creditors are told to take reasonable steps to verify your identity before they approve a new account.
You only need to contact Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. That bureau must notify the other two, so the alert should appear on all three reports. Skip anyone who charges a fee to "place" it for you. The bureaus do this at no charge.
The alert is not a credit freeze. Lenders can still see your file. It won't block charges on a card you already have, stop a hijacked bank login, or reverse a payment that has already gone out.
Which type of fraud alert should you use?
| Alert type | Who can use it | How long it lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Initial fraud alert | Anyone who suspects fraud or identity theft, or thinks they may become a victim | One year; renewable |
| Extended fraud alert | A confirmed identity-theft victim with an FTC Identity Theft Report or police report | Seven years |
| Active-duty alert | An eligible service member deployed away from their usual duty station | One year |
Suspicion is enough for an initial alert. You don't need a police report or an FTC Identity Theft Report. The seven-year extended alert does require that paperwork. If you renew an extended alert, be ready to send the report again.
An initial alert also entitles you to one free credit report from each nationwide bureau. An extended alert entitles you to two free file disclosures during the 12 months after it is placed.
How to place a fraud alert for free
Current instructions are on the FTC page for credit freezes and fraud alerts. Equifax and Experian also publish their own forms: the Equifax fraud-alert page and Experian's fraud-alert instructions. Phone numbers, mailing addresses, and online flows change, so don't copy them from an old article or an unsolicited text.
- Choose one bureau. Three separate placement requests aren't required.
- Use that bureau's official website, phone line, or mail instructions.
- Verify your identity. Expect to give your name, Social Security number, date of birth, and address.
- Select an initial alert unless you have the documents for an extended alert or you qualify for an active-duty alert.
- Attach the FTC Identity Theft Report or police report if you're requesting the extended version.
- Save the confirmation: placement date, expected expiration, confirmation number, and any phone number you added for identity checks.
- Request the free reports you're entitled to, then read all three files even though you only contacted one bureau.
What to do after placing the alert
The alert is a warning on new credit, not a full recovery plan. Handle the account that raised the alarm first.
If a bank or card issuer flagged a transaction, reach that institution through its official app, the number on the card, or a statement. Ask whether the account should be blocked, replaced, or reviewed for unauthorized access. Change the password on that login and anywhere else you reused it. Turn on multifactor authentication where it's offered. Don't read a one-time passcode to someone who called you, even if the person already knows your name or part of an account number.
Next, review the reports. Use the authorized service described in the FTC's free credit report guidance. Look for accounts or loans you don't recognize, hard inquiries you didn't authorize, new addresses, phone numbers, or employers, missed payments or collections that aren't yours, and balance or limit changes you didn't make.
A clean report doesn't prove nothing happened. Not every creditor reports to every bureau. Bank-account takeovers, debit fraud, payment-app theft, and stolen payroll details often never appear there.
If you find an unfamiliar account, lose important identification, or think your Social Security number was exposed, consider a freeze in addition to the alert. A freeze is free, but you must request it separately from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
When someone has already used your information, create a report at IdentityTheft.gov. Contact the company tied to each unfamiliar account, and follow the dispute process at the bureau that lists it. Keep statements, notices, identity documents, reports, and correspondence. Send copies rather than originals unless an institution specifically requires the original.
Write down the date, the representative's name, the case number, the account, and the next step they promised. That record helps if the account stays open or the error shows up again.
Bank fraud alerts are different from credit-bureau alerts
A text, email, or app ping from a bank, card issuer, or payment service is an account-security warning. A credit-bureau fraud alert is a notice on your credit reports. One does not automatically create the other.
| Situation | First action |
|---|---|
| Suspicious debit or credit card transaction | Verify through the institution's official app or phone number and report it to the issuer |
| New credit account or inquiry you don't recognize | Contact the creditor, review your reports, and place an alert or freeze |
| Suspicious bank login or password change | Secure the account, change credentials, and ask the institution to review access |
| Wire, ACH, payment-app, or cryptocurrency transfer | Contact the sending institution or platform immediately and ask what recovery or dispute options apply |
| Unexpected message asking for a password or security code | Don't use the message link; contact the organization independently |
Don't approve a charge just to clear a notification. Confirm the message is genuine and the transaction is yours. If it isn't, report it and ask about card replacement, account restrictions, and that institution's dispute process.
