<prompt> Human: Ive been following this sub for a bit and workin on my situation. I just got a free credit report and there was an account charged off for 7k. I have no idea what it is, and whats more it was opened when I was sixteen. I want to dispute this but I have zero idea where to start. Ive probably missed a post or something but any pointing in the right direction would be incredibly helpful  <response>: If I were in your shoes, Id pretty much attack this from several fronts and then make sure no one else could use my info to get credit.1. File a police report. Some citiescounties let you do this online. Call your local non-emergency number to start this. The cops probably wont investigate, but they will assign a police report number, which you will use in your disputes.2. Write a letter to the companycollector who holds the debt. Send it by certified mail with return receipt requested. Say something like, I have just discovered this debt account number that was fraudulently obtained in my name when I was a child. I am disputing the debt and reporting the identity theft to the FTC and CFPB. The police report number now on file with police department name is whatever the number is. I require that this account be removed from any credit reporting agencies to which it has been reported, that the account be noted as fraudulent, and that no further attempt be made to report this account on my credit history or to collect the debt be made. 3. Go to and report the identity theft there. Thats the FTCs way of gathering data about identity theft.4. Go to and file a complaint there about the company that reported the debt. Choose debt collection -other debt - attempts to collect debt not owed - identity theft - yes - and then briefly list the facts e.g. fraudulent account opened in your name when you were a minor has been reported to a credit reporting agency by XCompany. 5. Finally, Google the credit reporting agencys name the word dispute e.g. Transunion dispute to get to the page on each CRAs website that allows you to submit a dispute online. Advise each CRA that the account is fraudulent and appears to have been opened when you were a minor. Keep in mind that they will take at least a few days, and maybe a few weeks to clear this all up, but they probably wont fight you on it. And then freeze your credit reports with Equifax, Transunion, and Experian, maybe with Innovis and Chexsystems, too. This should be free because you are the victim of identity theft. They will issue you a PIN number you can use later to unfreeze your reports whenever you want to apply for a credit card or loan or whatever. DO NOT LOSE THE PIN -- its a pain in the ass to prove you are you without that PIN. Also, change any security questions on financial accounts that your family members know the answer to. Moms maiden name? Your whole family knows that and can easily get past that question. Use your dogs name instead. Or your first teachers name. Or your favorite vegetable. It doesnt have to be real. It just has to be something you will always remember and that no one else can easily answerguess.The reason I say change the family-known answers is because theres a good chance someone in your family did this. Its usually parents who do this when theyve ruined their own credit and see their kids SSN as a way to get a credit card or a utility account or a cell phone. Sometimes its a sibling or someone else close who may have seen something with your SSN on it. Sometimes its a stranger, but given that it happened when you were a minor, my bet is family. You dont have to ask anyone about it especially if you dont want to include their name in your police report; you just have to prevent them from doing it again. 