 TITLE: When to Dispute Credit Report Information CONTENT: What if You're a Victim of Identity Theft?\n------------------------------------------\nFinding unfamiliar credit inquiries, accounts and balance or payment information on your credit report could be evidence that someone you don't know has opened accounts and run up debt in your name or that someone has gotten ahold of your credit card information and used it to make fraudulent charges on your account. If you find suspicious information on your credit report and believe you are a victim of identity theft or fraud, take these steps:\n*   File a report with your local police department or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). IdentityTheft.gov, an FTC website, can walk you through the steps of dealing with identity theft.\n*   Contact any lenders and credit card companies reporting accounts you don't recognize. Explain that you are a victim of identity theft and ask that they close any unauthorized accounts, absolve you of responsibility for charges made and remove related information from your credit files. You can also ask that they refrain from furnishing further information about these accounts to any credit reporting agency. The FTC provides a templated letter you can use to submit your request in writing.\n*   Contact any credit reporting agency where the fraudulent accounts appear to notify them of the fraud and begin the dispute process. You may be asked to provide documentation that supports the dispute.\nIn addition to resolving disputes, Experian offers help to victims of identity theft, including temporary fraud alerts and the ability to add an extended fraud victim alert that will stay on your reports for up to seven years. Experian's Identity Theft Victim Assistance page provides more information. END