So you're being contacting about an outstanding balance on an account you definitely did not open. Curious where to start in getting this fixed? Here's a good place.

First things first, take a breath and know that this can be resolved. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), companies and credit bureaus have to prove that you actually owe a debt in order to list it on your credit report. If they can’t prove the debt is yours, then it must be removed.

If you've recently been contacted by a debt collector, you'll want to ask them for proof of the debt as soon as possible. The best way to do so is by sending a letter requesting documentation of the account. You should send this within 30 days of the first time they contact you (if possible), in addition to telling them not to contact you again until they can prove you owe them money. Once you've completed this step, the debt collector has to provide you with proof of the debt within 30 to 45 days. If they can't provide proof, they legally cannot contact you again.

Thanks to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), a debt collector also cannot...

It is so important to read your rights and keep in mind that debt collectors aren’t government agencies. They legally don’t have the power to have you criminally charged for not paying a debt, so don't fall victim to their schemes. If you ever feel harassed or threatened in any way, you should contact an attorney.

Should you find an error on your credit report before a collector begins contacting you (or even after), you will want to open a dispute with the credit bureau(s) immediately. Failing to get these errors removed could seriously impact your credit moving forward. Cyrus can help with the dispute process, so if you have any questions don't hesitate to reach out. You can also activate Credit Monitoring in your Cyrus app today to ensure you're the first to know if anything suspicious ever happens with your credit report in the future.