It’s hard enough to maintain a good credit score without having old or erroneous public records on your credit report. This can happen for a variety of reasons, but you have a right to have certain records removed when they shouldn’t be there in the first place. Find out which public records may appear on your credit report and how to get them off when they don’t belong there.
Public Records on Your Credit Report
Your credit reports are supposed to provide information to potential lenders about your finances and credit history so they can decide if they want to issue you a loan or a credit card or rent you an apartment. It makes sense that your credit card payment history, bank account balances, and employment history are on the report, but other public records may also appear. For example, if you have been through bankruptcy proceedings, have had tax or other liens placed on your property, or have had judgments against you in civil court, these records could also be on your credit report. However, once the issue has been resolved, the entry should be removed from your credit report. An exception to this general rule is that bankruptcies will stay on your credit report for 7-10 years.
How to Get Public Records Removed
Recently, the credit reporting agencies have been removing unverified public records from credit reports all on their own. If a record does not include your name, address, and Social Security number or birthdate to confirm it is undoubtedly yours, it should have already been removed from your report. However, if you find a tax lien or civil judgment on your credit report that is not yours or has been resolved, or a bankruptcy that is older than 10 years, your first step is to contact the credit reporting agency and tell them it should be removed.
What If the Agency Fails to Take Action?
If the CRA fails to respond to your request within 30 days, you may be able to take further legal action and possibly sue for financial damages. Don’t waste time trying to communicate with Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion. If they are not helping you, call the Cardoza Law Corporation to find out if I can help. It will cost you nothing to ask, and I may even be able to help you for free. You shouldn’t have to suffer the consequences of a bad credit score that you don’t deserve. Contact me online or call my office directly at 855.982.2400 for your free consultation.
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