Credit Report Errors

Birmingham Alabama Credit Report Errors Attorney

75% of Credit Reports are Inaccurate!

At Dunaway Attorneys at Law, we realize how frustrating and damaging an inaccurate credit report can be. A bad credit report may prevent you from getting credit, force you to pay higher auto insurance rates or mortgage interest rates, make it difficult to rent, or cost you a job.

We provide this information to explain the process and help you correct any errors so you can repair your credit. Our lawyers will help you find errors on your credit report, dispute those errors with the credit reporting agencies, and if necessary, sue the responsible parties for violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act or Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

Contact our office to arrange a free consultation about correcting your report.

It would be helpful to do the following before your appointment, but it is not necessary. If you think your credit reports are inaccurate, call to schedule a free consultation with credit report lawyer Matt Dunaway.

Get A Free Copy Of Your Credit Report

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires a consumer reporting agency (CSR) to allow you to check your report for free once a year. It is important to make use of this opportunity, particularly if you have filed Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 Bankruptcy in the past. To request a report from each major CSR, TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian:

If you are unable to pull your credit reports from www.annaulcreditreport.com, you may want to visit www.myfico.com to order your three credit reports.

Identify Errors In Your Credit Report

When you receive your reports go over each entry carefully. Negative information is fine, as long as it is accurate. Circle any information that you feel is inaccurate.

Typical errors are:

  • Inaccurate reporting on your debts
  • Mixing up your report with someone else’s with a similar name
  • An account discharged in bankruptcy but now showing up as late
  • An account that you did not open (a sign of identity theft)
  • A mortgage which was paid off but is showing up as in default
  • An inquiry from a person who pulled your credit report without permission

Write down on the questionnaire every entry on your credit report that you are concerned about. There are separate pages for TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian.

Find A Document To Prove Each Inaccurate Item Is Wrong

You can help restore your credit by challenging what is contained in your credit report by providing the following documentation:

INACCURACY DOCUMENT TO PROVE INACCURACY

INACCURACY

DOCUMENT TO PROVE INACCURACY

Account you didn’t open, showing identity theft

Copies of signature (checks, mortgage papers, etc) so that the credit reporting agency can compare your signature to the one that opened the false account.

A police report where you tell the police the account is not your account and you have been the apparent victim of an identity theft crime.

We can also help you prepare an affidavit where you swear the account is not your account

Debt discharged in bankruptcy

Copies of your bankruptcy petition and discharge order (you can get this from your bankruptcy attorney). This will show that as of the date you filed you should no longer be shown as being late or that the debt is discharged.

Wrong Name

Have a copy of your driver’s license and other similar documents (mortgage, car note, tax return, social security card) so we can show the name is incorrect. Having an incorrect name can lead to the wrong accounts being placed on your credit reports.

Never late, but shown as late

Provide copies of statements or bank account records showing when and how much you paid.

The Next Step - Contact the Dunaway Attorneys at Law

Then contact our firm. We will have you send us copies of everything after you have filled out the questionnaire. We will prepare the appropriate letters on your behalf and send them by certified mail to each credit reporting agency, creditor, or furnisher of information.

After the dispute letters are sent, if the credit reporting agency does not correct the error, we will discuss filing a federal lawsuit. If we do need to file a suit, you will be entitled to damages if it is successful.

At the Dunaway Attorneys at Law, our Birmingham credit repair lawyers help consumers held down by inaccurate credit reports and resulting low credit scores. We represent clients throughout Alabama, including Jefferson County, St. Clair County, Blount County, and Shelby County, and the communities of Birmingham, Oneonta, Ashville, Columbiana, Gardendale, Harpersville, Talladega, Fultondale, Hueytown, Bessemer, Vestavia Hills, Trussville, Tarrant City, Hoover, Moody, Leeds, Pelham, Alabaster, Mountain Brook, Pell City, Margaret, Trafford, Lincoln, and Irondale, Alabama.

For bankruptcy information, see our Bankruptcy Information Center and Frequently Asked Questions about Bankruptcy.

Birmingham Credit Repair • Credit Report Repair • Credit Score Repair

Lawyers Matt Dunaway and Elizabeth Johnson will explain how to use the law to correct your record.

We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code

We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code