1 week ago
Credit Report Errors Can Hurt Scores; Experts Explain Fixes
A credit report is a record of how someone has borrowed and repaid money.
Sometimes the report contains mistakes even when the borrower handled their finances properly.
For example, a loan might be shown as unpaid, listed twice or not marked as closed.
Wrong personal information can also cause confusion.
These errors may make a person’s credit score look worse than it should.
People can look for sudden score changes, incorrect balances or unfamiliar entries.
If they find a mistake, they should contact the lender or credit bureau to dispute it.
Checking reports regularly can help people find and correct problems early.
Incorrect repayment status, outdated loan information, duplicate accounts and wrong personal details can affect credit profiles.
Borrowers should regularly review their credit reports for mismatches and unusual entries.
Warning signs include sudden score changes, incorrect balances and unfamiliar or inaccurate profile information.
Consumers should examine unusual enquiries, repayment details and account updates to identify the cause of a change.
Errors should be disputed through the relevant lender or credit bureau using proper channels.
- Who
- Borrowers and consumers, with guidance from credit and lending experts.
- What
- Credit report errors can damage a borrower’s credit profile, but they can be identified and disputed.
- Where
- In personal credit reports and through relevant lending institutions or credit bureaus.
- When
- Borrowers should review their credit reports regularly and investigate sudden changes.
- Why
- Incorrect repayment records, outdated accounts, duplicate entries or inaccurate personal information can create a misleading borrowing history.
Key facts
- Common errors
- Incorrect repayment status, outdated loan information, duplicate accounts and inaccurate personal details.
- Warning signs
- Sudden credit-score changes, incorrect balances and unusual or inaccurate entries.
- Review focus
- Borrowers should examine unusual enquiries, repayment information and account updates.
- First step
- Understand the source of an entry and determine whether the issue is a genuine credit problem or a reporting error.
- Correction process
- Raise a dispute through the proper channels with the relevant lender or credit bureau.
- Expert guidance
- Kaushik Chatterjee, Shakti Shekhawat and Kuldeep Yadhuvanshi recommend regular review and early action.
Quotes
Kuldeep Yadhuvanshi
Business Head at Rupee112
“Understanding the reason behind a change can help borrowers distinguish between an actual credit issue and a reporting error, and take the right action accordingly.”
livemint.com
“People often assume that a low credit score is always the result of missed payments or poor financial habits, but that is not necessarily the case.”
livemint.com
