Credit Reporting Errors

Credit reporting errors can devastate your finances and personal life. Inaccuracies—like accounts that don’t belong to you, outdated negative items, or misreported late payments—can lower your score, raise borrowing costs, and block access to jobs, housing, or insurance. We dispute these errors with bureaus and furnishers, enforcing your rights under the FCRA and Florida law.

Your Rights

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and Florida consumer protection laws, you have the right to:

Obtain a free credit report from each bureau once per year

Dispute inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information.

Have confirmed errors corrected or deleted within 30 days.

Receive notice if credit report data was used to deny you credit, housing, or employment.

Pursue compensation when bureaus or furnishers fail to act.

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Possible Damages

If credit bureaus or furnishers fail to fix errors, you may be entitled to:

Reimbursement for financial losses.

Compensation for emotional distress and reputational harm.

Punitive damages for willful violations.

Recovery of attorney’s fees and court costs.

Your Credit Report Should Tell the Truth. When It Doesn't, the Law Is On Your Side.

Your credit report is one of the most powerful documents in your financial life. Lenders, landlords, employers, and insurance companies all rely on it to make decisions that can define your opportunities. When that report contains inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated information, the consequences extend far beyond a denied loan application. People lose jobs, lose housing, and spend years fighting errors they did not create and did not deserve.
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At Consumer Rights Law, PLLC, we represent individuals whose credit reports have been corrupted by the negligence of credit reporting agencies and the companies that supply them with data. We hold these institutions accountable under the Fair Credit Reporting Act — a powerful federal law specifically designed to protect consumers like you.
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What Is the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)?

The Fair Credit Reporting Act is a federal statute that governs how consumer credit information is collected, maintained, and reported. It imposes legal obligations on three categories of parties:
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What does this mean for consumers?

When any of these parties fails to meet their obligations under the FCRA — and you are harmed as a result — you have the right to pursue legal remedies, including actual damages, statutory damages of up to $1,000 per violation, punitive damages, and attorney's fees.

Credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) — who compile and sell your credit reports
Furnishers of information — banks, debt collectors, creditors, and lenders who report account data to the bureaus
Users of credit reports — employers, landlords, and lenders who access your report for decision-making

Common Credit Report Errors We See

Credit report errors take many forms. Some of the most common and harmful include:

Accounts that do not belong to you — often the result of mixed files, where your information is confused with another consumer's
Accounts belonging to a family member with a similar name reported on your file
Discharged debts in bankruptcy continuing to appear as active balances
Discharged debts in bankruptcy continuing to appear as active balances
Paid accounts still reporting as delinquent or in collections
Incorrect late payment history on accounts that were paid on time
Identity theft accounts — fraudulent accounts opened in your name that you never authorized
Outdated negative information that should have aged off your report after seven years
Duplicate accounts reporting the same debt multiple times
Incorrect personal information — wrong addresses, wrong employers, wrong Social Security numbers
Accounts incorrectly reported as charged-off when they are current

The Dispute Process — And What Happens When It Fails

Federal law gives you the right to dispute inaccurate information directly with the credit bureaus. When you submit a dispute, the bureau is required to conduct a reasonable investigation and correct or delete inaccurate information within 30 days. The furnisher — the company that reported the data — must also conduct its own investigation when notified of a dispute.
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In practice, this process frequently fails consumers. Credit bureaus often conduct superficial investigations that amount to nothing more than confirming that the furnisher is standing by the information it already reported. Errors persist. Consumers send dispute after dispute and receive the same response: "verified as accurate." The cycle continues while the damage compounds.
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When the dispute process fails you, litigation becomes the remedy. The FCRA allows consumers to sue credit bureaus and furnishers directly in federal court when they fail to conduct reasonable investigations or fail to correct errors after being notified of a dispute. This is where Consumer Rights Law, PLLC comes in.

"When credit bureaus refuse to correct inaccurate information after a proper dispute, the FCRA gives you the right to take them to federal court — and to be compensated for the harm they have caused."

