Why and When should you place an extended (7 yr) fraud alert with the Credit Reporting Agencies?

Difference between a temporary 1 year and extended 7 yr fraud alert

• A temporary Fraud Alert lasts for one year.
• Temporary fraud alerts can be placed by anyone if they believe they could become a victim of identity theft.
• An Extended Fraud Alert lasts for seven years.
• Extended fraud alerts are specifically for individuals that have become victims of identity theft.

Additional Requirements for Adding An Extended Fraud Alert

• An extended fraud alert requires extra documentation to verify your identity. A copy of a police report or a copy of an FTC Identity Theft report can be used for additional documentation.

Where to File Extended Fraud Alerts

• The links below will take you to the credit reporting agency's fraud alert center. From there you may find their respective steps for placing an extended fraud alert. You should only need tell one CRA and they will advise the others.
  • Experian Fraud Alert Center
  • Equifax Fraud Alert Center
  • TransUnion Fraud Center