Guaranteed Credit Deletion Toolkit

GUARANTEED DELETION

INDEX
TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

1. EASY STEPS TO FOLLOW

2. PRIMARY TOOLS TO CORRECT CREDIT REPORT

3. VICTIMS COMPLAINT AND AFFIDAVIT

10

4. SAMPLE DISPUTE LETTER

16

GUARANTEED CREDIT DELETION TOOL

KIT
If you have ever been a victim of identity theft, there is a guaranteed way to
have disputed accounts blocked or deleted from your credit report. The credit
bureaus are, upon submission of the reports below, legally obligated to block
the negative information. No further verification with the creditors is required.
EASY STEPS TO FOLLOW.

1. Obtain a copy of your credit report from all 3 credit bureaus: Experian,
Equifax, and Transunion.
You may get these reports free by going to: www.annualcreditreport.com
2. Identify all disputed accounts and information on your credit report.
3. File a report indicating that you are a victim of identity theft for those
accounts that dont belong to you. You can file one with the local police
department, or online for some jurisdictions. For example,
www.ranchocordovapd.comallows you to file and obtain a police report online.
This is important because you need a police report number in your letter to
the credit bureaus.
4. Complete the Identity Theft Victims Complaint and Affidavit. This step is
not strictly necessary if you have a police report. You should also notarize this
if you include it in your package to the credit bureaus.
5. Mail your dispute letter, as shown in the attached sample, to all three credit
bureaus, along with the attachments noted in the sample.
The disputed accounts will be blocked within 7 days or less from appearing
on your credit report.GUARANTEED!The Bureaus wont seek to verify account
information. They will simply block the negative entries, and it wont appear
on your credit report.
THATS IT. SHORT AND SWEET. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

II.B.

The Primary Tools to Show That the Victim is Not Responsible

for the Fraud and to Correct Credit Reports

Your client should be aware of the two primary tools for an identity theft victim to prove to
creditors and other entities where the thief has committed fraud in her name that she is not
responsible, and to correct her credit report: the Identity Theft Affidavit and the Identity Theft
Report. Although their names and appearance are similar, these tools provide victims with
significantly different rights.
A. The Identity Theft Affidavit
The Identity Theft Affidavit (Affidavit) is the primary tool for proving the victims innocence
to creditors and other entities where the thief has committed fraud in their names. It is a sworn
statement that provides critical, detailed information in a comprehensive and standardized manner. It
is widely accepted as a means for the victim to dispute fraud committed by the identity thief. Many
of the sample dispute letters for consumers use in Appendix C of this guide recommend enclosing
an Identity Theft Affidavit.
The victim should check with each company where she intends to use the Affidavit as part of
her dispute documentation to determine if it accepts the FTCs Identity Theft Affidavit, or if it
requires the use of its own proprietary Affidavit.
The Identity Theft Affidavit is available at the FTCs website, at
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/resources/forms/affidavit.pdf, and is at Appendix D.6 of this guide. The
victim can either print out a blank copy from the FTCs consumer education website and fill it out by
hand, or file an online complaint with the FTC at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/, and print it
out with most of the blanks filled in. Whether filling it out by hand or printing it from the FTCs
online complaint system, the victim should first gather her information and provide as much detail as
possible.
A completed Identity Theft Affidavit provides proof: 1) of the victims identity; and 2) that
she did not commit the frauds alleged in the Affidavit. However, it is understood that the victim may
not know, and may have no way to ever determine, many of the facts and circumstances surrounding
the crime. The victim should provide as much information as she is able to. A lack of knowledge
about, for example, the perpetrator or how the information was stolen, should not be held against the
victim or invalidate the Affidavit.
Some companies require that the victims Affidavit be notarized. Before signing the
Affidavit, the victim should find out if the company requires notarization, and if so, wait to sign it in
the presence of a notary. The victim should be aware that signing the Affidavit potentially exposes
her to criminal penalties for filing false information, since the information may be shared with law
enforcement.
For the purpose of disputing a fraudulent account that does not present any complicating factors, the
company should not require a police report in addition to the

