Credit repair scam

Credit-repair scams operate in two modes. The first sells you services you could do yourself for free — disputing items on your credit report. The second is criminal: selling you a "Credit Privacy Number" (CPN), claimed to be a substitute for your SSN that gives you a "fresh" credit profile. Using a CPN to obtain credit is identity fraud, and CPNs are typically stolen SSNs belonging to children, the elderly, or the deceased.

Under the Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA), credit-repair companies cannot legally charge fees before services are performed. Many do anyway.

"We guarantee to raise your credit score by 100+ points in 60 days. $895 enrollment fee."

"Tired of bad credit? Get a brand-new credit profile with our CPN program. $299 for a fresh start."

"We can remove all collections, charge-offs, and bankruptcies from your credit report. $59/month."

• Promises to remove accurate negative items.
• Guarantees a specific score increase.
• Charges fees upfront.
• Sells "credit privacy numbers," "credit profile numbers," or "secondary credit identities."
• Asks you to dispute accurate items as "not yours."
• Tells you to apply for credit using a number other than your SSN.
• Refuses to give you a written contract that includes the legally required cancellation rights.

1. You can dispute incorrect items on your credit report for free by writing directly to the bureaus or using their online dispute portals.
2. Pull your free credit reports at annualcreditreport.com — the only official source.
3. No legitimate company can remove accurate negative items. Time and payment fix accurate items; nothing else.
4. CPNs are identity theft. Using one to apply for credit is a federal crime.
5. For genuine help, contact a nonprofit credit counselor (nfcc.org).

• Do not use the number for anything. Using it is a crime.
• Place a fraud alert at all three credit bureaus — your real SSN may also be at risk.
• File complaints with the FTC, CFPB, and your state AG.
• Talk to a criminal-defense attorney if you've already used the CPN on any application.
• Consider IdentityTheft.gov's recovery plan for next steps.

• Do not pay for "credit repair" until you've tried disputing items yourself for free.
• Do not buy or use a CPN, "secondary credit number," or "tradeline rental."
• Do not dispute accurate items as "not yours" — that's a misrepresentation to a federal-regulated entity.
• Do not trust before-and-after screenshots; they're usually fabricated.

• FTC: reportfraud.ftc.gov — the broadest US fraud intake; reports flow to thousands of law-enforcement agencies.
• FBI IC3: ic3.gov — the right destination when the scam is internet-enabled (phishing, BEC, romance, crypto).
• CFPB: consumerfinance.gov/complaint — for complaints about banks, money transmitters, payment apps, credit cards, debt collection.
• IdentityTheft.gov — if any identity information (SSN, driver's license, account credentials) was shared.
• Your bank or payment platform. Call the number on the back of your card or use the app's in-product help. Time matters — wires can sometimes be recalled within hours; ACH and Zelle are harder but worth trying.