Full Credit Dispute & Identity Theft Remedy Kit Have you fallen victim to identity theft or discovered fraudulent accounts on your credit report? This step-by-step remedy kit is designed to help you take swift and effective action—especially if your personal data was exposed during the 2017 Equifax Data Breach.

his section serves as a comprehensive, step-by-step remedy kit for individuals who have been affected by identity theft—particularly those whose data may have been compromised during the 2017 Equifax Data Breach. It equips you with the knowledge, legal templates, and actionable steps needed to report the theft, dispute fraudulent accounts, and hold credit bureaus legally accountable for correcting your records. From verifying your breach status to preparing detailed dispute packages, this module walks you through a 60-day process to restore your financial identity. You will also learn how to escalate unresolved disputes to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and take assertive action through arbitration threats, if necessary. Each step in this section has been designed to ensure your actions are backed by federal consumer protection laws including the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).

Before taking any formal action to dispute fraudulent accounts or file complaints, it is essential to verify whether your personal information was compromised in the 2017 Equifax Data Breach. This breach exposed the sensitive data of over 147 million Americans, making them vulnerable to identity theft, fraudulent credit activity, and unauthorized use of their financial information. In this step, you will visit the official Equifax Breach Settlement website to check your eligibility and determine if your identity was part of the compromised data. If confirmed, you will receive a unique Engagement Number—a critical piece of documentation that you’ll use throughout your credit dispute and recovery process. Completing this step is foundational to your identity theft case, as it validates your claim and adds weight to your disputes under federal consumer protection laws.

After confirming your data was compromised, the next crucial step is to formally report the identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This step is not just a formality—it establishes an official record of the theft and provides you with a legal document called the FTC Identity Theft Report. This report is essential because it: Validates your status as an identity theft victim under federal law Serves as the foundation for disputing fraudulent accounts with credit bureaus Gives you the legal right to request the removal or blocking of fraudulent entries from your credit report Can be used as supporting evidence in future complaints and legal actions By completing this step, you’re not only documenting the incident—you’re also empowering yourself with the legal tools necessary to hold credit bureaus and creditors accountable. The report becomes a core piece of your dispute package and must be included in all future communication with the credit reporting agencies. Once your FTC Identity Theft Report is generated, it’s important to save the report number and download the full PDF—you’ll need it throughout your remedy journey.

Now that you've filed your FTC Identity Theft Report, the next step is to prevent further damage by securing your personal information and limiting its circulation. In this step, you will freeze your credit files and opt out of data sharing with lesser-known but highly influential consumer data brokers like LexisNexis, SageStream, and Innovis.

With your identity theft report filed and your credit freezes in place, it’s time to formally challenge the fraudulent information on your credit reports. To do this, you must prepare and send a Dispute Package to each of the three major credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

With your identity theft report filed and your credit freezes in place, it’s time to formally challenge the fraudulent information on your credit reports. To do this, you must prepare and send a Dispute Package to each of the three major credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. This package is your official request for them to: Investigate and validate the listed accounts Remove or block fraudulent entries Stop any collection efforts based on stolen identity Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), credit bureaus are legally obligated to act upon your dispute—but only if you provide the proper documentation. That’s where your dispute package comes in. This step ensures that your complaint is complete, clear, and backed by legal proof, making it harder for bureaus to ignore or delay action.

In this step, you will officially send your completed dispute packages to each of the three major credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. This is a critical milestone in your identity theft recovery process. By submitting your dispute, you are: Formally requesting the removal of fraudulent information Triggering the credit bureaus’ legal obligation to investigate and respond under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) Creating a record of your communication, which will be vital if you need to escalate to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) later You’ll learn how to: Submit your dispute package correctly—either online or by certified mail Ensure your package is received and acknowledged Track your submission and keep proper records for future follow-up

After you've submitted your dispute packages to the credit bureaus, it's time to hold them accountable. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), credit bureaus are required to investigate and respond within 30 days of receiving a dispute. But even before the 30-day period ends, you can escalate your case after 6 business days if you’ve received no acknowledgment, update, or resolution. This step teaches you how to file an official complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)—a federal agency that monitors financial institutions and credit reporting practices. By filing a complaint, you: Create a legal paper trail showing your proactive effort Apply pressure on credit bureaus to act within the legal timeline Involve a regulatory body that often prompts faster resolutions This step empowers you with a formal channel to demand accountability and action, especially when your identity and credit are at stake.

If the credit bureaus have not resolved or removed the fraudulent accounts within 30 days of your initial dispute, it’s crucial to file a second dispute on Day 31. This reinforces your case, documents continued non-compliance, and strengthens your record for any further legal or regulatory action. Your second dispute should include updated documents and explicitly state that it is a follow-up to your previous dispute efforts.

By now, you've submitted two formal disputes with all required documentation and filed a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) complaint after the first dispute. If the credit bureaus still fail to respond, resolve, or correct the fraudulent entries within 6 business days after your second dispute, this step helps you escalate the issue further through a second CFPB complaint.

By this point, you've: • Verified the breach • Filed an FTC identity theft report • Submitted two formal disputes to credit bureaus • Filed two complaints with the CFPB If the fraudulent accounts are still on your credit report, it means the bureaus have ignored multiple opportunities to resolve your case. At this stage, it’s time to use your most powerful leverage—threatening binding arbitration or legal action under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).

FULL CREDIT DISPUTE & IDENTITY THEFT REMEDY KIT – ONE-PAGE CHECKLIST