Identity theft and credit report errors: recovery, step by step

Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information to open accounts, make purchases, or apply for credit without your permission. It can result in accounts, inquiries, and charges on your credit report that you didn't initiate. If you suspect identity theft, there are established steps to report it and begin recovery.

Reporting identity theft

The official starting point is the FTC's IdentityTheft.gov, which walks you through creating a recovery plan and generating an identity theft report. You can also file a report with your local law enforcement agency. These reports are important documentation when disputing accounts that resulted from theft.

Documentation and recovery resources

Keep records of every account you didn't open, every inquiry you didn't authorize, and all correspondence. The FTC's recovery plan helps you track these. Place a fraud alert or security freeze with each credit bureau, which can help prevent further unauthorized accounts. These are free, and you can remove them later.

Credit reporting procedures

Once you have documentation, you can dispute accounts, inquiries, and charges that resulted from identity theft with the credit reporting agencies. Block information resulting from identity theft from your report by providing the required documentation. Be specific about which items stem from theft and include your FTC report and any police report.

What we help with

We help you organize the documentation, prepare disputes for items that genuinely resulted from identity theft, and understand the recovery process. We explain each step in plain language and help you track responses from the bureaus.

What we won't do

We won't encourage you to dispute legitimate accounts or inquiries that you actually authorized, or to misrepresent that an account resulted from theft when it didn't. Disputing legitimate information as 'identity theft' is not a legitimate credit repair tactic, and it can undermine genuine recovery efforts.

Legal and educational considerations

Identity theft recovery involves both federal protections and, in some cases, state-specific rights. We're not a law firm and don't provide legal advice. For complex cases, a qualified attorney or victim assistance program can help. Educational content here is general information, not individualized legal advice.