Reviewing your report for accuracy

Credit report errors are more common than most people think. Finding them takes patience, not special skills. Here's a simple, line-by-line way to review all three of your reports.

Work through each report section by section:

• Personal information. Misspelled names, addresses you never lived at, employers you never worked for. A small typo is usually harmless, but information that isn't yours can mean your file is mixed with someone else's, or that someone used your identity.
• Accounts. For each one, check that it's yours, the open date, the limit or loan amount, the balance, the payment history and the status. Watch for closed accounts still showing open, and paid accounts still showing a balance.
• Collections. Check that each one is yours, the amount, the dates, and that it isn't listed twice.
• Old negative items. Most negative items can be reported for up to seven years. Anything older may be outdated.
• Inquiries. Hard inquiries should match credit you actually applied for.

Then compare the three reports side by side. Differences don't always mean something's wrong, but they tell you where to look.

• Mixed file: when someone else's information, often a person with a similar name, ends up on your report.
• Inaccurate: information that's wrong.
• Incomplete: information that's missing something important, like a payment that isn't reflected.
• Outdated: negative information that's past the legal time limit for reporting.

Marcus reviews his TransUnion report. He finds his name spelled "Marcos" plus an address in a state he's never lived in. Further down, there's a store card he never opened, and a car loan he paid off in 2024 that still shows a $3,100 balance. That's two possible problems tied to someone else's information, and one paid account reported wrong. All three are worth documenting. (Made-up example.)

• Keep proof for anything you think is wrong: statements, payoff letters, payment confirmations, ID.
• Accounts you didn't open can be a sign of identity theft. If so, start at IdentityTheft.gov.
• Only question what you believe is actually inaccurate, incomplete or outdated. Disputing accurate information isn't honest, and it won't fix the real problem.

Print or open all three reports. Use one color to highlight anything that's wrong and another for anything you're not sure about. For each highlighted item, write down which report it's on and what proof you have. That list becomes your plan.

Educational information only. Not legal, financial, investment or tax advice. Results vary, and no one can guarantee credit outcomes.