4 of 8

Write now Article Tools

It's always a good idea to get a free copy of your credit report at least once a year because believe it or not there could be some things on there that are not yours. Some of it could be in the form of bad credit or maybe someone's auto loan got reported on your credit report. How does this happen?

Sometimes things are reported in error to the credit reporting agencies by mistake due to two individuals having similar names like John Smith, and John A. Smith, or

John Smith II. This is a common occurrence when a child is named after his father. The names are so close that an error happens during the transmission of information to the credit bureau reporting agency.

So now you can see how a child age 8 or 9 gets a credit file started with wrong information even though they are not able to legally enter into a binding contract.
The fathers information is reported on the son's credit report and vice versa.
There will be times when something appears on your credit report and it will not be due to someone having a similar name, it is the result of a flat out error.

To get something off your credit report the first thing to do is try to contact that creditor and explain the situation and if they are unwilling to do anything about you need to contact your local credit bureau in writing and let them know this item does not belong to you. This is the fastest method because once you contact the credit bureau they have approximately 30 days to investigate this matter and resolve it.

If they cannot determine this to be yours then it must be removed within that 30 day time frame. The credit bureau will in turn contact that creditor and try to get some type of positive identification that establishes you as the owner of that information on your credit report or verify that you are not the owner.

Just because you get something cleared off your credit report in 2007 does not mean the same thing cannot happen in 2008. That's why it is good to get a copy of your credit report every year. There could be instances where the error is in the form of a lien or judgment, or perhaps it's litigation. If these types of things appear on your credit report they can be devastating to your credit score. It is your primary responsibility to get the issues resolved.

Learn more about this author, Melvin Richardson.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about How to get rid of inaccurate items on your credit report?
We want to hear your view. Write now!