Affidavit. If no police report is required, your client can leave blank the question regarding
law enforcement. If the company does require a police report, your client should inquire as to the
reason for the request. If the request seems justified, she should file a police report and fill in the
Affidavits section on law enforcement reports.
When filing the Affidavit with a particular company, the victim should consider redacting
information related to accounts with any other companies. The victim should attach copies of her
supporting documentation, as proof of her identity and to show that she is a victim of identity theft,
and not the person who created the fraudulent accounts or transactions in her name. This would
include copies of, for example:

government-issued identification documents;

utility bills or other documentation showing the victims current address;
a credit report marked-up to indicate which information is inaccurate as a result of identity
theft; and
any bills, collection letters, or other documents related to the fraudulent accounts or
transactions.

B. The Identity Theft Report

The Identity Theft Report is the primary tool for removing inaccurate identity theft-related
information from the victims credit report. When the victim provides a qualifying Identity Theft
Report and request to a CRA, the CRA under section 605B of the FCRA, is required to block the
reporting of information resulting from identity theft from appearing in her credit report within four
business days. The CRA also must notify the furnishers of the identity theft-related information
(furnishers), who must subsequently cease reporting that information to the CRAs and cease selling
the fraudulent debts for collection.
As defined in the FCRA, the Identity Theft Report is a report:
(A) that alleges an identity theft,
(B) that is a copy of an official, valid report filed by a consumer with an appropriate Federal,
State, or local law enforcement agency, and
(C) the filing of which subjects the person filing the report to criminal penalties relating to the
filing of false information if, in fact, the information in the report is false.
FCRA Section 603(q)(4), 15 U.S.C. 1681a.
Under the authority provided to it by Congress, the FTC modified the definition in several
important ways.1 The FTCs Rule on Related Identity Theft Definitions requires the victim to provide
as much specificity as possible, including:

1 The

information about when the loss, theft, or misuse of her personal information occurred,
any information about the perpetrator,
the names of companies that furnished the information to the CRAs,
account numbers for compromised or fraudulently opened accounts, and
FTCs Rule on Related Identity Theft Definitions, 16 C.F.R. Part 603.3, 69 Fed. Reg. 63922 (11/03/04).

any other information about the theft.

The FTCs Rule also states that a CRA or furnisher may reasonably request additional
information or documentation if the Report does not contain enough specificity for it to determine the
validity of the alleged identity theft. 16 C.F.R. 603.3(a)(3). Bear in mind that many identity theft
victims do not know and may never know who stole or misused their personal information, how
it was stolen, or other aspects of the crime. If the victim cannot provide these kinds of details, the
police, CRAs, or furnishers should not consider the Identity Theft Report incomplete. For examples
of reasonable requests for additional information, see the Commissions Rule on Related Identity
Theft Definitions at Appendix E.12. 16 C.F.R. 603.3(c)(1 - 4).
If the victim has obtained a detailed report from law enforcement, that document could serve as an
Identity Theft Report. However, normally, a law enforcement report doesnt contain enough detail to
be considered an Identity Theft Report. To help law enforcement develop more detailed reports, the
FTCs Identity Theft Affidavit can be used to add detail to a police report. This puts the job of
gathering and organizing the information about the crime on the party in the best position to obtain it,
the victim.
An Affidavit that has been verified by the police and incorporated into or attached to the police report
should contain sufficient detail to avert requests by CRAs or furnishers for additional information.
An Identity Theft Report offers five major benefits to identity theft victims:

Blocking fraudulent information from appearing on a credit report: By submitting an Identity

Theft Report to a CRA, a victim can stop the CRAs from reporting information resulting
from the identity theft on the victims credit report. The CRAs have up to four business days
after they accept the Report to block the information. FCRA 605B, 15 U.S.C. 1681c-2.

