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If someone rented an apartment in your name, report the identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov, then contact both the landlord and any tenant-screening company involved. Dispute false rental debts, eviction entries, or identifying details directly with the screening company; a credit freeze alone will not correct a tenant-screening report. This guidance is for U.S. renters.
1. Report the identity theft and save your recovery documents
Go to IdentityTheft.gov and report that someone used your identity to rent a home. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says the site creates an Identity Theft Report and a personalized recovery plan. Save or print both, including any account-specific plan and related messages. The report is useful evidence when you ask a screening company and landlord to correct information.
You may also choose to file a police report; FTC guidance does not make it a required step. If you do, bring your FTC report, photo ID, proof of address, and other relevant evidence. You do not need to wait for a police report before contacting the landlord or screening company.
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Ask the landlord or property manager
Contact the landlord or property manager for the apartment the impostor rented. Ask whether it reports rental-payment history to a background or tenant-screening company and, if so, which company. If you know the property but not the landlord’s contact details, use the property’s official contact channel and explain that the rental may have been made using your identity.
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Request your tenant-screening report
Ask the identified screening company for a copy of the tenant background check report associated with you. Review it for incorrect identifying details, rental-payment history, an apartment debt that is not yours, and eviction or court entries. A tenant-screening report is different from an ordinary credit report, so a false rental record may appear in one without appearing in the other.
Keep dated copies of your requests, replies, dispute letters, emails, and delivery confirmations. Send copies of evidence rather than originals.
3. Dispute the false tenant-screening information
Write to the screening company
Identify each entry that came from the impostor’s rental and state plainly that it is not yours. Include a copy of your FTC Identity Theft Report and supporting proof, such as documents showing your identity or address at the relevant time. Ask the company to investigate, delete or correct inaccurate information, and send you an updated report. The FTC says tenant-screening companies generally have 30 days to investigate and notify you, though some cases can take up to 45 days; some state laws set shorter periods. The company must delete or correct information it finds inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable. See the FTC’s guidance on tenant background checks and your rights.
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Send the landlord a copy of your FTC report and ask it to stop reporting the fraudulent information. The FTC’s rental-specific instruction is: “Give the landlord a copy of your FTC Identity Theft Report, and ask them to stop reporting the fraudulent information.” Also tell the landlord that you disputed the entry with the screening company. Contacting only the landlord or only the screening company can leave the other record unchanged.
Check court records if the report includes an eviction
If the false entry refers to a court case, check the underlying court docket and disposition. A screening report can reflect an incorrect court record, which may need to be corrected through the court rather than only through the screening company. Court procedures vary by location; the FTC recommends seeking local legal help when you need a court record corrected.
4. If a landlord denied your application or charged more
A landlord’s adverse action based on a tenant-screening report can include denying your application, charging more, requiring a larger deposit, or requiring a cosigner. The adverse-action notice must identify the reporting company and explain your rights. If the landlord gave the notice only orally, ask for it in writing for your records.
- Request a free copy of the tenant report from the company named in the notice within 60 days of receiving the notice.
- Review the report and dispute any false information with the screening company, sending supporting documents.
- After the information is corrected, ask for an updated report and send it to the landlord.
The FTC explains these rights in its tenant background check guidance. If the notice does not identify the company or explain your rights, consider seeking help from a local legal-aid provider or attorney familiar with housing and consumer-reporting law.
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5. Check for other identity misuse and choose protections for the right problem
Review your credit reports and unfamiliar accounts
Get free credit reports through AnnualCreditReport.com and look for accounts or transactions you do not recognize. If an identity thief opened an account, contact the relevant business and ask it to close or freeze the account. Keep written confirmation that the account is not yours and that the information was removed. IdentityTheft.gov can provide a recovery plan for other identity-theft steps as well.
Choose between a fraud alert, credit freeze, and rental-report dispute
| Option | What it does | Practical distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Initial fraud alert | Asks businesses to verify your identity before opening new credit; the bureau you contact must notify the other two nationwide bureaus. | Free and lasts one year. It helps reduce new-credit fraud; it does not correct a tenant-screening entry. |
| Credit freeze | Limits access to your credit report for new-credit applications. | Free and remains until you lift it. Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion separately. The FTC says a freeze does not prevent someone from applying to rent an apartment, and it does not correct a tenant-screening entry. |
| Tenant-screening dispute | Challenges false rental, eviction, or identity information in a tenant report. | Directly addresses the rental record. Send evidence to the screening company and notify the landlord. |
| Police report | Creates a local law-enforcement record. | Optional under FTC general guidance; local practices vary. Bring the FTC report and supporting identification and address evidence if you choose to file. |
You can place a free initial fraud alert by contacting one of the three nationwide credit bureaus; the contacted bureau must alert the other two. The FTC says an extended fraud alert for identity theft lasts seven years. A freeze can be placed by contacting each bureau. These protections concern access to credit files and new-credit fraud, not correction of a rental screening file. See the FTC’s advice on credit freezes and fraud alerts.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.6. Get local help when the record or dispute is not resolved
Seek help from local legal aid, a fair-housing organization, your state attorney general, or a lawyer familiar with local law if a false court record needs correction, a screening company fails to investigate or correct a dispute, or a landlord does not provide required adverse-action information. State and local procedures and remedies differ. The FTC also accepts reports about inaccurate tenant-screening reports and failures to investigate disputes; see its tenant-report guidance.
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