Accounts you never opened.
Credit damage you didn’t cause.
Understand your rights.

START WITH WHAT DOESN’T MATCH

Identity theft and credit-report errors are not always the same problem

Identity theft involves someone using your identifying information without permission to commit fraud or another crime. Credit reports can also contain mistakes unrelated to theft. Knowing which problem you have helps determine what to report, which records matter, and which protections may apply.

Unfamiliar inquiries or addresses deserve attention, but an unfamiliar company name can also be a creditor’s parent company or servicing name. Compare the report with your own records and identify the specific information you believe is wrong.

THE FAIR CREDIT REPORTING ACT

What does the FCRA protect?

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) governs consumer reporting and provides rights to challenge inaccurate or incomplete information. Credit reporting agencies such as Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion have duties concerning accuracy and qualifying disputes. Banks, lenders, and other companies that supply account information—called furnishers—have separate responsibilities.

A qualifying dispute with a reporting agency generally requires a reasonable reinvestigation. The agency must consider relevant information you submit and send the dispute and relevant information to the furnisher. Information found inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable through that process must be deleted or modified as appropriate.

Disputing an item does not require deletion of accurate negative information. An unfavorable result also does not by itself establish that a reporting agency or creditor violated the law. The facts, notices, investigation, and resulting harm need review.

Sources: 15 U.S.C. § 1681i; furnisher responsibilities, § 1681s-2.

A SEPARATE PROTECTION FOR IDENTITY THEFT

Can fraudulent accounts be blocked from my credit report?

The FCRA provides a special process for blocking information resulting from identity theft. This is distinct from an ordinary accuracy dispute. Subject to the statute’s exceptions, a consumer reporting agency must block the identified information within four business days after receiving the required materials.

• Appropriate proof of your identity.
• A copy of an identity theft report.
• Identification of the information that resulted from the theft.
• Your statement that the information does not relate to a transaction you made.

IdentityTheft.gov, operated by the Federal Trade Commission, can help you report the theft and create a recovery plan. Keep the completed report and proof of what you sent to each reporting agency.

Describe the circumstances accurately, including any authority you gave another person or any goods, services, or money you received. A reporting block does not by itself resolve every question about the underlying account or a pending lawsuit.

Sources: Identity-theft blocking, 15 U.S.C. § 1681c-2; CFPB guidance for identity-theft victims.

WHEN AN ERROR STAYS ON YOUR REPORT

Disputing inaccurate credit information

Identify each reporting agency displaying the error and explain exactly what is inaccurate or incomplete. Send supporting copies through the agency’s designated dispute channel, preserve the originals, and save delivery confirmations or online submission records. Notify the company furnishing the information as well.

A dispute sent only to a lender is not the same as one submitted to a credit reporting agency. For many private FCRA claims against a furnisher over its investigation, notice routed through a reporting agency is an important legal trigger. An attorney should examine which duties were triggered and which are privately enforceable.

A reporting agency can reasonably determine that a dispute is frivolous or irrelevant, including when it lacks sufficient information to investigate. It must provide notice explaining the determination and identify information needed. Keep that notice for review rather than repeatedly submitting the same incomplete request.

Sources: CFPB dispute timelines; § 1681i; § 1681s-2(b)–(d).

A credit freeze protects differently from a dispute

A security freeze restricts access to your credit report, helping prevent new accounts from being opened using your identity. Placing or lifting a freeze is free, and you contact each of the three nationwide credit bureaus separately. You can lift it when you need a creditor to access your report.

An initial fraud alert tells prospective creditors to take additional steps to verify identity. It lasts one year and can be renewed; contacting one nationwide bureau triggers notice to the other two. Identity-theft victims who meet the requirements can obtain an extended seven-year alert.

Neither step removes existing inaccurate information. A freeze also does not prevent takeover of an existing bank or card account. Report compromised accounts promptly to the institution and secure access through its verified channels.

Source: FTC guidance on credit freezes and fraud alerts.

Was money stolen from an existing account?

Credit reporting and transaction disputes can overlap, but they follow different rules. If someone accessed your bank account and transferred money, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and Regulation E may be relevant. If someone used your credit card, credit-card unauthorized-use and FCBA protections may apply.

For example, a stolen login could lead to unauthorized withdrawals without creating a credit-report entry. A loan opened using your identity could appear on your report without any withdrawal from your existing account. If both occur, report and document each issue; a credit-bureau dispute does not substitute for timely notice to your bank.

Our guide on transfers the bank says you authorized explains why who initiated the transaction and what authority they had can matter.

WHEN TO ASK FOR LEGAL REVIEW

The report says “verified.” What happens next?

Consider legal review when a fraudulent account remains after a documented dispute, a qualifying block request is not handled, or deleted information returns without an adequate explanation. An attorney can compare the response with the evidence and applicable duties. You do not need to wait through endless repeat disputes before asking for help.

• The error: Which account or entry is wrong, on which report, and why?
• The notices: What did you send, who received it, and when?
• The response: Did the company address the evidence, correct the right entry, and provide required notices?
• The impact: Did the information contribute to a credit denial, higher borrowing cost, housing problem, out-of-pocket loss, or other documented harm?

Useful records include reports from before and after the dispute, an identity theft report, submission confirmations, investigation results, collection letters, and adverse-action notices. A short timeline helps connect those records. Do not upload full Social Security numbers, passwords, or complete payment-card numbers through the initial intake form.

Can an FCRA claim lead to compensation?

Identity theft alone does not automatically make a bank or reporting agency liable. A claim requires identifying a legally actionable failure and the evidence supporting the available remedy.

Negligent FCRA noncompliance may support recovery of actual damages caused by the violation, plus costs and reasonable attorney’s fees in a successful action. For willful noncompliance, the statute provides for actual damages or statutory damages generally ranging from $100 to $1,000, and possible punitive damages, costs, and reasonable attorney’s fees. These amounts are not an automatic award for each disputed item; the claim and applicable law matter.

FCRA actions generally must be filed by the earlier of two years after discovery of the violation forming the claim or five years after the violation occurred. Determining the relevant violation and dates requires individual review. Repeating a dispute should not be assumed to restart a deadline.

No attorney’s fees unless we win. Your written engagement agreement explains the fee calculation and case expenses. Outcomes depend on the facts, and requesting a review does not establish an attorney-client relationship.

Sources: Negligent noncompliance, § 1681o; willful noncompliance, § 1681n; limitations period, § 1681p.