Use the identity-theft block, not just a dispute
If accounts on your credit report came from identity theft, your strongest tool is the Section 605B block under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. §1681c-2). When you give a credit bureau an identity theft report, proof of your identity, a list of the fraudulent items, and a statement that they did not come from any transaction you made, the bureau must block that information within four business days of receiving your request. A block means the item is suppressed so it no longer appears on your file or gets shared with lenders.
The bureau must also notify the company that furnished the information that it may be the result of identity theft. This is a faster and stronger remedy than an ordinary dispute, and it exists specifically for fraud victims.
How the 605B block differs from a regular dispute
A standard dispute under Section 611 of the FCRA (15 U.S.C. §1681i) tells the bureau an item is inaccurate, and the bureau then investigates — usually within about 30 days — and decides whether to correct or delete it. That is the right path for late payments you actually owe but that were reported wrong, or for a balance that is off. If your situation is mistaken-but-not-fraud, start with how to dispute a debt with the credit bureaus.
The 605B block is different. You are not asking the bureau to weigh whether the account is accurate; you are invoking a fraud-victim right backed by an FTC Identity Theft Report. The bureau’s job is to block within four business days, not to run a 30-day investigation. Because the standards and timelines differ, it matters that you file under the correct one.
Get your FTC Identity Theft Report first
The block depends on an identity theft report, and the easiest way to create one is the FTC’s free site, IdentityTheft.gov. You answer questions about what happened and which accounts are involved, and the site generates an FTC Identity Theft Report (the affidavit the bureaus accept) along with a personalized recovery plan and pre-filled letters. There is no charge, and the report is the document the law requires for a 605B block.
Keep a copy of the completed report. You will attach it to each bureau request and, in many cases, send it to the company that reported the account as well. If you have not yet figured out which items are fraudulent, see someone opened a credit card in my name and what do I do about a debt I don’t recognize.
What to send each credit bureau
You must contact all three nationwide bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — because each keeps its own file. For a 605B block, the law (15 U.S.C. §1681c-2) says the bureau must receive four things from you:
- Appropriate proof of your identity — typically a government-issued photo ID and a document showing your current address.
- A copy of your identity theft report (the FTC Identity Theft Report from IdentityTheft.gov, plus a police report if you filed one).
- Identification of the fraudulent information — a clear list naming each account, collection, or inquiry to block.
- A statement that the information does not relate to any transaction you made.
Send everything in writing, keep copies, and use a method that gives you proof of delivery. To see when each item is due to age off your file once it is corrected, the credit report timeline tool can help you track what should and should not still appear.
Notify the company that reported it
Blocking with the bureaus is the headline step, but you should also go to the source. Under FCRA Section 623(a)(6) (15 U.S.C. §1681s-2(a)(6)), once you send a furnisher an identity theft report at the address it specifies for such reports, the furnisher may not keep furnishing that information to the bureaus unless it later learns the information is correct. Furnishers must also have procedures so they do not re-report information a bureau has already blocked.
Telling the furnisher directly helps prevent the account from reappearing on your file after a block. The same notice triggers other protections too: under Section 615(f) (15 U.S.C. §1681m(f)), a company notified that a debt resulted from identity theft generally may not sell, transfer, or place that debt for collection. If a collector is still chasing you over a fraudulent account, see how do I make debt collectors stop calling and can you be sued for a debt from identity theft.
How long it takes — and why it’s free
Once a bureau receives a complete 605B request, it must block the identity-theft information within four business days. That is the legal deadline for the block itself; allow extra time for mail, for the bureau to confirm your identity, and for the furnisher notice to take effect. Because you file with three bureaus separately, items can clear at slightly different times, so check all three of your reports afterward and re-send to any bureau that has not acted.
Every step here is free: IdentityTheft.gov, your annual reports, and the block and dispute rights all come at no cost. Be skeptical of any firm that promises to “remove” fraudulent accounts for a fee or offers “pay-to-delete” deals — you already hold these rights, and a fraudulent account is not something to settle or pay. For the do-it-yourself path that uses the same federal rights, read how do I repair my credit myself.