Preventing a company from refurnishing fraudulent information to a CRA: Once a CRA

informs a furnisher that it has accepted a victims Identity Theft Report which states that the
information the company furnished was caused by identity theft, the furnisher is prohibited
from refurnishing that information to a CRA. FCRA 623(a)(6)(A), 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2
(a)(6)(A). The same prohibition on refurnishing fraudulent information to a CRA applies if
the victim files her Identity Theft Report directly with the furnisher. FCRA 623(a)(6)(B),
15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 (a)(6)(B).

Preventing a company from selling or placing for collection bad debts that result from identity
theft: Once a CRA informs a furnisher that it has accepted a victims Identity Theft Report which
states that the debts the furnisher reported in the victims name resulted from identity theft, the
furnisher is prohibited from selling those debts to another company for collection. FCRA
615(f), 15 U.S.C.

1681m(f).

Placing an Extended Fraud Alert: Consumers need an Identity Theft Report to place an
extended 7-year fraud alert on their credit reports. FCRA 605A(b), 15 U.S.C. 1681c-1
(b). For purposes of obtaining an extended fraud alert, an Identity Theft Report with a simple
allegation that identity theft occurred should be sufficient. Thus, victims can use police
reports generated through automated systems, such as by telephone or computer, or the
victims Identity Theft Affidavit filed with the FTC. 16 C.F.R. 603.3(c)(4).

Obtaining transaction documents from businesses: Victims may obtain documents related to
fraudulent transactions resulting from identity theft if they submit a police report, an FTC
Identity Theft Affidavit (or other affidavit provided by the company), and proper proof of
identification to the company where the fraudulent transaction occurred. FCRA 609(e), 15
U.S.C. 1681g(e). The statutory construction of section 609(e) is a bit unusual. While
section 609(e)s statutory language specifies a police report and an FTC or companyprovided Identity Theft Affidavit, an Identity Theft Report that is comprised of an Identity
Theft Affidavit attached to a police report, by definition, meets the section 609(e)
requirements.

Police officers who participate in the FTCs nationwide online network of consumer
complaints, called Consumer Sentinel, can add the official police report number along with
additional information about the Department to the complaint the victim filed with the FTC, which is
stored in the Consumer Sentinel database. The officer can retrieve the victims complaint from the
FTC Consumer Sentinel database by searching for: a) the victims Social Security number or their
FTC Complaint Reference Number, plus b) one of four pieces of their personal information, such as
name or phone number. The officer can then print the updated complaint. The police report and
department-related information will be printed on the complaint the officer generates for the victim.
There are signature blocks for the victim and the officer.
C.

What to do if the victim cannot get a police report or a copy of the police report

As mentioned in Section I, some jurisdictions may refuse to take police reports from identity
theft victims. In other jurisdictions, a police officer may be prohibited from giving the victim a copy
of the official police report. If so, the victim may have to explore other options.
First, the victim can provide the official with a copy of the AMemorandum to Police on
Importance of Taking Police Reports for Identity Theft,@ contained in Appendix D.7. This
document explains why an Identity Theft Report is critical for identity theft victims.
Second, the victim can check to see if the law in her state requires police to provide reports
for identity theft victims. A map of the states that require the police to take reports from identity theft
victims is available at www.theiacp.org/idsafety/map .
Third, the victim can seek to obtain a report from another jurisdiction, such as the jurisdiction
where the thief misused her information, or from a different law enforcement agency, such as the
state police.
Fourth, if the police do take the victims report, but a) refuse or are unable by law to provide
her a copy, or b) are only able to provide her with a basic police report bearing a simple allegation of
identity theft, the victim should ask the officer to complete the police report number and departmentrelated information in Question 20, and sign her Identity Theft Affidavit. At a minimum, she should
ask for the information to complete Question 20 on her Affidavit. The Affidavit, with the report
number and as much information in Question 20 completed as possible, and the basic police report,
when available, attached, should satisfy the requirements of an Identity Theft Report
Fifth, if the victim cannot file a report in person, she should inquire about filing an
automated report over the Internet or telephone. Some jurisdictions only provide identity theft
victims automated police reports bearing a simple allegation that an identity theft occurred. Victims
who file automated reports are often provided only a written confirmation of filing and a report
number, if anything at all. If the victim is using an automated police report to support a request for
blocking information from her credit report, the CRA or furnisher could reasonably ask the victim for
a completed, notarized Identity Theft Affidavit. To forestall that request, it is suggested that victims
write the automated police report number on their Identity Theft Affidavit and attach the automated
report confirmation notice (if any). 16 C.F.R. 603.3(c)(3).
Sixth, the victim can ask to file a Miscellaneous Incident Report in lieu of a police report. A
Miscellaneous Incident Report is a document created by law enforcement to record non-criminal
events or events that require no police action or follow up beyond the initial response. It is a report
created for informational purposes only, does not generate a police report number, and is not entered
as a crime report into databases used for tracking a departments crime statistics.
Seventh, if the victim cannot get any kind of police report from any law enforcement agency
using the suggestions listed above, the victim can use her Identity Theft Affidavit filed with the FTC
as an Identity Theft Report. In such a case, the victim should check the box under Question 23

