If you want to avoid that, there are a few thing that you can try. I have had some success getting around various credit bureaus' "can't confirm your identity" blocks by trying a different web browser, or turning off my VPN, or trying it from a different computer, or a combination of these things. For example, Experian only works in Chrome for me and Equifax only works if my VPN is off. These tricks don't always work, but they sometimes do.

So, just to confirm: the current advice is to always have your credit locked?? I guess I’m not signing up for credit cards all the time, but doesn’t this mess with e.g. applying to rentals? So I should be unfreezing it every year or so?