How Do I Report Fraud to Credit Bureaus?

Spot fraud instantly by scanning three sections of your credit report. Verify that your name, address, and Social Security number match exactly; any misspelling or unknown alias signals trouble. Look for accounts you never opened, especially credit cards or loans in a city you don't live in, and note any hard inquiries you didn't authorize. A sudden drop of 50 points or more often means a new delinquency has been recorded without your knowledge.

When an anomaly appears, treat it as a red flag and begin a dispute. Pull the five key documents you'll need (see the next section) and contact the relevant bureau - Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion - within 30 days as required by the FCRA. Prompt action stops further damage and sets the stage for the detailed reporting steps that follow.

Grab these five documents before you contact Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion.

• Recent credit report showing the fraudulent entry (download from annualcreditreport.com).
• Government‑issued photo ID (driver's license, passport, or state ID).
• Official police report or FTC Identity Theft Report that documents the theft.
• Proof of current residence that matches your ID (utility bill, lease, or bank statement).
• Supporting evidence such as creditor letters, billing statements, or payment confirmations that prove the charge is not yours.

Report fraud to Equifax instantly by using the Equifax online dispute portal and uploading proof of the fraudulent activity.

1. Open a browser and go to the Equifax online dispute portal.
2. Sign in or create a free account using your Social Security number, birth date, and last‑known address.
3. Select 'Add a dispute,' choose 'Fraud or identity theft,' and enter the date and description of the unauthorized entry.
4. Attach the five key documents you gathered earlier (ID copy, fraud report, credit‑freeze confirmation, etc.) in PDF or JPEG format.
5. Submit the dispute, note the case number, and watch for email updates; Equifax must investigate within the 30‑day window defined by the FCRA.

Call Experian's dedicated fraud line at 1‑888‑397‑3742 and tell the agent you are filing a dispute for fraud on your credit report caused by identity theft.

Have the five documents from the 'gather these 5 key documents now' section ready - government ID, proof of address, fraud‑affidavit, recent statements, and a copy of the compromised report. State the exact entry you want removed, request a fraud alert, and ask for a case reference number to track the investigation.

Record the reference number, the representative's name, and the call time; Experian must investigate within the 30‑day window allowed by the FCRA. Use the same reference to check progress on the Experian portal (see 'track your dispute status easily' later). For more detail on the phone process, see Experian's official phone dispute guide.

Alert TransUnion by creating a fraud alert online, by phone, or by mail.

1. Visit the TransUnion fraud‑alert page (TransUnion fraud alert portal) and click 'Start a fraud alert.'
2. Enter your full name, Social Security number, date of birth, and a brief description of the suspected fraud.
3. Choose the 90‑day 'initial fraud alert' unless you have a police report or FTC Identity Theft Report, in which case select the extended‑alert option.
4. Review the information, submit the request, and save the confirmation number or email receipt.
5. Within a week, request a free credit report from TransUnion to verify the alert is active; keep the report for your records.
6. If you prefer phone, call 1‑800‑680‑7289 and repeat steps 2‑4 with the representative; request written confirmation afterward.
7. For mail, send a signed letter with the same details to TransUnion, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016, and include a copy of your ID and proof of address.

After the alert is placed, monitor your credit file regularly and proceed to the dispute steps outlined in the next section.

You can see exactly where your fraud dispute stands by logging into each bureau's portal or using the reference number they mailed you, a step that follows the document collection and reporting methods described earlier.

• Equifax: visit Equifax Dispute Center, enter your Dispute ID, and view status updates (investigations typically complete within 30 days per FCRA).
• Experian: log into My Experian, select 'Dispute Center,' input the case number, and watch the status move from 'Received' to 'In Review' to 'Resolved.'
• TransUnion: access TransUnion Fraud Center, click 'Track Dispute,' and enter your tracking code; weekly updates show progress.
• Phone: call the bureau's fraud line, quote your reference number, and ask the agent for the current stage; record the agent's name and the call date.
• Mail: retain the certified‑mail receipt; the bureau must send a final results letter before the investigation period ends.
• Alerts: enable email or SMS notifications in each portal to receive real‑time status changes.

Avoid these four common reporting mistakes to keep your fraud dispute on track:

• Submit the exact documents listed in 'Gather these 5 key documents now'; missing a PDF or omitting the fraud incident number lets Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion reject the dispute.
• Use specific language instead of vague terms like 'error'; state the fraudulent account number, date opened, and why it isn't yours so the bureau's investigation can focus quickly.
• Honor the standard 30 day investigation window required by the FCRA; filing a new dispute before the first one closes only resets the clock and delays resolution.
• Follow up with each bureau separately; a phone call to Experian does not update the online dispute you filed with TransUnion, so repeat the same information for all three agencies.

When a family member's identity is stolen, the victim must initiate a fraud alert or credit freeze directly with each bureau.

• Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion via their online portals or dedicated phone lines; request a fraud alert and, if desired, a credit freeze.
• Supply the FTC identity‑theft report, a government‑issued photo ID, and a recent utility bill to verify the victim's address.
• If a relative or spouse assists, attach a written authorization signed by the victim or a valid power of attorney; notarized relationship letters are unnecessary.
• Dispute each fraudulent entry using the same documentation guidelines covered in the 'dispute Experian fraud by phone' and 'alert TransUnion step by step' sections.
• Enroll in free weekly credit monitoring and request the victim's free annual credit reports to catch new misuse early.

Only the victim - or an agent armed with proper legal authority - can trigger alerts and freezes, ensuring the dispute process proceeds without delay as the article progresses toward fixing medical fraud separately.

Medical fraud on your credit report means a medical charge you never incurred or that was billed incorrectly, and it requires its own dispute track separate from other fraud items.

First, call the medical provider, request an itemized bill, and ask for a written correction; keep the provider's response, your insurance explanation of benefits, and a signed letter - documents you already gathered in the 'gather these 5 key documents now' step. Next, file a dispute with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, attaching the provider's correction and any proof that the charge is invalid. The bureaus must investigate within 30 days per the FCRA and, if the provider confirms the error, remove the entry from your credit report.

If the provider refuses to correct the charge, file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or your state's health department and keep this medical‑fraud file separate from other disputes. For a detailed checklist, see how to dispute medical fraud on credit reports.

Remove every fraudulent line, then rebuild with clean, positive activity. After you filed disputes with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, the bureaus must verify and delete the false entries. Confirmation that the fraud is gone clears the biggest roadblock to a higher score.

Give the bureaus up to 30 days to finish their investigations, as required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act guidelines. Log into each credit‑report portal, check the 'status' of your disputes, and capture the removal notices. If any item remains, submit a follow‑up dispute referencing the original case number.

Once the report shows only legitimate accounts, focus on habit‑based improvements. Keep credit‑card balances below 30 % of the limit, pay every bill on time, and consider a secured card to add a positive tradeline. Enable automatic alerts so you spot any new fraud instantly and can act before the score suffers again.