Common Credit Report Errors and How to Spot Them

How to check your credit report for errors

Get your free reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com. Then gather your recent statements for each account and go through each report one section at a time. Mark each line as "looks right" or "looks wrong." The free Credit Report Error Checklist gives you a printable version with a checkbox for each bureau.

1. Personal information errors

• A name or spelling you've never used (minor typos are common)
• Addresses where you've never lived
• An incorrect Social Security number or date of birth
• Employers or phone numbers that aren't yours

Personal information isn't used to calculate credit scores, but unfamiliar details can be an early sign of a mixed file (where someone else's information ends up in your file, often because of a similar name) or identity theft. Look closely at the accounts section if you see this.

2. An account on your credit report that isn't yours

An account you don't recognize is one of the most important things to look into. Possible causes include:

• Identity theft: someone opened an account using your information.
• A mixed file: an account belonging to someone with a similar name or Social Security number.
• A name you don't recognize: some accounts appear under a parent company, a bank's legal name, or a collection agency rather than the store name you remember. Check your records before you dispute.

If you believe it's identity theft, go to IdentityTheft.gov for a personalized recovery plan. You can also place a free fraud alert or credit freeze with the bureaus.

3. A late payment reported by mistake

Payment history errors are common and worth checking month by month. Look for:

• A payment marked 30, 60, or 90 days late for a month you paid on time
• Late marks on an account that was in a forbearance, deferment, or payment agreement, if the creditor agreed to report it differently
• Late marks after an account was paid off or closed

Your best evidence is a bank or card statement showing the payment date, or a letter from the creditor. If the payment really was late, that's accurate information and can stay on your report.

4. Wrong balances, limits, dates, or status

• Balance: doesn't match your most recent statement, or a paid account still shows a balance
• Credit limit: missing or lower than your actual limit
• Dates: date opened, date of last payment, or date closed is wrong
• Status: a closed account shows as open (or the reverse), or a paid account shows as unpaid
• Ownership: an account where you're an authorized user is listed as if you're the account owner, or a joint account is listed incorrectly

5. Duplicate accounts and collection errors

The same debt shouldn't be counted twice with a balance. A common example: the original creditor and a collection agency both show the full balance for the same debt. When a debt is sold or transferred, the original account should generally show a zero balance or a "transferred" status. Also check that:

• You recognize the collector and the original creditor listed
• The balance is correct, and a paid or settled collection shows that status
• The same collection isn't listed more than once

6. Outdated negative information

The Fair Credit Reporting Act limits how long most negative information can be reported. In general, most negative items, such as late payments and collections, can be reported for up to seven years. Certain bankruptcies can be reported for up to ten years. For collections and charged-off accounts, the seven-year period generally starts about 180 days after the account first became delinquent. It doesn't restart when a debt is sold or the account is updated. If something is older than that, it may be worth disputing.

7. Inquiries and public records

• Hard inquiries from companies you never applied with. These can be a sign of identity theft.
• Public records that aren't yours or that list the wrong status or date. Today the nationwide bureaus' reports generally list bankruptcies as public records.

What isn't an error

It's easy to confuse "negative" with "wrong." These generally are not errors if they're accurate:

• Late payments that really happened
• Collections for debts you owe or owed
• Closed accounts. Closing an account doesn't erase its history.
• Differences between bureaus, as long as each one is accurate. Not every lender reports to all three.

Accurate, timely information can legally stay on your report, even if it's negative. Disputes are for information that's inaccurate or incomplete.

Found something that looks wrong?

Gather any documents that support you, then follow our step-by-step guide to disputing a credit report error yourself. Our dispute letter template shows exactly what to include. The result depends on the bureau's investigation, and results vary.

Education only. This article is general educational information, not legal or financial advice. Clear Credit Coach is not a law firm or a credit repair organization and doesn't contact credit bureaus or creditors on your behalf. Results vary, and accurate, timely information can legally stay on your credit report.