Technically, isn't the real problem is one of slander? The credit reporting agency is slandering your name by stating that you committed a crime, be it theft,

Technically, isn't the real problem is one of slander? The credit reporting agency is slandering your name by stating that you committed a crime, be it theft, benefit fraud, or failed to pay your creditors or whatever, that you have not. It is that slander against your good name or good credit that causes the individual all the problems.