ITRC Solution 9 – Refused a New Line of Credit
Many people find out they are victims of identity theft when they try to open an account. It often comes as a shock. This is one reason we encourage using the annual credit reports system to monitor your credit through out the year.
If you are refused a new line of credit because you are a victim of identity theft, we recommend the following steps:
- Contact all three major credit reporting agencies to place a fraud alert on your credit reports. (Refer to ITRC Solution 3) You will want to obtain your complimentary copies of all three credit reports.
- Go through the reports and highlight all fraudulent accounts, and incorrect information. (See ITRC Fact Sheet 128 – How to Read your Credit Report.)
- Contact your local law enforcement to file a police report stating you are a victim of identity theft. Take your highlighted credit reports as evidence. You will need to obtain a copy of this police report to clear any fraudulent activity.
- Contact all the companies where fraudulent accounts have been opened, any collection agencies that are involved, as well as any company with a pending application. Please refer to ITRC Solution 1 – Clearing Fraudulent New Account and ITRC Solution 4 – Clearing Name with Collection Agencies. Please speak with the fraud department, not the customer service department.
- Ask the fraud department what is required to clear you from this account and to remove it off of your credit reports. (Please refer to ITRC Letter Form 100-1 or ITRC Letter Form 116) Once the company has found it to be a fraudulent account, they must remove it from your credit reports.
Related links:
ITRC Fact Sheet 100 - Financial Identity Theft: The Beginning Steps
ITRC Fact Sheet 106 – Organizing your Case
ITRC Fact Sheet 116 – Collection Agencies and Identity Theft
ITRC Solution 3 - Contacting the CRA’s to place a Fraud Alert
ITRC Solution 10 – Filing a Police Report
This Solution should not be used in lieu of legal advice. Any requests to reproduce this material, other than by individual victims for their
own use, should be directed to
itrc@idtheftcenter.org
Copyright 2009, Identity Theft Resource Center ®, Created by the ITRC staff