An account you never opened does not have to stay on your report. Here is how to lock down your file and remove fraudulent accounts.
Freeze your credit
A credit freeze stops new lenders from pulling your report, which blocks most new fraudulent accounts. It is free, you place it with each bureau, and you can lift it anytime.
What a freeze cannot do
A freeze does not remove accounts that are already open and does not stop activity on your existing accounts. For those, you dispute the item and report the fraud.
Report and document
File an identity-theft report so you have an official record. That report gives you added rights to block fraudulent information from appearing on your file.
Dispute the fraudulent accounts
Accounts opened by someone else are inaccurate by definition. With your identity-theft report and a dispute, they can be blocked and removed from your report.
We help you organize the freeze, the reports, and the disputes so fraudulent accounts come off and your real file is protected.
These guides are general educational information, not legal or financial advice. Individual results are unique and vary. You have the right to dispute inaccurate information on your own credit report at no cost.