Disputes and Fraud

A dispute is a request to review and correct credit-file information that appears inaccurate or incomplete.

Terms that explain Canadian credit-report disputes, correction requests, and fraud-related file problems.

Proof-of-identity step used before granting credit access or changing disputed file information.

Address evidence used to match a consumer to the correct credit file during disclosure, dispute, or fraud-review workflows.

Identity documents or details used to confirm that a dispute, file-access request, or fraud claim comes from the real consumer.

Records that support a dispute by showing why a reported credit-file item should be reviewed or corrected.

Account takeover is a situation where another person gains control of an existing credit account without the consumer's permission.

Credit-bureau review process triggered after a consumer disputes or challenges reported information.

A chargeback is the reversal process used when a card transaction is challenged and the issuer takes the dispute back through the payment system.

A correction request is a focused request to review and fix specific credit-file information that appears wrong or incomplete.

A fraud alert is a warning placed on a credit file to encourage extra identity verification before new credit is granted.

Identity theft is the unauthorized use of a person's personal information to obtain credit or commit other fraud.

Outcome sent after a bureau or reporting party reviews a disputed item on the file.

A mixed credit file is a bureau file that contains information that belongs partly to another person.

Reported credit account the consumer did not open, authorize, or recognize as theirs.

An unauthorized charge is a card transaction the consumer did not approve or make.

Credit-file inquiry the consumer did not authorize or cannot connect to a legitimate request.