How We Investigate and Build Your Case

When you come to us with a credit reporting error claim, we begin with a thorough review of your credit reports from all three major bureaus. We document every inaccuracy, assess the harm caused, and trace the error to its source — whether that is a negligent furnisher, a careless credit bureau, or both. We then pursue the case aggressively on your behalf, whether through pre-litigation demand letters, settlement negotiations, or federal court litigation.

Compensation Available Under the FCRA

If you have been harmed by inaccurate credit reporting, you may be entitled to recover:
‍▸ Actual damages — including financial harm from denied credit, employment, or housing
‍▸ Emotional distress damages — the documented psychological impact of dealing with persistent errors
‍▸ Statutory damages — up to $1,000 per violation even without proving specific harm, if the violation was willful
‍▸ Punitive damages — available when a credit bureau or furnisher acted with reckless disregard for your rights
‍▸ Attorney's fees and costs — meaning you pay nothing out of pocket for our representation

Ready to take action? Contact Consumer Rights Law, PLLC today for a free, confidential consultation. No fees unless we win your case. Call (786) 360-7697 or visit consumerrights.law.

What Clients Ask us Most

Do you work with clients outside of Florida?

Yes. Many of our cases are governed by federal law, and we represent clients nationwide in appropriate matters. Jurisdiction depends on the facts of the case, which we evaluate during intake.

Do I need an attorney to fix credit reporting errors?

You are legally allowed to dispute errors on your own. However, many credit reporting agencies rely on automated systems and fail to conduct meaningful investigations. When errors persist, repeat, or cause real harm, it may indicate a violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

An attorney becomes especially important when:

- Errors are not corrected after a dispute

- The bureau claims the information was “verified” without explanation

- You were denied credit, housing, or employment

- The error involves identity theft, mixed files, or repeated inaccuracies

At that point, the issue is no longer just correction — it is enforcement of your legal rights.

How do I dispute an error on my credit report?

Consumers have the right to dispute inaccurate or incomplete information directly with the credit reporting agencies. Once a dispute is submitted, the bureau generally has **30 days** to conduct a reasonable reinvestigation.

During that time, the bureau must:

- Review all relevant information provided

- Communicate with the data furnisher

- Correct or delete information that cannot be verified

If the investigation is superficial or the error remains without explanation, that may constitute an FCRA violation

What documents should I have before contacting you?

Any documents related to your situation can be helpful, including:

- Credit reports, background checks, or account statements
- Denial letters, notices, or written communications
- Medical records or incident reports (for injury cases)
- Photos, screenshots, or witness information

If you don’t have everything yet, that’s okay — we can help you determine what’s needed.

Do errors usually appear on all three credit reports?

Not always. Each credit bureau — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — maintains its own report, and errors often appear on **one or two reports but not the others**.

This inconsistency itself can be a red flag. Under the FCRA, credit bureaus are required to maintain reasonable procedures to ensure accuracy. When the same account is reported differently across bureaus, it may indicate unlawful reporting practices.

What if the credit bureau refuses to fix the error?

If a credit bureau continues reporting inaccurate information after receiving notice of the dispute, it may be violating federal law. The FCRA requires more than a rubber-stamp response — it requires a **reasonable reinvestigation**.

When bureaus fail to correct errors, ignore evidence, or repeatedly verify inaccurate information, consumers may be entitled to legal remedies, including damages and attorney’s fees.

**I was denied a loan, job, or rental because of my credit report. What are my rights?**If adverse action was taken against you based on your credit report, you have important rights under the FCRA, including:

- The right to know which credit report was used

- The right to obtain a free copy of that report

- The right to dispute inaccurate information

When a denial is caused by incorrect or unlawful reporting, consumers may be entitled to compensation for financial loss, emotional distress, and other damages.

How long will my case take?

The timeline depends on the type of case and how the opposing party responds. Some matters resolve quickly through pre-litigation efforts, while others require filing a lawsuit. We move cases forward efficiently while keeping you informed every step of the way.

Practice Areas & How We Can Help

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Our Practice Areas

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Packaged foods can cause serious injury when allergen labeling is inaccurate, an allergen is undeclared, or the wrong product is placed in the package.

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