To Freeze or Not To Freeze?

[E36]

I'm done with my app spree. And i'm going to focus on gardening and CLI.

My question is about freezing credit reports. What are the main benefits?

If I freeze my reports, will it block auto CLI or manual CLIs?

Does it block soft pulls or only hard pulls?

The credit cards I have:

• Amex
• BofA
• Capital One
• Comenity/Bread Financial
• Synchrony
• Goldman Sachs
• Ally soon to be Merrick

[TrapLine]

@E36 

In reviewing your profile ... the cards in your line up will serve you well. Sometimes a time out to let your 'performance record' shine along with some 'longevity of credit' without showing "credit seeking" will further your future card portfolio. Also, may enhance your ability for credit limit increases.

[Vinjints]

If you aren't applying for credit, absolutely freeze your reports. I'd much rather lose out on a possible auto CLI then have my account compromised. You can also plan CLI requests, and then thaw (temporarily unfreeze) the reports so they may be accessible. Chase, as an example, does a SP, but still needs the report unfrozen. It's super quick to knock out all three bureaus, do your requests and they can automatically refreeze. The FI you're banking with can still access your reports to check in on you, but you won't have anyone running up negative things in your name.

With all of the tech attacks occurring, there's really no benefit in keeping them unfrozen compared to the risk.

[E36]

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@Vinjints wrote:

If you aren't applying for credit, absolutely freeze your reports. I'd much rather lose out on a possible auto CLI then have my account compromised. You can also plan CLI requests, and then thaw (temporarily unfreeze) the reports so they may be accessible. Chase, as an example, does a SP, but still needs the report unfrozen. It's super quick to knock out all three bureaus, do your requests and they can automatically refreeze. The FI you're banking with can still access your reports to check in on you, but you won't have anyone running up negative things in your name.

With all of the tech attacks occurring, there's really no benefit in keeping them unfrozen compared to the risk.

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Thanks. I froze all 3. It also helps me psychologically. I've never done an app spree before like this, and I feel the dopamine hits and rush. So having a freeze on all 3, hopefully will cool that feeling and help me create discipline.

[GZG]

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@E36 wrote:

I'm done with my app spree. And i'm going to focus on gardening and CLI.

My question is about freezing credit reports. What are the main benefits?

If I freeze my reports, will it block auto CLI or manual CLIs?

Does it block soft pulls or only hard pulls?

The credit cards I have:

• Amex
• BofA
• Capital One
• Comenity/Bread Financial
• Synchrony
• Goldman Sachs
• Ally soon to be Merrick

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freeze your credit if you don't plan on using applying for something

every bank can access your credit report with monthly review pulls which a credit freeze does not prevent and the banks you currently have all (sometimes not comenity) do SP CLIs where you don't need to unfreeze credit 

freezes don't stop auto CLIs and with your current banks they don't stop you asking for CLIs either (some comenity cards might need to be unfrozen and CLIs might be HPs)

biggest pro of credit freezes is protection against identity theft

biggest con is the like 2 minutes it takes to unfreeze when you need to

freeze your credit if you don't aren't applying for anything

[crystal626]

You should keep all three frozen whenever you're not actively applying for credit to prevent fraudulent account openings.

Additionally, freeze ChexSystems. This helps prevent fraudulent bank account openings.

Today I learned of a new one. Freeze your E-Verify unless you are actively seeking employment. This helps prevent the nightmare scenario of someone using your SSN to get employment, which can cause the IRS to think you owe them money and all manner of other consequences. I read this story about a guy who had an illegal alien using his info for years and the hell he's gone through trying to unwind all of it, including getting his wages garnished from the IRS. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/us/undocumented-worker-stolen-identity-dan-kluver.html

https://myeverify.uscis.gov/

[TrapLine]

@crystal626 

Do not for get LexisNexis ... talk about a lot about nothing and yet, like the world revolves around it.

Mine is 52 pages and almost 100% of it is the same addresses with one letter or number difference. Figured I would clean it up but there were too many pages so I just let it go!

[crystal626]

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@TrapLine wrote:

@crystal626 

Do not for get LexisNexis ... talk about a lot about nothing and yet, like the world revolves around it.

Mine is 52 pages and almost 100% of it is the same addresses with one letter or number difference. Figured I would clean it up but there were too many pages so I just let it go!

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I opted out of LexisNexis a long time ago but it doesn't really matter because there are hundreds of companies with this info by now, it's almost all publicly available info.