Disputing Social Security Number Errors on Your Credit Report: A Guide
According to the Nolo law website, a Social Security number variation on your credit report is more common than you might think. Although most result from a simple typographical error, it's vital to act if you see a variation, because an incorrect number can also point to fraud. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, reporting agencies have a duty to report your credit information accurately and must fully investigate errors and inaccuracies. However, because each of the three main agencies operates independently, you'll need to work with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion separately to correct this type of error.
Review Credit Information
Review your credit report from all three reporting agencies; if you see an incorrect Social Security number on one agency's credit report, it's likely that variations exist on all three. You can get a free report from each agency once a year at the Annual Credit Report website. If any investigation results in changing your information, the agency must give you an additional free report that contains the update.
File a Dispute
Send a letter and a copy of your Social Security card to each agency that has an incorrect number and request that the agency remove all variations. To assist you, the Federal Trade Commission has a dispute letter template you can follow. To support your position, the FTC recommends that you enclose a copy of your credit report and highlight the erroneous variations. Keep a copy for your records and send a copy to each agency by certified mail with return receipt.
What Happens Next
Each agency must investigate your dispute within 30 days. During this time, the agency will contact the creditor, who must also investigate the dispute and change any incorrect information. The agency will then correct the information in your file and send you a written notice and a free copy of your report documenting the change.
-
Understanding How Collection Agencies Access Your Social Security Number
Public records can contain your Social Security number. A Social Security number is one of the most significant pieces of identifying information that any company or individual can have about
-
Understanding Social Security: A Comprehensive Guide
The U.S. Social Security system has been in the news a lot lately. While politicians throw around dramatic words like "crisis" and "bankrupt," regular Americans have more mundane
budgeting
- Recovering a Lost Social Security Number: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Protect Your Identity: How to Block Your Social Security Number
- Protect Your Identity: How to Freeze Your Social Security Number
- Protect Yourself: How to Detect Social Security Number Theft
- Social Security Number Theft: How Identity Thieves Exploit Your Information
- Understanding Consumer Reports: How to Contact and Dispute Information
- Changing Your Social Security Number: Eligibility & Legal Credit File
- Understanding Social Security Numbers: Structure & History
- Dispute Credit Report Errors: A Comprehensive Guide
-
Reporting Bank Fraud: A Comprehensive GuideIf you suspect fraud in connection with your credit card or bank account, you'll want to report it immediately. While you should report it to your bank, you can also report fraud to other authorit...
-
Accessing Your Credit Report: Understanding TRW & ExperianYou can get a TRW credit report. Up until its acquisition in 1996, Experian, one of the "big three" credit bureaus, was known as TRW, according to the New York Times. Experian, like...