How to Remove a Fraud Alert from Your Credit Report
To remove a fraud alert from your credit report, contact Experian, Equifax and TransUnion separately, verify your identity and ask each bureau to remove the alert. Placing a credit fraud alert with one bureau adds it at all three, but removal does not carry over, so the alert stays on the other two reports until you remove it there or it expires. You can also simply let the alert expire on its own.
Removing an alert takes a few minutes online or by phone, and it does not affect your credit score. Before you do it, make sure no one is still trying to use your personal information.
How to Remove a Fraud Alert From Experian, Equifax and TransUnion
To remove a fraud alert or lift it early, follow four steps:
- Decide whether you still need the alert.
- Have your identity details ready: full name, Social Security number, date of birth and current address.
- Ask each bureau that shows the alert to remove it.
- Check your report at each bureau to confirm the alert is gone.
Remove a Fraud Alert From Experian
To remove a fraud alert from Experian, submit a request online through the Experian Fraud Alert Center, by mail or by phone at 1-888-397-3742. Experian asks you to confirm your identity before it removes the alert, and the request form is on the Experian Fraud Alert Center.
Remove a Fraud Alert From Equifax
To remove a fraud alert from Equifax, call (888) 836-6351 (8 a.m. to midnight ET, 7 days a week) or send a written request to Equifax Information Services LLC, P.O. Box 105069, Atlanta, GA 30348-5069. Equifax removes the alert once it verifies your identity and confirms the removal by mail, as explained on its fraud alert help page.
Remove a Fraud Alert From TransUnion
To remove a fraud alert from TransUnion, sign in to your TransUnion account and remove it online. TransUnion does not tell Equifax and Experian when you remove an alert, as it notes in its fraud alert guide, so those two reports need separate requests.
Types of Fraud Alerts and How Long They Last
There are three types of fraud alerts, and each bureau offers all three for free. The table below shows how long a fraud alert lasts and who can place each type.
| Alert | How long it lasts | Who can place it |
|---|---|---|
| Initial fraud alert | 1 year, renewable | Anyone who suspects fraud |
| Extended fraud alert | 7 years | Identity theft victims with an identity theft report |
| Active duty alert | 1 year | Service members on active duty |
An extended fraud alert lasts seven years unless you remove it earlier. To place one, you need an FTC Identity Theft Report or a police report.
When to Remove a Fraud Alert and When to Let It Expire
Remove a fraud alert early when it gets in the way of credit you need now, such as an instant approval for a card or loan, and you no longer believe someone is using your information. Keep the alert while fraud is still possible: it costs nothing and expires on its own.
Fraud Alert vs. Credit Freeze
A fraud alert asks lenders to verify your identity before opening credit, while a credit freeze blocks access to your report until you lift it, and each freeze is placed and lifted at each bureau separately. See the difference between a fraud alert and a credit freeze to choose the right protection.
Removing a Fraud Alert Does Not Remove Identity Theft From Your Report
A fraud alert on your credit report only warns lenders; fraudulent accounts stay on your report until you dispute them or ask the bureau to block them under Section 605B of the FCRA. Here is how to dispute identity theft on your credit report with each bureau. For the full recovery sequence, see what to do if your identity is stolen.
When to Talk to an Identity Theft Lawyer
You do not need a lawyer to remove a fraud alert, but you do need one when a bureau keeps reporting fraudulent accounts after a proper dispute. Our attorneys for identity theft sue credit bureaus that fail to fix the record, with no out-of-pocket cost to you.
You can also file a report and get a free recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. A fraud alert usually lasts for about one year and then expires. However, TransUnion offers 1-year, 7-year, or an Active-Duty Military fraud alert. Nevertheless, to maintain a continuous fraud alert, you must renew it with the three major credit reporting agencies including Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Signing up for the alert is relatively simple and can be completed in a short time. Ensuring your fraud alert does not expire is crucial in maintaining an additional layer of security against potential identity theft. While the alert is active, if scammers attempt to open accounts in your name, they will have a much more difficult time.
Contact each bureau separately, because removing an alert at one bureau does not remove it at the other two:
- Experian: online through the Fraud Alert Center, by mail or by phone.
- Equifax: by phone or by written request.
- TransUnion: online in your TransUnion account.
Then check all three reports to confirm the alert is gone.
Daniel Cohen is the Founder of Consumer Attorneys. Daniel manages the firm’s branding, marketing, client intake and business development efforts. Since 2017, he is a member of the National Association of Consumer Advocates and the National Consumer Law Center. Mr. Cohen is a nationally-recognized practitioner of consumer protection law. He has a we... Read more
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