If there is information on your credit report about bank accounts, credit cards, or loans in your name that you did not authorize, you could be the victim of identity theft.

• By law, if these accounts have been fraudulently opened under your name, you are not responsible for the charges incurred.

What You Should Do:

• File a police report with the county or city police department in your area listing the fraud. Get a copy of the police report and save it for your records.
• Order copies of your credit report from all three of the credit reporting agencies (CRAs), TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian.
• Check each report thoroughly for mistakes. All three credit reports may have differing information.
• Prepare a letter to each CRA, listing the mistakes that appear on your credit report, and request an investigation.
• Send the letter and a copy of the police report via certified mail, return receipt requested, to each of the credit reporting agencies. (You can use our sample letter below as a guide)
• Thirty days after you receive the return receipt from the credit reporting agency indicating that they received your letter, order a new credit report from each of the credit reporting agencies.
• Check each report thoroughly to make sure the mistakes have been removed or investigated.
• When you have completed the above steps, call our office for a free consultation if the information has not been removed from your credit report or if you have been denied credit based upon the inaccuracy. 

Sample Letters:

Open the file below, then save it to your computer. You will then be able to access it any time and fill it out at your convenience.

Credit Report Request MS Word© Format

Credit Report Correction Request MS Word© Format

What Else Can I Do?

If you have been a victim, you have the right in Oklahoma to place a "SECURITY FREEZE" on your credit report. This stops a credit reporting agency from releasing your credit report without express authorization from you. A Security Freeze gives you control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in your credit report.

NOTICE: A security freeze may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any request or application you may make regarding loans, credit, mortgage, government services or payments, employment, investments, utilities, online credit card transactions, and so on.

How a "SECURITY FREEZE" Works

When you place a security freeze on your credit report, you will be provided a personal identification number (PIN) to use if you choose to remove the freeze or authorize the release of your credit report. In order to provide that authorization, you must contact the consumer reporting agency by telephone or certified mail and provide:

• Your PIN number;
• Proper identification to verify your identity;
• The period of time for which the report shall be available;
• The payment of the appropriate fee (See Below)

The CRA will authorize the release of your credit report no later than three business days after receiving your request.

Costs of a "Security Freeze"

• Up to $10 to place the freeze
• Up to $10 to temporarily lift the "Freeze"
• Up to $10 to permantly remove the "Freeze"

If you have been a victim of Identity Theft or are age 65 or older, you will not be charged for the "Freeze" or its removal provided the CRA has received a valid copy of the police report.