Published on 08/8/2008

A fraud alert helps protect your identity when your personal information has been stolen or; if you're already an identity theft victim, an alert can prevent further damage to your credit.

Credit Report Fraud Alerts and Freeze

You can place a fraud alert on all three of your credit reports simply by contacting any one of the three credit report bureaus listed below. Each bureau is responsible for notifying the others.

Initial, Active Duty and Extended Fraud Alert

An initial fraud alert lasts 90 days and is a good option when your personal information has been stolen, but no fraudulent activity has occurred.
An active duty fraud alert is for someone in the military who is being deployed overseas. This type of fraud alert lasts one year.
An extended fraud alert lasts seven years and is available to those who have been victims of identity theft. All three bureaus require the extended alert be requested in writing, by mail. You must include proof of your identity and an identity theft report from a law enforcement agency.

Equifax
Phone: 1-800-525-6285
Mail: P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
Equifax Fraud Alert Form

Experian
Phone: 1-888-397-3742
Mail: P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013
Experian Fraud Alert Form

TransUnion
Phone: 1-800-680-7289
Mail: Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790
TransUnion - No online form available.

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