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If your personal information was exposed, you can make it harder for someone to open new credit in your name by placing a free security freeze at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Then review your credit reports for unfamiliar activity. A freeze restricts access to your credit file; monitoring helps you spot changes. Neither replaces securing affected accounts or taking action if you find fraud.
Choose the right protection for the risk
A credit freeze, a fraud alert, report reviews, and paid monitoring do different jobs. You can combine them; one is not a substitute for all the others.
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| Option | What it does | How to set it up | Duration or cadence | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Security freeze | Restricts prospective creditors’ access to your credit file, making new-account fraud harder. | Request one separately from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. | Until you lift or remove it. | Does not resolve misuse of an existing account; you may need to lift it when applying for credit. |
| Initial fraud alert | Asks businesses to take reasonable steps to verify your identity before opening new credit. | Contact one nationwide bureau; it must notify the other two. | One year. | It does not block access to your file or guarantee a lender will reject an application. |
| Extended fraud alert | Provides a longer identity-verification alert for eligible identity theft victims. | Contact a bureau and provide the required identity theft documentation. | Seven years. | Eligibility and documentation requirements apply. |
| Free report review | Lets you inspect the information in your credit reports. | Use AnnualCreditReport.com. | Free weekly reports are available online, by phone, or by mail, according to the official site. | You need to review the reports and respond to anything unfamiliar. |
| Paid credit monitoring | Can send alerts when a credit report or account changes. | Subscribe to a provider or accept an offer related to a breach. | Depends on the provider. | Usually detects changes after they occur; it does not itself prevent theft. |
Place a free freeze at all three bureaus
A freeze is generally the strongest of these options for making it harder to open new credit using your information. The Federal Trade Commission says a security freeze “makes it less likely that an identity thief could open a new account in your name.” A freeze is free at the three nationwide bureaus, but it is not shared automatically: submit a separate request to each.
- Go to the bureau contact information page on IdentityTheft.gov and choose Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion.
- Follow that bureau’s current instructions to request a security freeze. Be prepared to verify your identity; the bureau’s site will show the steps and information it requires.
- Repeat the request with the other two bureaus. A freeze at one bureau does not freeze the other two files.
- Keep the confirmation and instructions for lifting the freeze somewhere secure.
According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a bureau must place a freeze within one business day after a telephone or secure electronic request, or within three business days after a request by mail. It must send written confirmation within five business days after placement. The CFPB says a free temporary lift requested online or by toll-free telephone is due within one hour; a lift requested by mail is due within three business days. The bureau’s current site will specify its workflow and authentication requirements.
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- 2 PIECE VALUE PACK: 1 Wide Roller and 1 Advanced Roller. Perfect for bills, credit card offers, bank statements, tax returns, postcards, junk mail and more.
- COVER MORE INFORMATION QUICKLY: The wide roller is twice the width of the standard roller so you can easily cover more information in a single stroke.
- RETRACTABLE ROLLER HEAD: Extend and retract the roller head with the push of a button, preventing accidental inking when not in use.
- A GREAT ALTERNATIVE TO A SHREDDER: Inked documents are recyclable, create less mess and noise and does
- ROLLER SURFACE SIZE: Wide Roller 2.75” width (Refillable) and Advanced Roller .5" width (Non-Refillable); Each will mask 1,000 impressions.
When you need to apply for credit
Prospective creditors typically need access to a credit file to evaluate an application. If you plan to apply for a loan, credit card, or other credit, request a temporary lift for a period you specify, then reinstate the freeze afterward if you want it back in place.
Use a fraud alert if you want creditors to verify your identity
An initial fraud alert is free and lasts one year. Contact any one of the three nationwide bureaus; that bureau must tell the other two. The alert asks businesses to take reasonable steps to verify your identity before opening new credit in your name. Unlike a freeze, it does not block access to your file.
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- WHAT DOES IT COVER: Roll once over names, addresses, account numbers, barcodes, and prescription details on mail, statements, shipping labels, and boxes before recycling. The patented 0.5" masking pattern hides 3 lines of text in one pass.
- HOW MANY USES DO YOU GET: Each pre-inked Guard Your ID Advanced Roller delivers about 1,000 impressions (roughly 100 feet of coverage), so the 3-pack gives you around 3,000. A twist-on cap keeps the ink fresh for a 2-year shelf life.
- DOES IT WORK ON GLOSSY LABELS: Yes, on most glossy and coated surfaces, plus paper, envelopes, junk mail, and prescription labels. Give the ink 10 to 15 seconds to dry on slick surfaces; it is instant on paper. Results vary by coating.
- IS IT REFILLABLE: No, and that is the point. The Advanced Roller is pre-inked and sealed, so there are no refill cartridges to buy, no ink bottles to handle, and nothing to dry out on the shelf. When one runs out, reach for the next roller.
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If you are an identity theft victim, you may qualify for a seven-year extended fraud alert. It requires identity theft documentation. The FTC explains the alert options and requirements on IdentityTheft.gov’s Know Your Rights page.
