How Mixed Or Merged Credit Reports Can Affect You

Your credit affects where you live, how much you pay, what you drive, your job search, and your ability to start a business. A bad credit score could mean higher mortgage payments, job denials, and limited options—which is why you should check your credit score every year. Unfortunately, you may not always get what you’re looking for.

According to a 2012 Federal Trade Commission (FTC) study, one in four consumers saw errors on their credit reports that impacted their scores. While there are a wide range of errors, “mixed” or “merged” credit reports are one of the most common. This occurs when a credit agency mixes up one person’s credit file and information with another person’s. The other person’s file may contain a history of late payments, defaulted accounts, collection actions and other information that may jeopardize someone’s credit score at no fault of their own.

The most common reason for mixed and merged credit reports is a result of individuals having similar names or identifying information, such as addresses, phone numbers, etc. If someone with your same name lives in the same city as you, this may increase the chances of mixed credit reports. The credit files of close relatives and family members are also prone to getting mixed. Collection agency debts and public records are notorious for reporting only minimal identifying information when supplying data to credit bureaus, instead of using more unique identifiers like Social Security numbers.

If you notice that your credit report is inaccurate, you may be the victim of merged or mixed credit reports. At Bach Law Offices, Inc., we have extensive experience and skills in dealing with credit agencies in all types of credit report matters, including mixed credit files. The sooner you reach out to our Northbrook credit reporting attorneys, the quicker we can get in contact with your credit agency and straighten out your credit report issues.

Call (847) 440-5998 or contact us online for a free initial in-person consultation today.