In an effort to protect against identity theft, financial columnists often advise freezing your credit report to prevent fraudsters from opening accounts in your name. This summer, I mulled the matter. I don’t rely on my credit score regularly, and I haven’t borrowed money in years, so it seemed like a smart move. Why not make it harder for scammers to misuse my information?

The last time I needed credit was for a car loan in 2002. Since then, I’ve paid cash for my major purchases, including a used car in 2018. When the dealership pushed for my Social Security number, I declined and paid in full from my savings.

Before freezing your credit, it’s important to consider how soon you might need access to credit. Freezing it can make it more difficult to open a new account quickly. While freezing your credit has no impact on your existing credit cards, it could slow down your ability to apply for a new card or even rent an apartment, as landlords often require credit checks.

To freeze your credit properly, you need to contact all three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Freezing with just one or two won’t suffice; you have to lock down all three.

I started with Experian by calling 1-888-397-3742. Despite my efforts to reach a human, I had to settle for a robot that prompted me to push buttons to get the job done. Afterward, I felt uneasy. I realized I hadn’t received a personal identification number (PIN) to unfreeze my credit later. That’s the key—without a PIN, your credit remains locked indefinitely.

Experian had asked for my phone number, which I provided. It occurred to me that they might send the PIN by text as a default, but I don’t have a phone capable of receiving text messages. 

It looked like my Experian rating would be frozen forever. There wasn’t much point in calling back, as I knew I’d only reach a robot again, and robots rarely solve these kinds of problems.

Ten days later, I called TransUnion at 1-833-395-6938. To my relief, I spoke with a real person. The representative was helpful, and within minutes, my credit was frozen. I was even provided a PIN over the phone, ensuring I could unfreeze my credit at any time. Dealing with TransUnion was as smooth as I could have hoped.

Finally, I called Equifax at 1-888-298-0045. After some time, I reached a representative, but we hit a roadblock when she asked for my phone number to send me a PIN. When I explained that I didn’t have a smartphone, she said there was no other way to provide the PIN. 

Credit freezes have been possible long before smartphones existed, so I found this hard to believe.

I pressed for alternatives, and the representative told me I could mail copies of my Social Security card and driver’s license, along with a letter requesting the freeze. Mailing these sensitive documents to a post office box seemed risky—after all, the whole point of freezing my credit was to prevent identity theft. I decided to hold off on freezing my credit with Equifax.

Then, a surprise arrived in the mail—a letter from Experian. Enclosed was the PIN I needed to unfreeze my credit. I hadn’t known they’d send this by mail, but receiving it gave me the confidence to proceed with Equifax.

I mailed the requested documents to Equifax, and a few weeks later, they confirmed my credit was frozen. However, they still didn’t send me a PIN. Instead, their letter stated I would need to call them, create an online account or mail my identification again if I wanted to unfreeze my credit. Given their poor track record with data security, creating an online account didn’t feel safe, and I had no interest in repeatedly mailing my sensitive information.

At this point, I’ve had enough dealings with Equifax. If I ever need to unfreeze my credit, I’ll stick with Experian and TransUnion. Any institution needing a credit check will have to be content with reports from those two agencies.

In conclusion, while freezing your credit can protect you from fraud, be prepared for hurdles if you don’t own a smartphone. And be aware that Equifax makes the process more difficult than its competitors.