indicating that she was unable to file any law enforcement report, and provide the FTC Complaint
Number.
Background Information: In the Analysis of Comments published with the Final Rule on Related
Identity Theft Definitions (69 FR 63927, Nov. 3, 2004), the Commission observed that the fact that
some police departments will not take identity theft complaints, combined with the fact that most
federal agencies use automated systems to take reports, means that excluding automated reports
generated by federal agencies would unduly burden victims of identity theft. The Final Rule
contemplates automated reports generated by the FTCs complaint system as being within the scope
of the definition of an Identity Theft Report.
D. When the victim does not want to file a police report
There may be reasons a victim chooses not to obtain a police report, even though she cannot get the
benefits of an Identity Theft Report without at least attempting to file a police report. Victims who do
not want to file a police report cannot provide the CRAs with an Identity Theft Report. These victims
should follow the dispute procedures under FCRA section 611, described in Section III.B.

Average time to complete: 10 minutes

Identity Theft Victims Complaint and Affidavit

A voluntary form for filing a report with law enforcement, and disputes with credit reporting agencies and creditors about
identity theft-related problems. Visit ftc.gov/idtheft to use a secure online version that you can print for your records.

Before completing this form:

1. Place a fraud alert on your credit reports, and review the reports for signs of fraud.
2. Close the accounts that you know, or believe, have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.

About You (the victim)

Now
(1)

My full legal name:

First

(2)

Middle

Last

Suffix

My date of birth:
mm/dd/yyyy

(3)

My Social Security number:

(4)

My drivers license:

State

(5)

Number

My current street address:

Number & Street Name
City

(6)

Apartment, Suite, etc.

State

Zip Code

Country

I have lived at this address since

Leave (3)
blank until
you provide
this form to
someone with
a legitimate
business need,
like when you
are filing your
report at the
police station
or sending
the form to a
credit
reporting
agency to
correct your
credit report.

mm/yyyy

(7)

My daytime phone: (
My evening phone: (

)
)

My email:

At the Time of the Fraud

(8)

My full legal name was:

First

(9)

Middle

Last

Suffix

My address was:
Number & Street Name
City

(10)

My daytime phone: (

State

Apartment, Suite, etc.

Zip Code

Skip (8) - (10)

if your
information
has not
changed since
the fraud.

Country

My evening phone: (

My email:
The Paperwork Reduction Act requires the FTC to display a valid control number (in this case, OMB control #3084-0047)
before we can collect or sponsor the collection of your information, or require you to provide it.

Victims Name

Phone number (

Page 2

About You (the victim) (Continued)

Declarations
(11)

did

OR

did not

authorize anyone to use my name or personal information to

obtain money, credit, loans, goods, or services or for any
other purpose as described in this report.

(12)

did

OR

did not

receive any money, goods, services, or other benefit as a

result of the events described in this report.

(13)

am

OR

am not

willing to work with law enforcement if charges are brought

against the person(s) who committed the fraud.

About the Fraud

(14)

I believe the following person used my information or identification

documents to open new accounts, use my existing accounts, or commit other
fraud.
Name:
First

Middle

Last

Suffix

Address:
Number & Street Name

City

Phone Numbers: (

State

Additional information about this person:

Apartment, Suite, etc.

