Prevent Identity Theft Before It Happens: A Security Expert’s Guide to Freezing Your Credit

With the rise in data leaks and company breaches happening among leading brands, and even small businesses, proactively protecting yourself against identity theft has never been more critical.

What’s the most powerful way to protect your identity from these rampant breaches? Wizer’s CEO & Founder, Gaby Friedlander, offers a clear first step: enact a credit freeze.  

“The most important thing is to freeze your credit. Once the freeze is in place, lenders and creditors cannot access your credit report, preventing unauthorized accounts from being opened in your name. In fact, I recommend everyone freeze their credit BEFORE a breach to proactively protect yourself and your accounts. Don’t wait ‘til you’ve already been breached.” 

This simple, free safeguard significantly reduces the risk of identity theft. Freezing your credit makes it much harder for criminals to open fraudulent accounts, take out loans, or commit financial fraud in your name.

Why Freeze Your Credit?

• Blocks unauthorized credit applications – Lenders can’t approve new accounts without accessing your credit report.
• Free and easy to manage – You can freeze and unfreeze your credit at any time through the major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
• Stronger than credit monitoring alone – Unlike monitoring services that alert you after suspicious activity, as Gaby mentioned above, a freeze proactively prevents fraud from occurring in the first place.

How to Freeze Your Credit

1. Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion online or by phone.
2. Provide necessary verification details (such as your Social Security number and date of birth).
3. Set up a PIN or password to manage your freeze.
4. Unfreeze temporarily when needed, such as when applying for a loan or new credit card.

Additional Steps to Protect Yourself

If you’ve been involved in a data breach or suspect your email or social media accounts have been hacked, it’s important to act quickly. Our guides provide step-by-step instructions on securing your accounts, mitigating risks, and preventing further exposure:

• What To Do If You're Involved in a Data Breach – Learn how to check if your information was compromised and what actions to take immediately.
• What To Do If Your Email or Social Media Are Hacked – Follow essential recovery steps to regain control and prevent further damage.
  • Email Hacked?! What To Do Next
  • Social Media Hacked? Now What Do I Do?

Freeze My Kid’s Credit, Too?!

Identity theft isn’t just an adult problem—children are prime targets for fraudsters looking to exploit clean credit histories. Since most kids won’t need credit for years, criminals can open fraudulent accounts in their names and go undetected for a long time. By the time a child applies for a student loan or their first credit card, they could already have a credit report filled with debt they never incurred.

So while you’re on a roll go ahead and freeze your kids’ credit, too.

Freezing your credit is just one piece of the puzzle. Stay vigilant, secure your accounts, and always be proactive about protecting your personal information.

Want more tips on how to protect your family in the digital world? Check out these resources: