Matt Osborne

A recent 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in Denver makes it harder for consumers to dispute false debt and errors on credit reports, particularly in identity theft cases. The court overturned a $500,000 jury verdict for Robbin Ward, who argued his identity was stolen to create a fraudulent apartment rental debt in Texas. The ruling requires consumers to provide 'objectively and readily verifiable evidence' for companies to investigate disputed debt, raising barriers for victims of fraud.