Identity Theft
Identity Theft & Credit Report Errors
Identity theft can wreck your credit. Story Law Group is a Florida consumer protection firm focused on fixing identity theft credit problems and holding credit bureaus and lenders accountable — with no out-of-pocket cost to you.
We focus on Florida identity theft credit cases. Our team handles these disputes and lawsuits every day, and we pride ourselves on being among the most effective law firms in Florida for resolving identity theft–related credit reporting problems under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
Identity Theft by the Numbers
Identity theft is one of the fastest-growing consumer problems in the United States:
Recent-year consumer reports filed with the FTC, with identity theft making up a major share.
Identity theft reports to the FTC in a single year — roughly 1 in 4 consumer complaints.
Consumers who find at least one error when they carefully review their credit reports.
Increase in credit-report-error complaints to federal regulators over the last few years.
Average out-of-pocket cost reported by financial identity theft victims (not counting stress and time).
Behind every statistic is a real person: denied for a car loan, turned down for an apartment in Florida, or embarrassed at the checkout line because of an account they never opened. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone — and you have rights.
What Is Identity Theft?
Identity theft happens when someone uses your personal information without your permission. That might include your:
- Social Security number or date of birth
- Driver’s license or ID number
- Bank account or credit card numbers
- Online account logins and passwords
Thieves use this information to:
- Open credit cards, auto loans, or personal loans in your name
- Apply for apartments or jobs using your identity
- Set up cell phone or utility accounts
- Run up charges and ignore the bills, leaving you with collections
Many people in Florida first learn they’re victims when they are denied credit, denied housing, or see unfamiliar accounts or collections on their credit reports.
How Identity Theft Harms Your Credit & How the FCRA Protects You
Identity theft and credit reporting errors often go hand in hand. A thief opens accounts, doesn’t pay, and those negative marks land on your credit report — not theirs. The damage can include:
- Collections and charge-offs that are not your debts
- Late payments on accounts you never opened
- Lower credit scores and higher interest rates
- Denied car loans, credit cards, mortgages, or apartments in Florida
- Even lost job opportunities when employers use background or credit checks
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives you powerful tools to fight back:
- The right to get free copies of your credit reports from the major credit bureaus
- The right to dispute inaccurate or fraudulent information
- The right to a reasonable, good-faith investigation of your dispute
- The right to sue credit bureaus and, in many cases, furnishers (like banks or debt collectors) if they don’t fix errors
- The right to seek money damages, and to have them pay your attorneys’ fees and costs in successful cases
Because the FCRA allows us to seek our fees from the companies we sue, we can typically represent you without any out-of-pocket cost to you.
Immediate Steps to Take After Identity Theft
If you suspect identity theft, acting quickly can reduce the damage and strengthen your legal claim. Here are the key steps to take, in order:
1. Place a fraud alert or credit freeze.
Contact any one of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) and ask for a fraud alert on your file. Consider a credit freeze with each bureau for stronger protection.
2. Get and review your credit reports.
Pull your reports from all three bureaus and review them line by line. Make a list of:
- Accounts or collections you don’t recognize
- Addresses or employers that aren’t yours
- Hard inquiries from companies you don’t know
3. Report the identity theft to the FTC (and often the police).
Create an identity theft report at IdentityTheft.gov. In some cases, especially if a creditor or collector requests it, file a police report in your local Florida jurisdiction and keep a copy.
4. Contact affected creditors and banks.
Call the fraud departments of the affected companies. Ask them to close or freeze fraudulent accounts and to send written confirmation that they recognize the accounts as identity theft.
5. Dispute fraudulent information with the credit bureaus in writing.
Send written disputes by certified mail to each credit bureau reporting the fraudulent items. Include:
- Your identifying information and current mailing address
- A clear list of each item you are disputing
- Copies of your FTC identity theft report and any police report
- Copies of letters from creditors confirming fraud
Keep copies of everything and save your certified mail receipts.
6. Monitor your mail, email, and accounts.
Watch for new collection letters, bills, or unfamiliar charges. If debt collectors call about fraudulent debts, log the date, time, company, and what they said.
7. Talk to a Florida FCRA lawyer as soon as possible.
You do not have to fix this alone. A lawyer focused on identity theft and credit reporting cases can help you avoid mistakes and make sure your rights under the FCRA are fully enforced.
Let Story Law Group Handle Your Identity Theft Case
No out-of-pocket cost. No fighting credit bureaus alone.
We investigate your credit reports, help you build a strong paper trail, and pursue claims against credit bureaus, lenders, and debt collectors when they refuse to fix obvious identity theft.
Why Florida Consumers Choose Story Law Group
Experience with Identity Theft Credit Cases
Our practice is focused on helping Florida consumers fix identity theft–related credit reporting problems under the FCRA. We deal with the big credit bureaus and financial institutions every day.
No Out-of-Pocket Cost to You
In most identity theft credit reporting cases, we do not charge you upfront. Instead, we seek our attorneys’ fees and costs from the companies we sue, as permitted under the FCRA. If we don’t recover, you typically owe us no attorneys’ fees.
We Take on the Stress So You Don’t Have To
You have already been victimized once. We don’t think you should be victimized again by confusing credit bureau processes and endless runaround. We take on the deadlines, paperwork, and litigation so you can focus on your life.
Signs You Should Call Us Now
- Unfamiliar accounts or collections on your credit reports
- Denied for a loan, credit card, or apartment in Florida because of identity theft
- Credit bureaus or lenders ignored or “verified” clearly fraudulent accounts
- Deleted errors keep reappearing on your reports
- Debt collectors are chasing you for someone else’s debts
If any of this sounds like you, contact Story Law Group today.
Free Identity Theft Case Review
Complete the short form below, and someone from Story Law Group will contact you about your identity theft and credit report issues. We will review your situation, explain your rights, and discuss how we may be able to help at no out-of-pocket cost to you.