Someone Else’s Information On Credit Report Lawyer
Someone Else’s Account On Your Credit Report? Our Mixed Credit File Lawyers In Atlanta, Georgia Can Help
What Is A Mixed Credit File?
Your credit report should only contain information that belongs to you. One type of credit report inaccuracy is called a “mixed file” error. This occurs when information relating to one person is placed in the credit report of a different person. In other words, Person A’s credit information appears in Person B’s credit report. When someone else’s information appears in your credit report, this creates a false impression of who you are. A mixed credit report can include accounts that don’t belong to you, criminal records that are not yours, inquiries that you did not authorize, and other information that is not yours. This can lead to a decreased credit score, credit denials, mortgage denials, higher interest rates, and other problems obtaining credit. If this happens, you need the expert help of our someone else’s information on credit report lawyers.
How Can A Credit Report Lawyer Help When Someone Else’s Information Appears On Your Credit Report?
Credit report lawyers can help injured consumers in a number of ways. The credit report lawyers at Weiner & Sand LLC can help fix mixed credit file errors, including filing proper disputes with the credit reporting agencies, and sometimes filing lawsuits to force the credit reporting agency to correct the error and to recover damages for credit denials or emotional distress. If you think you are the victim of a credit report error, including a mixed file, please contact us for a Case Evaluation. We have recovered millions of dollars in confidential settlements for victims of mixed credit reports, and we are happy to help you. We do not charge any fees for our consultations. We only recover our fees from the defendants if we win.
Why Do Mixed Credit Files Occur?
Mixed files occur due to flaws in the “matching algorithm” used by consumer reporting agencies. Consumer reporting agencies receive credit information from various sources (banks, insurance companies, mortgage servicers, debt collectors, credit card companies, public records vendors, etc.) These sources include personal identifying information with their credit data, including Social Security number, last name, first name, middle name, suffix, date of birth, gender, and address history. The CRAs use this personal identifying information to match credit data to a person’s credit file. Mixed files occur due to the CRAs using overinclusive procedures to match credit information to a consumer’s credit file. To make this more concrete, here are some real-life examples of mixed files and why they occur:
- Similar Social Security Numbers: Your social security is a unique nine-digit number that belongs to you. Many CRAs require a match of only seven of nine numbers to include an account on a person’s credit report. A partial SSN match is one of the most common sources of mixed file errors.
- Similar Names: Many CRAs do not require an exact name match. This can lead to a mixed credit file for people with similar names. For example, a CRA could mix the credit information of Jonathan Sand with a different person named John Sands.
- Common Names: Mixed files also occur when people with the same common name share some additional point of persona data. For example, a David Smith living in Georgia shares the same birthdate as a David Smith living in Montana.
- Family Members: Family members often encounter mixed credit file problems because they may share similar personal identifying information, including shared addresses, similar social security numbers, and similar names.