Zip Code

Country

(14):
Enter what
you know
about anyone
you believe
was involved
(even if you
dont have
complete
information).

Victims Name
(15)

Phone number (

Additional information about the crime (for example, how the identity thief
gained access to your information or which documents or information were
used):

Page 3
(14) and (15):
Attach
additional
sheets as
needed.

Documentation
(16)

I can verify my identity with these documents:

A valid government-issued photo identification card (for example, my drivers
license, state-issued ID card, or my passport).
If you are under 16 and dont have a photo-ID, a copy of your birth certificate or
a copy of your official school record showing your enrollment and legal address is
acceptable.
Proof of residency during the time the disputed charges occurred, the loan
was made, or the other event took place (for example, a copy of a rental/lease
agreement in my name, a utility bill, or an insurance bill).

(16): Reminder:
Attach copies
of your identity
documents
when sending
this form to
creditors
and credit
reporting
agencies.

About the Information or Accounts

(17)

The following personal information (like my name, address, Social Security number, or date of
birth) in my credit report is inaccurate as a result of this identity theft:
(A)
(B)
(C)

(18)

Credit inquiries from these companies appear on my credit report as a result of this identity
theft:
Company
Company
Company Name:

Name:
Name:

Victims Name
(19)

Phone number (

Page 4

Below are details about the different frauds committed using my personal information.

Name of Institution

Contact Person

Account Number

Account Type:

Routing Number

Phone

Extension

Affected Check Number(s)

Credit
Bank
Phone/Utilities
Loan
Government Benefits
Internet or Email

Other

Enter any
applicable
information that
you have, even if
it is incomplete
or an estimate.

Select ONE:
This account was opened fraudulently.
This was an existing account that someone tampered with.
Date Opened or Misused (mm/yyyy)

Date Discovered (mm/yyyy)

Name of Institution

Contact Person

Account Number

Account Type:

Routing Number

Total Amount Obtained ($)

Phone

Extension

Affected Check Number(s)

Credit
Bank
Phone/Utilities
Loan
Government Benefits
Internet or Email

Other

Date Discovered (mm/yyyy)

Name of Institution

Contact Person

Account Number

Account Type:

Routing Number

Total Amount Obtained ($)

Phone

Extension

Affected Check Number(s)

Credit
Bank
Phone/Utilities
Loan
Government Benefits
Internet or Email

Other

Select ONE:
This account was opened fraudulently.
This was an existing account that someone tampered with.
Date Opened or Misused (mm/yyyy)

Date Discovered (mm/yyyy)

If the thief
committed two
types of fraud at
one company,
list the company
twice, giving
the information
about the two
frauds separately.
Contact Person:
Someone you
dealt with, whom
an investigator
can call about this
fraud.

Select ONE:
This account was opened fraudulently.
This was an existing account that someone tampered with.
Date Opened or Misused (mm/yyyy)

(19):
If there were
more than three
frauds, copy this
page blank, and
attach as many
additional copies
as necessary.

Total Amount Obtained ($)

Account Number:
The number of
the credit or
debit card, bank
account, loan, or
other account
that was misused.
Dates: Indicate
when the thief
began to misuse
your information
and when you
discovered the
problem.
Amount Obtained:
For instance,
the total amount
purchased with
the card or
withdrawn from
the account.

Victims Name

Phone number (

Page 5

Your Law Enforcement Report

(20)

One way to get a credit reporting agency to quickly block identity theftrelated information from appearing on your credit report is to submit a
detailed law enforcement report (Identity Theft Report). You can obtain
an Identity Theft Report by taking this form to your local law enforcement
office, along with your supporting documentation. Ask an officer to witness
your signature and complete the rest of the information in this section. Its
important to get your report number, whether or not you are able to file in
person or get a copy of the official law enforcement report. Attach a copy of
any confirmation letter or official law enforcement report you receive when
sending this form to credit reporting agencies.
Select ONE:
I have not filed a law enforcement report.
I was unable to file any law enforcement report.
I filed an automated report with the law enforcement agency listed
below.
I filed my report in person with the law enforcement
officer and agency listed below.

