A bureau or furnisher fails to block accounts opened through identity theft despite proper FTC affidavit submission.
Statute: FCRA §1681c-2 and §1681s-2(a)(6)
Reviewed by David Hemminger, Consumer Protection Attorney · Hemminger Law Firm.
FCRA §1681c-2 requires bureaus to block fraudulent information from a consumer's file within 4 business days of receiving an FTC Identity Theft Report. Furnishers must stop reporting blocked information under §1681s-2(a)(6).
Fraudulent accounts continue to score, continue to appear in lender pulls, and continue to harm the victim long after they have done everything federal law requires of them.
We review the FTC affidavit, the police report, the dates submitted to each bureau, and the current report status. Any blocked account still reporting after the 4-day window is a violation.
Re-submission with statute citation and certified mail proof. Continued reporting after the statutory deadline is a willful FCRA violation candidate.
Identity-theft mishandling cases commonly settle in the $2,500 - $7,500 range per defendant; willful refusals to block have produced larger awards. Award ranges are illustrative of historical FCRA / FDCPA recoveries reported in public consent orders and reported settlements; they are not a guarantee of any particular outcome.
A self-completed affidavit at IdentityTheft.gov that, when paired with a police report, qualifies as proof of identity theft for credit-bureau blocking under FCRA §1681c-2.
Within 4 business days of receiving the FTC affidavit and police report.
Order all three credit reports (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion), then compare the same account across bureaus. Mismatched dates, balances, statuses, or duplicate entries are the most common signal. Credit1Solutions offers a free 3-bureau review to flag candidate items for dispute.
No. Initial credit report review and dispute strategy are included in our service plans, and partnered consumer-protection attorneys take qualified FCRA/FDCPA matters on a contingency basis — fees are paid by the defendant under the statutes' fee-shifting provisions, not by you.
Pull a free 3-bureau credit report review and we will flag suspected identity theft mishandling items for attorney-supervised dispute. Start your free consultation or take the eligibility quiz. Explore all violation types we monitor.
Reviewed by Hemminger Law Firm, Consumer Rights Attorneys | Last reviewed: January 1, 2026
Consumers are protected by several federal laws when dealing with credit reporting issues related to credit education:
You may file complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Reviewed by Hemminger Law Firm, Consumer Rights Attorneys | Last reviewed: January 1, 2026
The credit education company with attorneys who pursue collectors and bureaus when they violate FCRA / FDCPA. Typical client recovery: $3,500+ per successful case. Free TransUnion FICO® 4 mortgage score included — no credit card required.