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Monitor reports without confusing monitoring with prevention
Credit monitoring means checking reports yourself or receiving alerts about changes. The official AnnualCreditReport.com site says consumers can request free weekly reports online, by phone, or by mail. Review reports for accounts, inquiries, or other activity you do not recognize.
Rank #3
- 2 PIECE VALUE PACK: 1 Wide Roller and 1 Advanced Roller. Perfect for bills, credit card offers, bank statements, tax returns, postcards, junk mail and more.
- COVER MORE INFORMATION QUICKLY: The wide roller is twice the width of the standard roller so you can easily cover more information in a single stroke.
- RETRACTABLE ROLLER HEAD: Extend and retract the roller head with the push of a button, preventing accidental inking when not in use.
- A GREAT ALTERNATIVE TO A SHREDDER: Inked documents are recyclable, create less mess and noise and does
- ROLLER SURFACE SIZE: Wide Roller 2.75” width (Refillable) and Advanced Roller .5" width (Non-Refillable); Each will mask 1,000 impressions.
Paid monitoring services may notify you when they detect changes, but they do not replace a freeze, account security, or recovery steps. The CFPB’s page “What is a credit monitoring service?”—last reviewed September 5, 2025—states: “Most monitoring services don’t protect your personal information from being stolen — they merely alert you after it has been stolen.” Consider a paid service only if its specific alerts or features are useful to you; free report reviews remain available.
Respond if you find a fraudulent account or entry
If you discover suspicious activity, act on the affected account and the identity theft record rather than relying on monitoring alerts alone.
Rank #4
- WHAT DOES IT COVER: Roll once over names, addresses, account numbers, barcodes, and prescription details on mail, statements, shipping labels, and boxes before recycling. The patented 0.5" masking pattern hides 3 lines of text in one pass.
- HOW MANY USES DO YOU GET: Each pre-inked Guard Your ID Advanced Roller delivers about 1,000 impressions (roughly 100 feet of coverage). A twist-on cap keeps the ink fresh for a 2-year shelf life, so it is ready whenever the mail arrives.
- DOES IT WORK ON GLOSSY LABELS: Yes, on most glossy and coated surfaces, plus paper, envelopes, junk mail, and prescription labels. Give the ink 10 to 15 seconds to dry on slick surfaces; it is instant on paper. Results vary by coating.
- IS IT REFILLABLE: No, and that is the point. The Advanced Roller is pre-inked and sealed, so there are no refill cartridges to buy, no ink bottles to handle, and nothing to dry out on the shelf. When one runs out, reach for the next roller.
- SHREDDER OR ROLLER: No jams, no paper dust, no noise, and the page stays intact and recyclable. Covers boxes and shipping labels a shredder cannot. Faster than a redacting marker, fits in a drawer. Purple roller.
- Contact the affected company. Reach its fraud department and ask it to close or secure the account. Change passwords and PINs for any compromised accounts.
- Report the identity theft. Use IdentityTheft.gov to create an Identity Theft Report and get a recovery plan. Save the report and plan.
- Review your credit reports. Obtain reports from all three bureaus and look for other unfamiliar accounts or activity.
- Contact businesses where fraudulent accounts were opened. Ask them to investigate and provide written confirmation when the matter is resolved.
- Dispute inaccurate credit-report information. If you meet the identity theft requirements, you can also request that identity-theft information be blocked. The FTC provides a sample letter to a credit bureau; submit the required Identity Theft Report and proof of identity.
- Keep checking for new activity. Review reports regularly and follow the recovery plan if additional unfamiliar information appears.
Match your response to the information exposed
A credit freeze and report checks focus on credit files. Exposure of a Social Security number, account number, password, or other personal data may call for additional action outside your credit reports. Follow the exposed organization’s notice and the FTC’s guidance for information that was lost or stolen. If a Social Security number was exposed, the FTC breach guidance recommends considering a freeze and taking up any offered monitoring.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- WHAT DOES IT COVER: Roll once over names, addresses, account numbers, barcodes, and prescription details on mail, statements, shipping labels, and boxes before recycling. The patented 0.5" masking pattern hides 3 lines of text in one pass.
- HOW MANY USES DO YOU GET: Each pre-inked Guard Your ID Advanced Roller delivers about 1,000 impressions (roughly 100 feet of coverage). A twist-on cap keeps the ink fresh for a 2-year shelf life, so it is ready whenever the mail arrives.
- DOES IT WORK ON GLOSSY LABELS: Yes, on most glossy and coated surfaces, plus paper, envelopes, junk mail, and prescription labels. Give the ink 10 to 15 seconds to dry on slick surfaces; it is instant on paper. Results vary by coating.
- IS IT REFILLABLE: No, and that is the point. The Advanced Roller is pre-inked and sealed, so there are no refill cartridges to buy, no ink bottles to handle, and nothing to dry out on the shelf. When one runs out, reach for the next roller.
- SHREDDER OR ROLLER: No jams, no paper dust, no noise, and the page stays intact and recyclable. Covers boxes and shipping labels a shredder cannot. Faster than a redacting marker, fits in a drawer. Black roller.
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