[header] How to protect your credit [title] Get a credit freeze to lock down your credit. [step] A credit freeze, or security freeze, prevents creditors from seeing your credit report. This will also prevent identity thieves from accessing your account and stealing your credit. 
The credit freeze does not prevent an identity thief from making changes to your existing accounts, but it does prevent them from opening new ones under your name. With the freeze, you still have access to your account and can get a free annual credit report.