How to Undo Fraud Alerts on Credit Reports

Fraud alerts are a great tool for protecting your identity. At your request, a credit bureau will place one on your credit report to alert potential lenders to require additional information prior to extending credit to you or someone using your identity. And fraud alerts expire after 90 days, at which point they are removed from your report. However, while one is on your report, a fraud alert can make it difficult to obtain credit. If you need to undo a fraud alert, follow these steps.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Make copies of a government-issued identification card and either a utility bill or bank statement that includes your current address. Be sure the copies are clear and legible. The credit bureaus must be able to verify your identity before they will remove an alert.

2. Download and fill out a request form (see below).

3. Mail the form and copies via certified mail to Experian (PO Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013), TransUnion (P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834) and Equifax (Equifax Information Services LLC, P.O. Box 105069, Atlanta, GA 30348-5069).

4. Contact Experian customer service at 1-888-397-3742 or one of the other credit bureaus a couple of weeks later to verify that your request has been received and approved.

5. Obtain a copy of your credit report. You are allotted one free annual credit report from each of the credit bureaus. For additional protection against fraud, consider purchasing a credit report that provides you with continuous updates for about $15 a month.

Tips & Warnings

• Checking your credit report regularly will help you catch and resolve fraudulent charges quickly.

References

• Fraud Alert Form
• Experian: Remove Fraud Alert
• TransUnion: How to Remove a Fraud Alert

Who Can Help Sponsored

• How strong is your score?  Did you know checking your own credit won’t affect your score? Click here to see yours in two easy steps from Experian.