Identity Theft Block Letter Template (FCRA §605B)

If an account, a hard inquiry, or a public record on your credit report is the result of identity theft, FCRA §605B gives you a faster, stronger remedy than the standard §611 reinvestigation: the credit bureau must block the item within four business days of receiving sufficient proof — and the furnisher is barred from re-reporting it without challenging the block first.

DisputeValet.com generates the §605B block letter, listing the documentation that must accompany it, and produces a parallel letter to send to the furnisher under §623 so the underlying account is shut down — not just hidden from the report.

The rule in one sentence: A §605B block is faster and stronger than a §611 dispute — the bureau must block within 4 business days, and the furnisher must stop reporting unless they can prove the item is not from identity theft.

What a §605B identity-theft block actually does

A §605B block is the strongest self-help tool in the FCRA for fraud-caused items. Once the bureau receives a complete identity-theft block request:

• Bureau must block within 4 business days. The item is hidden from your file pending verification.
• Bureau must notify the furnisher that the item has been blocked as identity theft.
• Furnisher may not continue to report it unless they affirmatively challenge the block with evidence that the item is NOT identity theft.
• The block survives indefinitely unless the bureau or furnisher overturns it with new evidence.

Compare this with the §611 reinvestigation path:

• §611 → bureau has up to 30 days, furnisher can re-verify and keep the item.
• §605B → bureau has 4 business days, burden shifts entirely to the furnisher to prove it isn't fraud.

For genuine identity-theft items, §605B is almost always the correct path.

Required documentation: what you MUST include

A §605B request is rejected without all of the following. This is not a place to cut corners — the bureau will refuse to process an incomplete block request:

1. An identity-theft report. Either:
   • The Identity Theft Report from IdentityTheft.gov (the FTC's free reporting tool), which includes a built-in affidavit, OR
   • A police report filed with your local law-enforcement agency.
   • Either is acceptable under §605B(a)(1) — the FTC report is faster to obtain.
2. Proof of your identity. Copy of government-issued ID (driver's license, state ID, passport) AND proof of current address (utility bill, lease, mortgage statement) dated within the last 90 days.
3. A statement, signed under penalty of perjury, that you did not authorize the disputed account or transaction. This is built into the IdentityTheft.gov affidavit.
4. Specific identification of each item to be blocked — the furnisher name, account number as it appears on the report, the inquiry date if it's a hard inquiry, the docket number if it's a public record.

Send photocopies, never originals. Bureaus do not return mailed documents.

When to use §605B (vs §611 or other tools)

Use §605B when:

• An account was opened in your name without your authorization — credit cards, loans, utility services, etc.
• A hard inquiry appears on your report from a creditor you did not apply with.
• A public record (judgment, tax lien) was filed against an identity-theft-created account.
• You have already filed an identity-theft report with the FTC or local police.

Do NOT use §605B for:

• Items that are simply inaccurate but not fraud-caused (wrong date, wrong amount, mixed-file errors). Use §611 instead.
• Authorized accounts you regret opening. §605B requires that the account was not authorized by you.
• Items where you cannot or have not filed an identity-theft report. The report is mandatory documentation.

Filing a false identity-theft report is a federal crime. Only use §605B for items that genuinely resulted from identity theft.

Anatomy: what your §605B block letter must include

A compliant block request has seven required parts:

1. Your full name, current address, date of birth, and the last four of your SSN.
2. The bureau's name and the correct dispute / fraud address. Many bureaus route §605B letters through a different P.O. box than standard §611 disputes — DisputeValet.com auto-fills the correct fraud-specific address per bureau.
3. A clear statement that this is a §605B identity-theft block request (not a §611 dispute) and that the items listed resulted from identity theft.
4. An itemized list of the disputed items — for each: furnisher name, account number, date opened or inquiry date, brief description ("credit card account opened 2024-03-15", "hard inquiry from Lender X dated 2024-04-02").
5. A reference to the attached identity-theft report (FTC or police), with a copy enclosed.
6. A copy of your proof of identity and proof of address (photocopies).
7. Your signature, the date, and the certified-mail tracking number.

