Comenity Bank Opened a Fake Account in Your Name? Here is How to Delete It.

You didn’t just go on a shopping spree at Victoria’s Secret, Wayfair, or GameStop. You didn’t apply for a credit card at the checkout counter. But Comenity Bank (now operating as Bread Financial) says you did—and now they have slapped a debt on your credit report that is dragging your score down.

You are likely a victim of the “Shopping Cart Trick.”

Comenity Bank manages over 33 million accounts, often using a “soft pull” pre-approval system that requires very little security. Identity thieves know this. They use your name and address to open accounts, max out the limit, and disappear—leaving you with the bill.

The Failure Analysis: Why Comenity is Liable

Comenity Bank wants you to believe this is your problem. It isn’t. It is a security failure they built into their own system.

• The “Shopping Cart” Loophole: Fraudsters can often open these accounts using only the Last 4 Digits of your SSN. They bypass the strict “Hard Pull” verification that major banks use, making it easy to use stolen data (known as “Fullz”) to commit synthetic fraud.
• The “Code 01” Failure: When you report the fraud, Comenity often uses an automated “Dispute Code 01” process. Instead of a human investigator, a computer simply checks if your name matches the address on file. Since the thief used your real address to open the account, the system “verifies” the fraud as real.

What You Are Owed (Damages, Not Just Deletion)

If Comenity is treating your fraud claim with the same automated negligence, you may be entitled to more than just a fixed credit report. Under the FCRA, we sue for:

• Statutory Damages: $1,000 for each willful violation of the law.
• Actual Damages: Compensation for denied loans, higher interest rates, and lost time.
• Punitive Damages: To punish the bank for ignoring standard procedure.
• Attorney’s Fees: Under the FCRA, Comenity must pay my legal fees if we win. You pay nothing upfront.

Is Your Fake Account From One of These Stores?

Comenity Bank (Bread Financial) issues store credit cards for dozens of major retailers. Identity thieves often target these specific brands because of their “Instant Approval” checkout process. We handle fraud cases involving all Comenity partners, including:

Frequently Asked Questions About Comenity Fraud

Can I just file a police report and wait?

You can, but it rarely fixes the credit damage. A police report proves you told the police, but it doesn’t force Comenity to delete the trade line. To trigger your federal rights under the FCRA, you must send a specific dispute letter to the credit bureaus. If Comenity ignores that dispute (which they often do), then you can sue.

Why did my credit score drop so much?

Fake store cards are devastating because they are usually maxed out immediately. This spikes your “Credit Utilization” ratio, which is 30% of your FICO score. Additionally, Comenity often opens multiple accounts at once (e.g., Wayfair AND Victoria’s Secret), resulting in multiple “Hard Inquiries.”

Does it cost money to hire you?

No. We handle these cases on a contingency basis under the fee-shifting provisions of the FCRA. This means the law requires Comenity Bank to pay our legal fees if we win a judgment or settlement. You do not pay a retainer.