Credit Report Error Lawyers in San Diego Helping Clients Dispute False Information on Their Credit Reports

Monitoring your credit report regularly is an essential step to not only stay on top of your financial health but also to detect any inaccuracies and red flags that could point to bigger issues, such as identity theft or incorrect information that could be hurting your credit score. Learn what to do if you need to dispute credit report inaccuracies and the role an attorney can play in helping you fight back against a denied dispute.

What Are the Steps to Disputing Incorrect Information on My Credit Report?

Suppose you have the habit of checking your credit report every month, and you notice that a new account was added to your credit report, but upon closer inspection, you determine that the account does not belong to you. The first step is to initiate a dispute with the credit bureau company such as Equifax, TransUnion, or Experian.

Each credit bureau may provide you with the option of filing a dispute online, or you may also do so by writing a letter detailing your case. This may be helpful as you can also include evidence to document why the information is inaccurate. The credit bureau has 30 days to investigate and respond to your dispute and must give you the results in writing. If your dispute is accepted, your information should be updated.

What Can I Do if The Credit Bureau denies my Dispute?

If the credit bureau investigated your dispute and ended up denying it or stating that the information you are disputing is not incorrect, you may try to reach out to the business that reported the inaccurate information. This can be done by sending them a letter detailing the problem and asking them to fix the error. Your letter may also contain copies of supporting documents and details about each item that needs to be fixed.

If the information is inaccurate, the business should remove it from your credit report. If it continues to report incorrect information, it must also notify the credit bureau that you are disputing that information. You should also continue monitoring your credit report, as information previously removed may sometimes reappear. This can be due to a simple mistake on the part of the business or credit bureau, or in some cases. It can be a pressure tactic a debt collector may use to attempt to collect payment for an old debt. In this case, consider taking legal action and speaking to a credit report inaccuracies lawyer to learn your options.

Am I Entitled to Receive Compensation for a Denied Dispute?

In some cases where the credit bureau or the reporting business does not fulfill their obligations to adequately respond to your dispute, you may be able to initiate a lawsuit against either one or both entities. If you resort to a lawsuit, it is vital to have an experienced attorney on your side.

If your lawsuit is successful, the judge may order that the inaccuracies are removed from your credit report and the information corrected. The judge may also prohibit the business or credit bureau from reporting the same item again in the future and, in some cases, may award the plaintiff with damages compensation and require the entity to pay for the plaintiff’s attorney fees.

What Can a Credit Report Inaccuracy Lawyer Do to Help Me?

If you have been dealing with inaccurate information on your credit report and your dispute requests have been unfairly denied, the errors may affect your score in the long run. They may mean missed opportunities – a low score can be an issue when renting an apartment, buying a house, and even getting a job. You should not be stuck with a credit report error that may be hurting you. Reach out to the attorneys at Khosroabadi & Hill in San Diego by calling 858-240-2093 and requesting an appointment to discuss your case and see how we can help you.