Law Enforcement Department

Filing Date (mm/dd/yyyy)

Officers Name (please print)

Officers Signature

(
Badge Number

Automated report:
A law
enforcement
report filed
through an
automated
system, for
example, by
telephone, mail,
or the Internet,
instead of a
face-to-face
interview with a
law enforcement
officer.

State

Report Number

(20):
Check I have
not... if you have
not yet filed a
report with law
enforcement or
you have chosen
not to. Check I
was unable... if
you tried to file
a report but law
enforcement
refused to take it.

)
Phone Number

Did the victim receive a copy of the report from the law enforcement officer?
Victims FTC complaint number (if available):

Yes

OR

No

Victims Name

Phone number (

Page 6

Signature
As applicable, sign and date IN THE PRESENCE OF a law enforcement officer, a notary, or
a witness.
(21)

I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, all of the information on and attached to
this complaint is true, correct, and complete and made in good faith. I understand that this
complaint or the information it contains may be made available to federal, state, and/or local
law enforcement agencies for such action within their jurisdiction as they deem appropriate. I
understand that knowingly making any false or fraudulent statement or representation to the
government may violate federal, state, or local criminal statutes, and may result in a fine,
imprisonment, or both.

Signature

Date Signed (mm/dd/yyyy)

Your Affidavit
(22)

If you do not choose to file a report with law enforcement, you may use this form as an Identity
Theft Affidavit to prove to each of the companies where the thief misused your information that
you are not responsible for the fraud. While many companies accept this affidavit, others require
that you submit different forms. Check with each company to see if it accepts this form. You
should also check to see if it requires notarization. If so, sign in the presence of a notary. If it
does not, please have one witness (non-relative) sign that you completed and signed this Affidavit.

Notary

Witness:

Signature

Printed Name

Date

Telephone Number

SAMPLE ID THEFT DISPUTE LETTER

Use this letter to dispute fraudulent accounts on your credit report.
Your Name
Your Current Address
City, State, Zip Code
SSN: Your Social Security Number
DOB: Your Date of Birth

Make sure to mail your letter

with a certificate of mailing and
keep the proof of mailing for your
records.

Date

CERTIFICATE OF MAILING

Dispute Department
Credit Reporting Agency
Address
City, State, Zip Code

Re: Report Number

List all the credit accounts that

Dear Credit Reporting Agency:

I am an identity theft victim. I am writing to dispute the following items on
my credit report. Each of the accounts and transactions I dispute were
opened and made by the thief, not by me. I never authorized, used, or
benefited from these accounts or transactions in any way:

Fill in the report or file number

of the report you want to
dispute. You can usually find this
information in the top right corner of
your credit report.

I dispute the following accounts:

ABC Credit Card, Account No. 12345678
DEF Credit Card, Account No. 12345678
XYZ Phone Company, Account No. 12345678

3 the identity thief opened in

your name. For each account, write

the creditors name and the account
number.

List all the incorrect

addresses here.

Attach copies (not originals) of

I also dispute the following addresses, where I have never lived:

Wrong Address No. 1
Wrong Address No. 2
City, State, Zip Code
City, State, Zip Code

Attached is a completed ID Theft Affidavit and a Police Report. All the

items I dispute are also circled on the attached copy of my credit report.
Please delete the disputed items from my credit report within four days
as required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Sincerely,

Your Name

Enclosures: Credit Report, ID Theft Affidavit, Police Report,

Cc: ABC Credit Card, DEF Credit Card, XYZ Phone Company

5 the completed ID Theft Affidavit

and a police report to support your
dispute. Also attach a copy of your
credit report with all the disputed
information circled or highlighted.
You should also include proof of
identity and address, such as a copy
of your drivers license and a utility
bill. List this evidence on the
Enclosure line. Send a copy of
your dispute to each creditor, and
list their names on the cc line.
Finally, always keep a copy of
your dispute letter for yourself.