An Initial Fraud Alert is a protective measure placed on credit reports that requires businesses to verify identity before issuing credit, typically lasting 90 days and serving as an early warning system.
Key Features
- 90-day duration
- Identity verification
- Free credit report
- Creditor notification
- Renewal options
Trigger Events
- Identity theft
- Data breaches
- Suspicious activity
- Lost documents
- Account compromise
Protection Measures
- Credit monitoring
- Identity verification
- Application screening
- Account alerts
- Report access
Implementation
- Credit bureau notification
- Identity verification
- Documentation
- Alert distribution
- Monitoring setup
Best Practices
- Prompt placement
- Documentation
- Regular monitoring
- Alert renewal
- Identity protection
Initial Fraud Alerts provide early protection against identity theft and unauthorized credit access.