CreditDispute.com shield logoCreditDispute.com

Insights & guides

The CreditDispute.com blog 

Practical guidance, legal insights, and real-world advice for consumers navigating the credit-reporting system.

TopicAllConsumer Rights13Background Checks10Consumer Protection7Credit Reporting7Disputes3Identity Theft3Credit Reports2Debt Collection2Practical Advice2Cases and Damages1FCRA and Damages1FCRA Basics1Furnisher Liability1
AttorneyLeonard A. BennettAdam W. ShortCraig C. MarchiandoDrew SarrettEmily KennedyMark Leffler

More articles

Page 4 of 6

Identity Theft

Identity Theft Report: Your Most Powerful FCRA Tool

An identity theft report is the key that unlocks your legal rights as a victim. Here's how to get one and use it to force bureaus and creditors to act.

Leonard A. Bennett5 min read

Consumer Rights

FACTA: Real Power for Identity Theft Victims (FCRA)

The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA), passed in 2003, gave identity theft victims real, enforceable rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Mark Leffler5 min read

Consumer Protection

Fraud Alerts Explained: Which Type Do You Need? (FCRA)

A fraud alert can help shield you from identity theft, but the three types carry different requirements and different levels of protection.

Leonard A. Bennett5 min read

Disputes

Seventy-Five Cents: What Your Dispute Is Worth to a Credit Bureau

In one landmark case, evidence showed that a credit bureau spent about 75 cents per consumer dispute investigation.

Leonard A. Bennett6 min read

Consumer Rights

Your Full Credit File Disclosure: How to Request It (FCRA)

Your credit report doesn't show everything in your file. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you have the right to a full "file disclosure", and it can reveal information that a standard report

Drew Sarrett5 min read

Consumer Protection

The Hidden Trap in Credit Monitoring Contracts: Arbitration

That 'free' credit monitoring after a data breach? It may strip away your legal rights. Here is what to know about mandatory arbitration clauses before you click accept.

Leonard A. Bennett5 min read

Consumer Rights

What Furnishers Must Do When You Report Identity Theft

When you report identity theft, the creditors and collectors that report your information, called 'furnishers,' have specific legal obligations.

Craig C. Marchiando5 min read

Credit Reports

Mixed Files vs. Identity Theft: What's Happening to Your Credit

That unfamiliar account on your credit report might not be fraud at all. Understanding 'mixed files' can change how you fight back, and how strong your case is.

Leonard A. Bennett9 min read

Identity Theft

How Identity Theft Snowballs Through the Credit System

A single stolen Social Security number can trigger a cascade of credit damage. Understanding how the snowball forms helps you fight back faster.

Emily Kennedy5 min read

Ready to dispute an error?

Use our free dispute generator to write a certified-mail-ready FCRA letter - or ask an FCRA lawyer if the bureaus have already ignored you.

Use Dispute Generator
Ask an FCRA LawyerNo attorney-client relationship

Go deeper

Explore our resources

Credit ID Theft Guide

Comprehensive guide to detecting, disputing, and recovering.

Glossary

Learn the terminology used in credit reporting and disputes.

ID Theft Check

Find out what type of identity theft you may be dealing with.

CreditDispute.comCreditDispute.com

A consumer-help project developed with FCRA plaintiff attorneys at Consumer Litigation Associates, P.C. - a plaintiff-side FCRA law firm representing consumers nationwide. Dispute letters prepared with attorneys who have litigated thousands of federal FCRA cases against the big three bureaus and obtained FCRA payments for hundreds of thousands of consumers. Licensed in VA, NC, FL, TX, CA, NY; co-counsel in 40+ states.

(757) 930-3660