It can be a terrible shock to find that a person claiming to be the owner of a certain credit card had reported you as deceased on their credit report. It just doesn't compute that you had been suddenly thrust into financial limbo by an error in the credit reporting agency's keeping track of you. This is not only distressing but is also potentially devastating to your creditworthiness and your overall financial well-being. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to correct this situation and salvage your credit score.
The Social Security Administration maintains a Death Master File, which serves as one of the credit reporting agencies' information sources. Sometimes, they are inaccurate and the individual is erroneously identified as deceased. The reasons for this might stem from issues related to data entry, theft of personal information, or communication mistakes.
Misreported as deceased, your financial world is on fire. It could result in the closure of your credit accounts, and if you are looking for new credit, you will get denied credit. Most importantly, a lot of problem-solving has to be done to correct the error; it takes patience and persistence.
What to Do:
Here are a few steps that you can take if you find yourself in an unfortunate situation of being mistakenly reported as deceased on credit report:
Get Your Credit Reports: Start by getting your credit report from all three major credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Go through every report very meticulously in search of some mistake, such as the misidentification of your status.
Dispute the Error: If this situation makes it clear that there has been some erroneous information, then go and dispute it with the three major credit bureaus. Ensure that any documents or evidentials you have confirming that you are living and breathing are included.
Contact the Social Security Administration: If it was from the Death Master File that the wrong attribution to being deceased was, then contact the Social Security Administration to get this wrong on the list of people considered to be dead fixed. Show them your identification documents, too, along with any other evidence of residency, which will help support your case.
If You Need Legal Help, Don't Hesitate: If you hit a wall or things get complicated in cleaning up this reporting error on your own, don't hesitate to contact the legal experts at Reiff Law Office. They specialize in consumer rights and credit reporting issues and have a track record of helping people clear up mistakes on their credit reports.
Daniel Reiff: Providing Solutions
One such attorney who specializes in this field is Daniel Reiff. With many years of experience representing people all around the country against credit bureaus and protecting consumers' rights related to their credit reports, Daniel Reiff is right there to provide you with effective solutions as you try and clear up this problem with your credit report.
Daniel Reiff and his team at Reiff Law Office can provide you with personalized assistance tailored to your needs, whether it is a dispute with the credit bureaus, talking to creditors about not being charged any more fees, or filing a suit against the credit card company.
Being misreported as deceased on your credit report is a big deal that needs to be resolved fast and effectively. By understanding the steps to take and being helped by an expert attorney like Daniel Reiff, you can set right the error in your credit report, to bring back your credit report, and regain control of your financial future.
If you are searching for more assistance with dealing with credit reporting errors and protecting your consumer rights, contact Reiff Law Office. They have experts on hand that will be able to guide you with this specific situation, while at the same time being able to represent you in a dispute with a credit bureau. They can handle every part of the dispute process to ensure that you get the best results.