A loan I never took is on my credit report. What should I do?
In short: Act today. Raise a dispute with the credit bureau showing that loan, tell the lender in writing that it isn’t yours, and if you think someone used your identity, report it on the cybercrime helpline 1930 or at cybercrime.gov.in. The dispute must be resolved within 30 days; if it runs late, you are owed ₹100 for every day of delay. Until it is fixed, that loan, and any missed EMIs on it, can count against you with every lender who checks your report.
Written by the Omozing Credit Team · Reviewed for accuracy by our credit and compliance team · Updated October 2026
Why a stranger’s loan ends up on your report
Identity misuse
Someone used your PAN, Aadhaar or photos to take a loan, often through a quick-approval app. Any missed EMIs land on your report.
A mix-up at the lender
A similar name, a mistyped PAN or a shared phone number can attach another person’s account to yours.
A loan you didn’t knowingly accept
A BNPL line, a card EMI or an app “credit limit” you signed up for without realising it was a loan.
Being a guarantor or co-applicant
If you signed as guarantor or co-applicant, the loan can appear on your report. Check before disputing.
Look closely at the entry: lender name, account type, date opened and the address or phone linked to it. These details tell you which case you are in. Our guide on reading your CIBIL report shows where each detail sits.
What to do, in order
Check every bureau. Download your free full report from CIBIL, Experian, Equifax and CRIF High Mark. The loan may show on one and not another.
Dispute with each bureau. Raise an online dispute for that account, say it isn’t yours, and attach your ID and any evidence.
Write to the lender. Email its grievance officer, quote the account number and ask for the loan documents and KYC used.
Report fraud. If your identity was misused, call 1930 or file at cybercrime.gov.in, and keep the acknowledgement number.
Escalate if stuck. If it isn’t resolved, complain to the RBI Integrated Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in.
Keep everything you send and receive. If your complaint mentions a police or cybercrime reference, lenders tend to treat it with more urgency.
The 30-day clock, and what you are owed if it runs late
How a dispute is meant to run
Bars drawn to scale (21 + 9 days). Under the RBI framework in force since 26 April 2024, compensation is paid to the bank account you provide. It covers delay, not disagreement with the outcome. More: compensation for unresolved errors.
Evidence that speeds things up
A copy of the credit report page showing the account, with the account number highlighted.
Your PAN and an address proof, so the bureau can match you.
The cybercrime or police complaint number, if your identity was misused.
Your bank statements for the period, showing no disbursement from that lender reached you.
Screenshots of bureau SMS or email alerts about enquiries you didn’t make.
What most people get wrong: they ignore it because “it isn’t my loan, so it isn’t my problem”. Until it is corrected, lenders see the overdue EMIs as yours, and a recovery agent may even contact you. Equally, don’t pay a fraudulent loan to make the calls stop; paying can look like you accept it. Dispute it instead.
Stop it happening again
Turn on and read the bureau alerts you get when your report is accessed; an enquiry you don’t recognise is often the first warning. Never share OTPs or upload your PAN or Aadhaar to unknown apps, and avoid apps that demand access to your contacts or photos. How to spot a fake loan app. Check your report from each bureau at least once a year.
Need help disputing a loan that isn’t yours?
Our step-by-step guide shows how to file with each bureau and what to attach.
How do I remove a fraudulent loan from my CIBIL report?
Raise a dispute with CIBIL and every other bureau that shows it, write to the lender, and file a cybercrime complaint on 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in. Once the lender confirms it isn’t yours, the bureau corrects the report.
How long does it take to fix?
A dispute must be resolved within 30 days. If it takes longer, you are owed ₹100 for each calendar day of delay.
Should I pay the loan to protect my score?
No. Paying a loan that isn’t yours can look like you accept it. Dispute it and keep a record of every complaint.
Will the fraudulent loan affect my loan applications meanwhile?
It can, because lenders see it as yours until it is corrected. Tell the lender you are applying to about the dispute and share the complaint numbers.
What if the lender doesn’t respond?
Escalate to the RBI Integrated Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in, with copies of your complaints and the dispute reference.
Omozing is the digital lending brand of Aparampaar Finance Private Limited, an RBI-registered non-deposit-taking NBFC. Loans are subject to credit assessment. See our regulatory disclosures and grievance redressal process.
