Credit Reporting Errors

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Inaccurate information on your credit report can seriously damage your financial future. Credit report errors may prevent you from obtaining loans, renting a home, securing employment, or receiving favorable interest rates. If you have been harmed by incorrect credit reporting, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives you the right to dispute errors and hold credit bureaus and data furnishers accountable.

At MooreLaw PLLC, we help consumers challenge inaccurate credit report information and pursue legal remedies when credit bureaus fail to correct errors. If you believe your credit report contains false or misleading information, contact us today to protect your rights.

If you discover inaccurate account information on your credit report, you are not alone. A Federal Trade Commission study found that nearly one in five consumers has an error on at least one credit report. 

Common credit reporting errors include:

• Accounts that do not belong to you
• Incorrect account balances or credit limits
• Late payments reported inaccurately
• Accounts listed as delinquent, charged off, or in collections incorrectly
• Duplicate accounts or outdated negative information

These errors can significantly lower your credit score and cause financial harm. Fortunately, the Fair Credit Reporting Act gives consumers powerful rights to dispute inaccurate credit information and require credit bureaus to conduct reasonable investigations.

Before moving forward, it’s helpful to familiarize yourself with some of the most common forms of inaccurate credit reporting so you can assess whether any may apply to your situation. 

Many people have mistakes on their credit reports without realizing it. Below are some of the most common errors to look for when reviewing your report:

• Accounts you don’t recognize.  Loans or credit cards listed that you never opened yourself, which may indicate identity theft or a mix‑up with someone who has a similar name. 

• Incorrect personal information.  Misspelled names, wrong addresses, or incorrect Social Security numbers or dates of birth. 

• Wrong account status.  An account listed as open when it’s closed, closed when it’s open, or showing a balance when it has been paid off. 

• Late payments reported incorrectly.  Payments marked late even though you paid on time, or late payments shown on the wrong account. 

• Duplicate accounts.  The same debt listed more than once, making it look like you owe more than you do. 

• Incorrect balances or credit limits.  Account balances or credit limits that don’t match your records. 

• Accounts reported in collections or charged off by mistake.  Debts listed as in collections, default, or “charged off” even though you paid them or never owed them. 

• Old negative information that should be removed.  Late payments, collections, or other negative marks that remain on your report beyond the allowed time period (usually seven years). 

• Re-aged debts.  Old debts reported with a newer delinquency date, making them appear more recent than they really are. 

• Authorized user errors.  Accounts listed as yours when you were only an authorized user and not financially responsible.

Reviewing your credit report regularly can help you spot errors early and protect your financial health. Our firm can assist when you find an inaccuracy.

When you dispute an error, credit reporting agencies and companies that furnish information are legally required to investigate and correct inaccurate data. If they fail to do so, you may be entitled to:

• Correction or removal of inaccurate credit report entries
• Statutory and actual damages
• Attorney’s fees and costs

Working with a knowledgeable lawyer ensures that your dispute is handled properly and that violations of the FCRA do not go unchallenged.

An experienced attorney can review your credit reports, identify violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and take legal action against credit bureaus or creditors that continue to report false information. Taking prompt action is critical, as unresolved credit report errors can continue to cause long‑term financial damage.

If inaccurate credit reporting is affecting your life, you do not have to fight the credit bureaus alone. MooreLaw PLLC represents consumers in credit report disputes and FCRA claims. Contact our firm today to learn how we can help correct errors on your credit report and protect your financial future.