The payment method matters. Credit card billing disputes, debit or other electronic transfers, wires, payment apps, and cryptocurrency each have their own procedures and deadlines. A credit-report fraud alert is not a substitute for reporting an unauthorized payment to the financial institution that handled it.
Fraud alert or credit freeze?
Both tools are free. They solve different problems.
| Feature | Fraud alert | Credit freeze |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Warns prospective creditors to verify your identity | Generally blocks prospective creditors from accessing your credit report |
| Placement | Contact one bureau; it notifies the other two | Contact all three bureaus separately |
| Duration | One year for an initial or active-duty alert; seven years for an extended alert | Remains until you ask the bureaus to remove it |
| Effect on new credit | Applications may proceed after additional verification | Most new-credit applications using the frozen report cannot proceed until you lift the freeze |
| When it helps | You want a warning up quickly, or you still need to apply for credit without managing three freezes | You want stronger blocking and don't expect to apply for credit soon |
Choose an alert if speed and simpler upkeep matter more. Choose a freeze if blocking new-credit access matters more than convenience. If identity theft is confirmed, you can use both.
A freeze at one bureau does not cover the other two. An alert does: after you contact a single nationwide bureau, that bureau must notify the remaining two.
What a fraud alert cannot stop
The notice is aimed at new credit. It won't necessarily stop:
- Fraudulent purchases on an existing card
- Unauthorized withdrawals or electronic transfers
- A compromised bank, email, or payment-app login
- Payroll direct-deposit changes
- Real-estate wire fraud
- Phishing, smishing, or impersonation calls
- Cryptocurrency transfers already sent
- Misuse of information by a company that doesn't check a credit report
For those problems, contact the organization that controls the account or payment. Use a phone number you already have or the official app. Save the message and the transaction details, then ask what they can cancel, reverse, or dispute. No credit alert guarantees the money comes back.
Expiration, renewal, and early removal
Initial and active-duty alerts expire after one year unless you renew them. An extended alert lasts seven years.
To renew or remove an alert, use a bureau's official process. The FTC page explains how to reach Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. If you're heading into a mortgage, auto loan, apartment application, or another time-sensitive credit check, confirm the alert's status on all three reports rather than relying on a single portal screen.
Taking the alert off won't delete inaccurate accounts or inquiries. Those items need separate disputes with the bureau and the creditor.
Common questions
Do I need a police report to place an initial fraud alert?
No. An initial alert is available if you suspect fraud or believe you could become a victim. An extended alert requires an FTC Identity Theft Report or police report.
Does one fraud alert cover all three credit bureaus?
Yes. Contact one nationwide bureau; it notifies the other two. A freeze is different: you place it separately with each bureau.
Will a fraud alert hurt my credit score?
The alert itself is a notice, not a negative account, so it doesn't directly affect your score. A separate credit application, hard inquiry, or fake account from identity theft can still have its own effect.
Should I place a fraud alert after a suspicious bank text?
First verify the message through the bank's official app or the number on your card or statement. If the activity isn't yours, report it to the bank. Add a credit alert or freeze if the incident involves your identity or new credit.
Is a fraud alert enough after identity theft?
Not always. Review your reports, dispute unfamiliar accounts, report the theft, secure financial accounts, and consider freezes at all three bureaus. The alert adds verification. It doesn't block every type of fraud.
Official sources
- FTC: Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts
- FTC: Free Credit Reports
- Experian: Place a Fraud Alert
- Equifax: Place a Fraud Alert or Active Duty Alert
If you haven't placed anything yet, open the FTC freeze-and-alert page, pick one bureau, and request the initial alert while your details are in front of you. Then pull all three reports and look for accounts you didn't open.