Bureau identity-theft addresses (use these, not the standard dispute addresses)

• Equifax — Equifax Information Services LLC, Identity Theft Department, P.O. Box 105069, Atlanta, GA 30348
• Experian — Experian, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013
• TransUnion — TransUnion LLC, Fraud Victim Assistance Department, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016

If the fraud items appear on more than one bureau, send a separate complete block request to each affected bureau.

Common mistakes that get §605B requests rejected

• No identity-theft report attached. The FTC report or police report is mandatory. Without it the bureau will refuse to process.
• Filing §611 first, then trying §605B for the same item. Once a §611 result comes back "verified," it complicates a subsequent §605B. If you suspect fraud from the start, go directly to §605B.
• Submitting unsigned affidavits. The identity-theft statement must be signed under penalty of perjury. Unsigned = rejected.
• Missing proof-of-address documentation. A 90-day-old utility bill, lease, or mortgage statement is required. Old documents are rejected.
• Submitting copies through the bureau's online portal. The online portal does not always accept the documentation required for §605B. Certified mail with return receipt is the reliable path.
• Mixing fraud items with non-fraud disputes in the same letter. Send a separate §605B letter for fraud items and a separate §611 letter for any non-fraud accuracy disputes.

Also send a §623 letter to the furnisher

A §605B block hides the item from your credit report at the bureau level. To shut down the underlying account so the furnisher cannot continue to attempt collection or re-report it elsewhere, send a parallel letter directly to the furnisher under FCRA §623, citing the identity-theft report and demanding they close the account and cease all reporting. DisputeValet.com generates both letters from a single intake — the §605B block and the §623 furnisher notice.

How DisputeValet.com generates your identity-theft block letter

Open the Letter Builder, find the §605B identity-theft block template, and fill in:

• Your name, address, date of birth, last four of SSN
• The bureau(s) the fraud items appear on
• For each fraud item: furnisher name, account or inquiry details
• Upload or reference the identity-theft report and your proof of identity / address

DisputeValet.com auto-fills the §605B legal language, addresses the letter to the correct identity-theft-specific bureau address, generates a print-ready PDF, and produces the parallel §623 furnisher letter so you can shut down the underlying account in the same mailing cycle. The Advanced plan adds tracker entries so you can monitor the 4-business-day block window and log the bureau's confirmation automatically.

See template pricing → · Compare DIY dispute tools →

Related reading

• Bureau dispute letter (FCRA §611) — for non-fraud accuracy disputes
• Section 609 disclosure letters — request what's in your file before disputing
• Section 611 reinvestigation — the slower, weaker tool for fraud items
• Section 623 furnisher direct dispute — the parallel letter to send to the furnisher
• FTC IdentityTheft.gov — start here to get the required identity-theft report

Frequently asked questions

Can I use §605B without filing a police report?

Yes. The FTC's IdentityTheft.gov tool produces a built-in identity-theft affidavit that satisfies §605B's documentation requirement. A police report is also acceptable but not required if you've completed the FTC report.

Will the bureau notify the furnisher of the block?

Yes. §605B requires the bureau to notify the furnisher that the item has been blocked as identity theft. The furnisher then cannot continue to report it unless they affirmatively challenge the block with evidence that the item is not from fraud.

What if the furnisher challenges the block?

The bureau must investigate the challenge and may temporarily un-block the item while doing so. If the furnisher cannot prove the account was authorized, the block stands. If the furnisher produces convincing evidence the account was yours, the block is overturned. This is why parallel §623 notice to the furnisher matters — it puts them on direct notice and weakens any "we did not know" defense in subsequent litigation.

How long does the block last?

Indefinitely, unless overturned. The §605B block is permanent unless the bureau or furnisher produces evidence overturning it.

What if my identity-theft report is from 2 years ago — can I still use §605B?

There is no statutory time limit in §605B. The FTC and police reports do not expire for purposes of the block request. That said, fraud items often surface long after the underlying theft — many people only discover the fraud item years later when reviewing their credit report.

Do I need an attorney for §605B?

No. §605B is designed for self-help use; the documentation requirements are specific but achievable without legal counsel. If a furnisher refuses to honor the block or continues to attempt collection after notice, that is the point at which a consumer-protection attorney becomes valuable. DisputeValet.com is software you operate yourself, not a law firm.