“Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.” — Psalm 82:3
Lesson
What You Will Learn
- Explain your right to dispute inaccurate information under the Fair Credit Reporting Act
- Write a clear dispute letter using a template
- Follow the official steps to recover from identity theft
- Avoid credit repair scams
Lesson Notes
Your Right to Dispute
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives you the right to dispute information on your credit report that is inaccurate or incomplete. You can dispute directly with each credit bureau that shows the error, online or by mail, and you can also contact the company that reported it. Disputes are free.
Dispute only what is truly inaccurate. Honest disputes protect your credibility (Proverbs 12:22).
Writing a Dispute Letter
A good dispute letter is short and specific. It includes your name, current address, and date of birth; identifies each item you dispute; explains why it is wrong; asks that it be corrected or removed; and lists copies (never originals) of documents that support you.
Send letters by certified mail with a return receipt if you can, and keep copies of everything in a folder with dates. Write down every phone call: date, name, and what was said.
Identity Theft Recovery
Identity theft is common while people are incarcerated, because no one is watching their credit. If someone used your information:
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Go to IdentityTheft.gov (from the FTC) to report it and get a personal recovery plan.
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Place a fraud alert or a credit freeze with the credit bureaus. Both are free. A freeze stops new credit from being opened in your name until you lift it.
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Dispute the fraudulent accounts with each bureau and with the companies involved, using your identity theft report.
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Keep watching your reports.
If the thief was a family member or someone close to you, recovery can be painful. You may want support from a pastor, counselor, or legal aid as you decide what to do.
Beware Credit Repair Scams
No one can legally remove accurate, timely information from your credit report. Be careful of any company that charges fees before doing any work, promises to erase accurate negative items, tells you to dispute everything, or suggests creating a new identity. You can do everything a legitimate company does yourself, for free. For help, look for an accredited nonprofit credit counseling agency, and check consumerfinance.gov.
Key Terms
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| FCRA | Fair Credit Reporting Act; gives you the right to dispute inaccurate information |
| Dispute | A request to correct or remove inaccurate information |
| Fraud alert | A notice asking lenders to verify your identity before opening credit |
| Credit freeze | Blocks new credit from being opened in your name until lifted |
| IdentityTheft.gov | The FTC's free site for reporting and recovering from identity theft |
In-Class Activities
Write Jordan's Dispute Letter
Using the template below and Jordan's sample report from Module 3, write a dispute letter to one credit bureau for the personal loan opened while she was incarcerated and the out-of-state address.
Template: [Your name] / [Current address] / [Date of birth] / [Date] / To: [Credit bureau dispute department address] / Re: Dispute of inaccurate information / “I am writing to dispute the following information on my credit report. The items are circled on the attached copy of my report. Item 1: [Company name, partial account number], is inaccurate because [reason]. I am requesting that it be removed or corrected. Item 2: … Enclosed are copies of [documents]. Please investigate and send me the results in writing.” / Sincerely, [Name]
Scam or Legitimate?
Mark each S (scam warning) or L (legitimate): a) “Pay $499 up front and we'll erase all your bad credit.” b) The FTC's IdentityTheft.gov recovery plan. c) “Get a new credit identity with a new number.” d) A free dispute filed with a credit bureau. e) An accredited nonprofit credit counselor who explains your options. f) “We guarantee a 750 score in 30 days.”
Assignment: Identity Theft Recovery Checklist and Dispute Letter
- Finish a clean final copy of the dispute letter for Jordan (or for a composite case of your own).
- Write a step-by-step identity theft recovery checklist you could follow after release, naming IdentityTheft.gov, fraud alerts or freezes, disputes, and record-keeping.
- Write a sample phone log entry (date, company, person's name, what was said, next step).
Never include real account numbers, Social Security numbers, or other personal identifiers.
Graded with the Module Assignment Rubric.
Reflection Journal
Psalm 82:3 calls for justice for the afflicted and needy. If someone has misused your name or information, how does it feel to know you have the right to defend it? If this has not happened to you, how can you help protect others? Write about where you need God's justice and peace.
Prayer focus: Ask God to defend your name, give you persistence to set records straight, and heal any hurt caused by those who took advantage of you.
Weekly Reading & Devotions
Defending Your Name
Identity theft is a quiet harm. While a woman is incarcerated, no one may be watching her mail or her credit. Sometimes the person who misused her information is a stranger. Sometimes it is someone she trusted. Either way, the hurt is real, and so is the path to recovery.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act gives you the right to dispute information that is inaccurate. Disputes are free. IdentityTheft.gov, from the FTC, helps you report identity theft and gives you a step-by-step recovery plan. Fraud alerts and credit freezes are free tools that help stop more damage.
A clear dispute letter is calm and specific: who you are, what is wrong, why, what you are asking for, and copies of proof. Keep copies of everything and a log of every call. Persistence matters; sometimes a dispute takes more than one try.
Be careful of anyone who promises to erase accurate information for a fee. You can do this work yourself, and God is with you in it. Psalm 82:3 calls for justice for the afflicted and needy. Standing up for the truth about your name is a righteous act.
Think About It
- Why is identity theft especially common during incarceration? ______________________
- What would you include in your recovery folder? ______________________
- Where do you need God's justice or healing? ______________________
Daily Devotions for Week 4
Do Justice
Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.— Psalm 82:3 (KJV)
God cares about justice for people who have been wronged. Disputing errors is part of seeking justice.
Reflect: Where do you need justice?
Pray: Lord, defend my cause.
Do: Draft one sentence of your dispute letter.
Truthful Lips
Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.— Proverbs 12:22 (KJV)
Dispute only what is truly wrong. Honest dealing pleases God and builds credibility.
Reflect: How can you be fully truthful in every dispute?
Pray: Lord, keep my words true.
Do: Check one claim against your records before writing it.
Plead the Cause
Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.— Proverbs 31:9 (KJV)
You may plead your own cause, and later help others plead theirs.
Reflect: Who could you help protect their identity?
Pray: Lord, give me a voice for what is right.
Do: Share one identity-protection tip with a friend.
Near to the Brokenhearted
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.— Psalm 34:18 (KJV)
When someone close misuses your name, it breaks your heart. God draws near.
Reflect: What betrayal do you need to bring to God?
Pray: Lord, be near to my broken heart.
Do: Talk with a pastor or trusted person if this hurt is heavy.
Wise as Serpents
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.— Matthew 10:16 (KJV)
Wisdom protects your information without making you bitter.
Reflect: Where do you need more wisdom with personal information?
Pray: Lord, make me wise and gentle.
Do: List three places you will never give out your personal numbers.
Module Quiz
- 1.
Which law gives you the right to dispute inaccurate information on your credit report?
- 2.
The free federal website for reporting and recovering from identity theft is:
- 3.
A credit freeze:
- 4.
A credit repair company can legally remove accurate, timely negative information if you pay enough.
- 5.
List four things a dispute letter should include.