How to Place an Experian Fraud Alert on Your Credit
An Experian fraud alert is free, lasts at least a year, and asks lenders to check that a credit application is really yours.
You do not need to be a victim to act. Experian says you may place a fraud alert if you worry someone could misuse your personal information. This guide covers what an Experian fraud alert does, the three types, how to request one, and how to undo it.
What an Experian fraud alert is
A fraud alert is a note on your credit file. Experian says it asks creditors to verify your identity before granting credit. With a fraud alert in place, creditors are instructed to verify your identity before processing credit or loan applications made in your name.
Experian says a fraud alert can stop unauthorized access to your credit files without much hindering authorized access. That is the trade in one sentence.
The alert is free. Experian says a fraud alert is a consumer right granted by the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
What a fraud alert does not do
Three worries come up again and again, and Experian answers all three.
First, scores. Experian says a fraud alert does not change the contents of your credit report or your credit scores. The alert is a flag for lenders, not a mark against you.
Second, loans. Experian says a fraud alert cannot help or hurt your ability to qualify for a loan or credit card. The lender looks at the same report either way.
Third, speed. Experian says a fraud alert can affect your ability to get instant approval for credit card or in-store credit offers. If you are about to finance furniture or apply for a store card, expect to prove your identity first.
The three types of fraud alert
Experian describes three kinds, and each lasts a different length of time.
An initial fraud alert lasts one year. You can renew it, which we cover below.
An active duty alert also lasts one year. Experian says an active duty service member can place a fraud alert to protect a credit file.
An extended fraud alert lasts seven years. Experian says an extended fraud victim alert lasts for seven years. This one is for identity theft victims, and it asks for more. Experian says an extended fraud alert requires an FTC identity theft report or a police report.
How to place a fraud alert with Experian
Experian says you can request a fraud alert by phone or by mail.
By phone. Experian says you can also contact Experian by phone to add or remove a fraud alert. Calling works if you would rather talk to a person or do not have easy internet access.
By mail. Experian says you can request a fraud alert with Experian by mail. Experian says each copy you send must be legible and show your name, current mailing address and issue date.
If you want more detail on the process for any bureau, our page on how to place fraud alert requests covers it.
One alert covers all three bureaus
Here is the part that saves you two phone calls. Experian says a fraud alert placed at any credit bureau is shared with the others. Place it with Experian, and Equifax and TransUnion get it too.
So you do not have to contact all three bureaus to place an alert. One request does the job.
Special situations
Active duty service members. As noted above, Experian says an active duty service member can place a fraud alert to protect a credit file.
Children under 16. Experian says parents and guardians can place a fraud alert on the credit file of a child under age 16. Experian says you can request a minor's credit report, fraud alert or security freeze by mail.
If you are weighing other ways to guard your information, our page on identity fraud protection goes through the options.
How to remove an Experian fraud alert
Worried the alert will be stuck on your file? It will not. Experian says it is easy to remove fraud alerts if you learn your data was not compromised, or to let them lapse. If you learn your data was not compromised, you can remove the alert.
Experian says you can remove a fraud alert from your Experian credit file online. Experian says to remove fraud alerts from your Equifax and TransUnion credit files you must contact each bureau separately. Removal does not travel the way placement does, so plan on two more contacts.
For the full walk through, see our page on how to remove fraud alert from credit report.
Renewing a fraud alert before it expires
An initial alert lasts one year, and a year goes fast. Experian's page says you can renew initial, active duty and extended fraud alerts up to three months before they expire. Experian says you can renew initial, active duty and extended fraud alerts up to three months before they expire.
Experian says an extended fraud alert lasts seven years, and the same three month renewal window applies.
A quick recap
A fraud alert is free, it does not touch your credit scores, and one request covers all three bureaus. It asks lenders to verify your identity before new credit goes through in your name. It can slow down instant approvals, and you can remove it online if the scare passes.