Having good credit can open many doors. It can qualify you for better rates and also increase your chances of being approved for credit, loans, and insurance. It will also make it easier for you to be approved to rent a house or an apartment. Unfortunately, errors on your credit report can unnecessarily bring your credit score down. Clearing up these errors is important because credit reporting companies report this information to potential employers, insurers, and credit card companies that will utilize the information in evaluating any application you submit to obtain credit, insurance, or housing.
This is why you should review your credit report periodically to make sure there are no errors. You can obtain a free credit report once a year from all three credit reporting agencies from annualcreditreport.com. Not only will reviewing your credit report help you obtain credit, loans, housing, and a job, but it will also help you fight identity theft. If someone has used your personal information to take out loans or apply for credit in your name, that information should show up on your credit report. Without reviewing your credit report, you may not even be aware that you have been victimized. Your credit could be ruined and you would not even know it. Fortunately, any errors appearing on your credit report can usually be cleared up, but it can be difficult without consulting with or retaining an attorney.
What Do I Do If There is an Error on My Credit Report?
To correct an error on your credit report, you should first report the error to the credit reporting agencies (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion are the three biggest) in writing. Explain to the companies in writing why you believe the information on your credit report is inaccurate. Include any documentation that supports your assertion. Be sure to state that you wish the error to be removed or corrected.
You should also submit a dispute to the company that furnished the information to the credit reporting company, such as the bank or credit card company. You should include much of the same information in this dispute as you did when writing the credit reporting company. State the name of the credit report that showed the error as well as the error you are seeking to correct. Highlight the dates of the disputed information as well as providing an explanation of the error. Submit any supporting documentation.
Credit reporting companies are obligated to investigate disputes. They must also forward all documents associated with the dispute to the furnisher (the company that provided the information). The credit reporting company will provide you with the results of the investigation. If the furnisher corrects the error following a dispute, the furnisher must send notice to all credit reporting companies that inaccurate information was provided so that they can update their reports with accurate information.
Credit Report Errors
If you see any inconsistencies or errors on your credit report, do not fight alone. Call The Law Office of William J. Roe and we will help you get these errors removed from your credit report. There is no charge for a free consultation and there is no charge to you for our attorney’s fees if we file suit, we go after our fees from the Credit Reporting Agencies and Furnishers (banks, credit card companies, etc.). You do not want these errors or inaccuracies to prevent you from getting access to all of the benefits that good credit can get you. Contact us today.