You can send requests directly to each bureau if I remember correctly. Some cost a bit more to do it electronically, but it's all pretty low, 5-15 bucks I believe.<p>Then they each have a similar but slightly different way of unfreezing it. And some allow it to be unfrozen for a short amount of time, or for 1 request, or for a specific merchant.<p>Seems there's a lack of standards there and I wondered if it works.
I verified it did when I tried to sign up for a new cell plan in a mall once and they said it was frozen. Said I would need to unfreeze 2 of the bureaus if I wanted a chance at passing their credit check.