I just noticed an unfamiliar company on my credit report, with a note that said " account is disputed by consumer ''. I never even heard of the company, how could I dispute it? I learned from my attorney, who I hired to help clean up an identity theft, that creditors will park an account and list it as disputed so the CRA wo n't reinvestigate -- they are tricked into thinking I put in a frivolous dispute. So it remains. I contacted the creditor, and found it to be a mortgage firm that foreclosed on my house, and STILL parked an account for the original balance and payments under a new company name. It 's listed as OPEN, with the last payment of XX/XX/2006. So, I am nowhere with my dispute, and my letters are being ignored. I have turned over my case to an attorney. There is never just one cockroach. If I go to my local public records, I expect to find more cases like mine. There was never any attempt to sue or collect, just that account that says OPEN. It hurt my credit score, and caused me to lose credit opportunities on a continuing basis.