The real, official places to freeze your credit, report a scam, and check your file — bookmark this one. No affiliate links, no referral codes, just where I'd send my own family.
Free, reversible, and the single best move against new-account fraud. You have to freeze all three separately — one doesn't cover the others.
Manage your freeze online with a myEquifax account, or by phone.
Freeze or unfreeze your Experian file online in a few minutes.
Place or lift a freeze through the TransUnion Service Center.
The FTC's own recovery site — start here if your identity's been stolen. Gives you a real, personalized recovery plan.
Current scam alerts and how to report one you've spotted.
The Internet Crime Complaint Center — file a report on online fraud, BEC scams, and more.
The only site authorized by federal law to give you free credit reports from all three bureaus.
The federal rule that sets how long a bank can legally hold a deposited check before the funds are available.
Non-sufficient funds — charged when a payment is returned because your account didn't have enough money to cover it.
An electronic bank-to-bank transfer — how direct deposits and most bill payments actually move.
A fraud alert asks lenders to verify your identity; a freeze blocks new accounts from opening at all.
The rule covering your rights and your bank's obligations when a debit card or electronic transaction is disputed.
Temporary funds your bank returns to your account while it investigates a disputed transaction.
New scams and the resources to fight them, before they reach your account.