How do I file an FCRA § 605B block request?

To file an FCRA § 605B block request, you must provide the bureau with: (1) your identity theft report filed at IdentityTheft.gov or with local law enforcement, (2) proof of your identity, (3) identification of the specific information you believe resulted from identity theft, and (4) a written request that the bureau block the information. The bureau must block the information within four business days of receiving all required documentation.

What is a fraud alert?

A fraud alert is a notice placed on your credit file under FCRA § 605A that instructs lenders to take additional steps to verify your identity before extending credit. An initial fraud alert lasts one year and requires any creditor who pulls your report to take reasonable steps to verify that the credit application is really from you. An extended fraud alert lasts seven years and is available to identity theft victims who file an identity theft report.

Is a security freeze free?

Yes. As of September 21, 2018, following the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, placing, temporarily lifting, and removing a security freeze is free at all three major credit bureaus and all specialty consumer reporting agencies. You can place a security freeze online, by phone, or by mail at each bureau separately.

How long does identity theft credit repair take?

Identity theft credit repair typically takes longer than standard dispute cycles because it involves multiple layers: blocking information under FCRA § 605B, disputing remaining inaccuracies under § 1681i, monitoring for new fraudulent accounts, and sometimes resolving mixed credit file issues. Most identity theft cases see significant progress within 60 to 90 days, but complex cases involving multiple fraudulent accounts or mixed files may require 6 to 12 months of active dispute management.

Identity Theft Credit Repair: Restore Your Credit After Fraud

By Joeziel Vazquez, CEO & Founder - Credlocity Business Group LLC
FCRA Certified · BCCC · CCSC · CCRS · 17 Years · 79,000+ Clients · Philadelphia, PA

Identity theft is the unauthorized use of another person's personal information - Social Security number, date of birth, name, address, financial account numbers - to open fraudulent accounts, make unauthorized charges, take out loans, or file fraudulent tax returns. When identity theft affects your credit report, the damage can be severe and compounding: multiple fraudulent accounts, hard inquiries from credit applications you never made, addresses you never lived at, and employers you never worked for may all appear in your credit file. The Fair Credit Reporting Act provides specific legal tools for identity theft victims that go beyond the standard dispute process, including the powerful § 605B block right that requires bureaus to block identity theft information within four business days of receiving a proper request.

How to Recognize Identity Theft on Your Credit Report

Review your credit reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com and look for specific indicators of identity theft. Accounts you did not open - credit cards, auto loans, personal loans, retail accounts, or utility accounts in your name at addresses you never lived at - are the most obvious sign. Hard inquiries from lenders you never applied to indicate that someone used your identity to apply for credit. Addresses you do not recognize in the address history section of your report are a frequent early indicator, because identity thieves typically use a different address to receive account statements and cards. Public records you have no knowledge of - judgments, liens, or bankruptcies you did not file - may also indicate identity theft. A mixed credit file is a related but distinct problem: your credit report has been merged with another consumer's file because you share a similar name, Social Security number digits, or address, resulting in that person's negative accounts appearing on your report without any fraudulent intent involved. Both identity theft and mixed file situations are addressed under FCRA § 605B.

FCRA § 605B Block Request: Your Most Powerful Identity Theft Tool

FCRA § 605B is a provision specifically designed for identity theft victims. It gives consumers the right to request that a credit bureau block any information in the consumer's file that the consumer identifies as resulting from identity theft. The block is more powerful than a standard dispute because it does not require the bureau to investigate whether the information is accurate - the bureau must block it upon receiving a proper request, within four business days. To invoke § 605B, you must provide: a completed identity theft report filed at IdentityTheft.gov or with local law enforcement, proof of your identity (government-issued ID), identification of the specific items on your report you believe resulted from identity theft, and a written block request addressed to each bureau separately. Once the block is in place, the bureau may not report the blocked information, and the furnisher that reported the fraudulent account cannot re-report it after receiving notice of the block. Furnishers that re-report blocked information violate FCRA § 623(a)(6) and may be subject to civil liability.

Fraud Alerts vs. Security Freezes: Understanding the Difference

A fraud alert under FCRA § 605A is a notation on your credit file instructing lenders to take additional steps to verify your identity before opening new accounts. An initial fraud alert lasts one year and can be placed at any one bureau, which must then notify the other two. An extended fraud alert, available to confirmed identity theft victims who file an identity theft report, lasts seven years. Neither fraud alert stops lenders from pulling your report - it only requires extra verification steps. A security freeze is more protective. Under FCRA § 605A (as amended by the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018), a security freeze instructs the bureau to block access to your credit file entirely for new credit inquiries, meaning a lender cannot pull your report at all unless you temporarily lift the freeze. Security freezes are now free at all three major bureaus and must be placed separately at each one. A freeze does not affect your existing accounts or credit score. It is the strongest available tool for preventing new fraudulent accounts from being opened in your name.

Dealing With Mixed Credit Files

A mixed credit file occurs when two consumers' credit information is combined into a single file by the credit bureau, typically because they share a similar name, have Social Security numbers that differ by only a digit or two, or have shared an address. Mixed files are a systemic problem - the three major bureaus process hundreds of millions of records and matching errors occur. If your credit report contains accounts, inquiries, or public records that belong to someone else, you can dispute under FCRA § 1681i and specifically identify the items as belonging to a different person. Include documentation establishing your correct identity: your full legal name exactly as it appears on government ID, your complete Social Security number, your date of birth, and your address history. Request that the bureau correct its records to reflect your file only. Credlocity has extensive experience separating mixed credit files and has handled disputes in which a client's file contained the complete credit history of a different consumer with a similar name.

How Credlocity Can Help With Identity Theft Credit Repair

Credlocity Business Group LLC, founded in 2008 by Joeziel Vazquez in Philadelphia, PA, has helped more than 79,000 clients dispute and remove negative items from their credit reports. Joeziel Vazquez holds FCRA certification, Board Certified Credit Consultant (BCCC), Certified Credit Score Consultant (CCSC), and Certified Credit Repair Specialist (CCRS) credentials. With 17 years of hands-on FCRA dispute experience, Credlocity prepares § 605B block requests with all required documentation, files comprehensive identity theft disputes under § 1681i, assists with fraud alerts and security freeze placement, and coordinates with furnishers who must cease re-reporting blocked information. For clients with complex identity theft scenarios involving multiple fraudulent accounts across all three bureaus, Credlocity provides sustained case management through the full dispute lifecycle.

Start your free 30-day credit repair trial with no upfront fees. Your first month is free under Credlocity's CROA-compliant service agreement. See also: credit repair guides and FCRA articles on the Credlocity blog.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I file an FCRA § 605B block request?: Provide each bureau with your identity theft report from IdentityTheft.gov, proof of your identity, identification of specific items to block, and a written block request. The bureau must block within four business days.
What is a fraud alert?: A fraud alert under FCRA § 605A notifies lenders to take extra identity verification steps before opening new accounts. An initial alert lasts one year; an extended alert for identity theft victims lasts seven years.
Is a security freeze free?: Yes. Since 2018, placing, lifting, and removing a security freeze is free at all three major bureaus. Place freezes separately at each bureau.
How long does identity theft credit repair take?: Most cases see significant progress within 60 to 90 days. Complex cases involving multiple fraudulent accounts or mixed files may require 6 to 12 months of active dispute management.