Can I lock my credit with Credit Karma?

If you’re part of the Credit Lock beta program, then you’ll be able to lock and unlock your TransUnion credit report instantly through Credit Karma.

If you don’t have access to Credit Lock beta at this time, Credit Karma will still let you know whether your credit reports are protected at TransUnion and/or Equifax. In the meantime, you can read more about the credit protection features provided by Credit Karma here.

Go to this section in Credit Karma: Credit protection

--

What is Credit Lock beta?
How do I know if I am in the Credit Lock beta program?
Why should I lock my credit?
What a credit lock does and doesn’t do
Is locking my credit with one bureau good enough?
How do I enable or disable credit lock using Credit Karma?
How can I lock my credit with Equifax and Experian?
How long will it take for my credit report to unlock?
I recently changed the lock status on my account but Credit Karma isn’t reflecting the changes.
I have a dispute open with a bureau. Can I still lock my credit report?
Can I both lock and freeze my credit at the same time?
Will a credit lock or freeze affect my credit scores?
How can I join the Credit Lock beta program?

----

What is Credit Lock beta?

A credit lock is a security measure that makes it difficult for would-be fraudsters to open new financial accounts in your name by putting a lock on your credit report.

If you’re a part of Credit Lock beta, you can now lock your TransUnion credit report instantly through Credit Karma! The option will appear on your Credit Lock page under Identity Monitoring.

Note that our beta program will only allow you to lock your credit with TransUnion, so you’ll need to lock your credit report with Equifax and Experian in order to lock your file with all three major consumer credit bureaus.

A credit lock is different from a credit freeze. A credit lock provides more flexibility, as it is quicker to place and lift a lock. Learn about the difference between Credit Lock and Credit Freeze.

How do I know if I am part of the Credit Lock beta program?

If you are part of the Credit Lock beta program, there will be an option to automatically toggle your TransUnion report between locked or unlocked under your Credit Lock page.

Why should I lock my credit?

Locking your credit prevents creditors from gaining access to your credit report for most applications. If your credit is locked with all three major consumer credit bureaus,  it would be more difficult for someone to open new accounts using your name.

What a credit lock does and doesn’t do

A credit lock will:

• Prevent creditors from gaining access to your credit report for most applications

A credit lock won’t:

• Affect your ability to use credit monitoring services, such as Credit Karma
• Change your credit scores, however your scores can still change while your credit is locked
• Stop you from receiving pre-screened offers of credit
• Prevent you from using existing credit accounts

Is locking my credit with one bureau good enough?

The Credit Lock beta program will only lock your TransUnion credit report. Different companies will use different credit bureaus, so locking your credit report at all three major consumer credit bureaus is the best way to help keep your credit more secure.

How do I enable or disable credit lock using Credit Karma?

If you are a part of the Credit Lock beta program, the following directions will enable you to lock your TransUnion credit report directly with Credit Karma.

Desktop or Mobile Web Browser:

1. Login to your Credit Karma account
2. Go to Resources at the top of the page and select Identity Monitoring from the list.
3. Under the Credit Lock section, click Manage Credit Locks to turn Credit Lock on or off for your TransUnion credit report.

Credit Karma App:

1. Login to your Credit Karma account on your app
2. Under settings at the top right, select Identity Monitoring
3. Under the Credit Lock section, select Manage Credit Locks to turn Credit Lock on or off for your TransUnion credit report.

If you enable credit lock using Credit Karma, we recommend that you also turn on Two-Factor Authentication. You can do this in your Security Settings, after adding and verifying your phone number.

Remember, locking your credit through Credit Karma will only lock your TransUnion credit report.  You’ll need to lock your credit with all three major consumer credit bureaus in order to fully lock your credit.

How can I lock my credit with Equifax and Experian too?

If you are part of the Credit Lock beta program, you can now use Credit Karma to instantly lock your TransUnion credit report.

To lock your Equifax credit report, you can contact them directly:

Equifax Lock & Alert™:

https://www.equifax.com/personal/products/credit/credit-lock-alert/

1-888-298-0045

You can contact Experian by phone or see their website for information about their services.

The fees to lock your credit report directly with the bureaus will vary. However, freezing your credit with the bureaus is free. Learn more about the difference between a credit freeze and a credit lock.

How long will it take for my credit report to unlock?

If you are in the Credit Lock beta program, locking or unlocking your TransUnion credit report through Credit Karma is instantaneous.

If you unlock a credit report with one bureau, it won’t automatically unlock your credit with the other credit bureaus. You should unlock the reports with all three  bureaus before proceeding with a loan or credit application, as different companies will use different credit bureaus for reporting.

Changing the lock status directly with the credit bureaus can be instant if done online, but may take longer if done via phone.

I recently changed the lock status on my account but Credit Karma isn’t reflecting the changes.

If you’ve enabled Credit Lock for the first time using Credit Karma, please refresh the page in order to reflect the changes to your lock status.

If your lock status continues to display incorrectly, contact our member support team.

I have a dispute open with a bureau. Can I still lock my credit report using Credit Karma?

If you already have a dispute open with a credit bureau, you won’t be able to lock or unlock your TransUnion credit report as part of the Credit Lock beta program during this time. Once the dispute has been resolved, you’ll be able to make changes to the locked status of your TransUnion credit report using Credit Karma.

However, you can lock your credit report by calling the credit bureau directly.

Can I both lock and freeze my credit at the same time?

No, each credit report can only be locked or frozen at any given time.

Will a credit lock or freeze affect my credit scores?

Locking or freezing your credit will not directly impact your credit scores. However, your credit scores will still be able to change while your credit is locked or frozen.

How can I join the Credit Lock beta program?

The ability to place a Credit Lock through Credit Karma is currently being rolled out to only some of our members. If your friend can see it but you don’t, check back soon!