You’re checking your credit report when you see something bizarre: a U-Haul rental, or even an apartment lease, in your name. You never rented a truck. You never signed a lease. But here it is — a brand-new account, reporting to your credit, tied to an address you’ve never set foot in.
Scary? You bet. And it’s happening more often than people realize.
How the Scam Works
Identity thieves don’t just open credit cards. They use your stolen information to rent U-Haul trucks, lease apartments, and even set up utility accounts. Why? Because those contracts create a paper trail that makes their fraud look legitimate.
Once they’ve got an address and a rental agreement in your name, thieves can:
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Order goods and ship them to “your” new apartment.
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Open more accounts using the same fake rental paperwork.
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Vanish with vehicles, merchandise, and debt — leaving you with the mess.
Why Paying Won’t Fix It
Some victims think paying the fraudulent bill will make it disappear. Wrong. Paying doesn’t:
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Remove the fraudulent account from your credit report.
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Stop the thief from renting or charging even more.
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Protect you from future collections.
In fact, paying can make it worse by confirming to collectors that you’ll cave.
What You Should Do Instead
If you discover a fraudulent rental or lease in your name:
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File an identity theft report with the FTC.
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Dispute the account with the credit bureaus.
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Demand proof from the collector that the account is really yours.
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Call an attorney who knows how to shut it down fast.
Why You Need Help
These cases are complex because they involve not just credit cards but contracts, addresses, and sometimes even property damage claims. Banks and collectors won’t just back off because you say it wasn’t you. You need the law on your side.
At The Cardoza Law Corporation, we force collectors and credit bureaus to remove fraudulent accounts, repair your credit, and stop the harassment. And you never pay us a dime out of pocket — we only get paid if we win money for you.
👉 Call today. Don’t let identity thieves rent trucks, apartments, or your future in your name.
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