Fraud alert
A free note on your credit report that tells lenders to verify your identity before opening new credit in your name.
To place a fraud alert, contact one of the three credit bureaus. That bureau must tell the other two. An initial alert lasts 1 year and can be renewed.
If you are a victim of identity theft and have an identity theft report, you can get an extended alert that lasts 7 years. A fraud alert slows down new accounts but does not block them the way a credit freeze does.