How to Freeze Your Minor Child’s Credit Reports

Children usually do not apply for credit, but that does not mean their personal information is safe from identity theft. A thief may use a child’s Social Security number, name, or date of birth to open a credit card, obtain a loan, establish utility service, or commit other types of fraud.

One of the strongest steps a parent or guardian can take is to freeze the child’s credit with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

A credit freeze is free. It restricts access to the child’s credit file, making it more difficult for someone to open a new credit account in the child’s name.

A parent or legal guardian may request a freeze for a child under the age of 16. Minors who are 16 or 17 may request and remove a security freeze themselves.

You Must Contact All Three Credit Bureaus

Freezing your child’s information with one credit bureau does not freeze it with the other two.

You must submit a separate request to:

• Equifax
• Experian
• TransUnion

Each bureau has its own form, mailing address, and documentation requirements.

Documents You May Need

Before beginning, gather copies of documents that prove:

Your identity

This may include:

• A driver’s license
• A state identification card
• Another government-issued identification document
• Your Social Security card
• Your birth certificate
• Proof of your current address, such as a utility bill, bank statement, or insurance statement

Your child’s identity

This will generally include:

• The child’s birth certificate
• The child’s Social Security card

Your authority to act for the child

Depending on your relationship to the child, this may include:

• A birth certificate showing that you are the parent
• A court order
• Guardianship or conservatorship documents
• A valid power of attorney
• Foster-care certification or other government documentation

Requirements differ slightly among the three bureaus. Review each bureau’s current instructions before sending the request.

Send copies only. Do not mail original identification documents.

How to Freeze a Child’s Credit with Equifax

Equifax requires a parent, guardian, or authorized representative to complete its Minor Freeze Request Form.

The form may be used to:

• Place a freeze
• Temporarily lift an existing freeze
• Permanently remove an existing freeze

For the parent, guardian, or representative, Equifax requires an acceptable document proving identity and a document establishing the authority to act for the child.

For the child, Equifax requests copies of both:

• The child’s Social Security card
• The child’s birth certificate

Mail the completed Equifax form and supporting documents to:

Equifax Information Services LLC
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348

Equifax currently requires the minor-freeze request to be submitted by U.S. mail.

How to Freeze a Child’s Credit with Experian

Experian provides a Child Identity Theft Services form that can be used to request a minor’s credit report, add a fraud alert, or place or remove a security freeze.

You will generally need to provide:

• Your government-issued identification
• Proof of your current address
• The child’s birth certificate
• The child’s Social Security card
• Proof of guardianship if you are not named on the child’s birth certificate

Experian allows you to complete the information online and print or save the resulting form.

For standard mail, send the form and supporting documents to:

Experian
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013

For overnight delivery, Experian lists:

Experian
701 Experian Parkway
Allen, TX 75013

Experian also currently provides an electronic document-upload option. When using that option for a minor request, Experian instructs consumers to select “Other” as the reason and provide a description of the request.

How to Freeze a Child’s Credit with TransUnion

TransUnion calls a freeze placed for a minor a Protected Consumer Freeze.

A parent, guardian, conservator, or legal representative must submit a written request asking TransUnion to place a “Protected Consumer Freeze” on the named child’s file.

The request must include documents proving:

• Your identity
• The child’s identity
• Your authority to act for the child

Acceptable documents may include a birth certificate, Social Security card, driver’s license, state-issued identification, court order, guardianship document, or valid power of attorney.

Mail the written request and copies of the supporting documents to:

TransUnion
P.O. Box 380
Woodlyn, PA 19094

TransUnion currently does not allow a Protected Consumer Freeze to be placed online or by telephone because supporting documentation must be reviewed. TransUnion accepts standard or certified mail.

What If Your Child Does Not Have a Credit Report?

Most young children should not already have a credit report.

The absence of a credit report does not prevent you from requesting a freeze. If no file exists, the credit bureau may create a protected record for the child and place a freeze on it.

A credit report that already contains accounts, addresses, or inquiries you do not recognize may be a warning sign that someone has used the child’s identity.

The Federal Trade Commission recommends contacting all three credit bureaus and requesting a manual search using the child’s Social Security number if you suspect identity theft.

Keep Records of Everything You Send

Before mailing or uploading documents:

• Make copies of every completed form.
• Keep copies of all supporting documents.
• Record the date each request was submitted.
• Consider using certified or another trackable form of mail.
• Keep any confirmation letters or reference numbers sent by the bureaus.

These records may be needed later when removing or temporarily lifting the freeze.

How Long Does a Child’s Credit Freeze Last?

A child’s credit freeze does not automatically disappear when the child reaches adulthood.

The freeze generally remains in place until the parent, guardian, or child follows the bureau’s procedure to remove it. Once the child is old enough to begin applying for credit, the freeze may need to be lifted or converted so that a lender can access the credit report.

TransUnion, for example, allows a minor who is at least 16 to request removal of a Protected Consumer Freeze.

A Credit Freeze Does Not Stop Every Type of Identity Theft

A freeze is an important preventive measure, but it does not stop every possible misuse of a child’s information.

Someone may still attempt to use the child’s identity for:

• Government benefits
• Employment
• Tax fraud
• Medical services
• Existing-account fraud
• Other activities that do not require access to a credit report

Parents should still protect the child’s Social Security number, store sensitive documents securely, review unexpected mail carefully, and watch for bills or notices addressed to the child.

Warning Signs of Child Identity Theft

Take action if:

• Your child receives a bill for an account you did not open.
• A collection agency contacts you about a debt in your child’s name.
• Your child receives credit-card or loan offers unexpectedly.
• The IRS sends a notice involving income or taxes connected to the child.
• Government benefits are denied because someone is already using the child’s Social Security number.
• A credit bureau finds accounts or inquiries on the child’s credit file.

If you discover identity theft, contact the company involved, dispute the fraudulent information with the credit bureaus, and report the identity theft through the Federal Trade Commission’s IdentityTheft.gov recovery process.

Need Help Understanding What to Do?

The process can be confusing because each credit bureau has different requirements.

Call TheCreditBureau.com at 800-518-1077 to speak with someone who can help you understand the next steps.

TheCreditBureau.com is an independent consumer-support and identity-protection company. We are not Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion.