How to Correct Personal Information on a Credit Report

A credit report is a financial record developed when you initially acquire debt. Credit reporting firms maintain a steady debt profile on you throughout your life. For businesses to accurately report your financial information to the credit bureaus, they must submit your identifying information along with their reports. The credit bureaus receiving the information will then match the personal information submitted to previous records and place the entry onto your credit file. Due to the vast number of reports received on a regular basis by each credit bureau, personal information is not always correctly matched. This can result in identification errors on your credit file. Identification errors should be cleared up as quickly as possible to avoid the debt profiles of others appearing in your credit history by mistake.

Instructions

1

Get your three credit reports from Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Tri-bureau or third party credit reports may show you personal information that needs to be corrected, but will not specify which credit bureau's report actually reflects the inaccurate information.

2

Review the "Personal Information" section of each credit report. Verify that your name, Social Security Number, birth date and current address are correct on each file. Also search for multiple entries such as two different Social Security Numbers, two birth dates, etc.

3

Check for any addresses older than three years that appear on your credit report. When correcting other personal information, also petition for the removal of obsolete addresses.

4

Send a letter to the credit bureau reporting the inaccurate personal information requesting that your file be corrected. Include the copy of your credit report that reflects the error and either highlight or underline the information that needs to be fixed (see reference 1). Also in the letter request the removal of any obsolete addresses in the file.

5

Include copies of any identifying documents that back up your claim that the information is not accurate such as your birth certificate or Social Security card (see Reference 1).

6

Send your request via certified mail and request a return receipt. A certified mail delivery requires the receiver to sign for your documents, and the dated signature card will then be returned to you. This provides proof that you sent the documents and that they were received.

7

Monitor your credit reports to ensure that the appropriate changes are made. If no changes are made after 30 days, resend your request (see reference 1).

8

Contact the office of your state's Attorney General in the event that the credit bureaus do not correct the inaccurate information. You can file a formal complaint with the Attorney General which will then be followed up by his staff. Provide the Attorney General's office with copies of the documents you sent and the signature card from both deliveries to help the office clear up the matter as quickly as possible.