Kelly Guzzo, PLC recently resolved a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (Alexandria Division) involving mixed credit information reported by Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.
The lawsuit alleged that the credit reporting agencies mixed the credit report of a Virginia consumer with that of an older family member, resulting in inaccurate and damaging credit information. Specifically, the mixed credit file included accounts that were opened when the consumer was still a minor, such as an auto loan, timeshare debt, and multiple collection accounts that did not belong to him.
What Is Mixed Credit?
Mixed credit (also known as a mixed or merged credit file) occurs when a credit bureau combines information from two different individuals into a single credit report. This typically happens when consumers share similar identifying information, such as a name, address, or date of birth.
In this case, despite the presence of unique identifiers like a full Social Security number, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion still incorrectly associated another person’s accounts with the consumer’s credit report.
Credit Bureaus Have Long Known About Mixed Credit Problems
Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion have had decades of notice regarding the issue of mixed credit files. Over the past 30 years, all three credit bureaus have been repeatedly sued for combining credit reports of individuals with similar identifying information.
Despite this extensive history, the lawsuit alleged that the credit bureaus continue to rely on inadequate matching procedures that fail to use full identifying information — even when it is available. These flawed systems increase the likelihood of mixed credit files and allow the bureaus to sell more credit reports, often at the expense of consumers’ financial well-being.
Failure to Correct After Disputes
In addition to creating the mixed credit file, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion allegedly failed to remove the inaccurate information after the consumer disputed it.
Rather than conducting an independent investigation, the credit bureaus relied solely on the responses of the companies that furnished the disputed information. As a result, the bureaus refused to delete the accounts — even after the consumer submitted multiple dispute letters clearly explaining the errors.
How Kelly Guzzo, PLC Can Help
If your credit report has been inaccurately mixed or merged with another individual’s information, the attorneys at Kelly Guzzo, PLC can help.
Our firm assists consumers with:
- Removing mixed credit information from their credit reports
- Filing claims against Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion
- Seeking compensation for damages caused by inaccurate credit reporting
We have successfully handled dozens of mixed credit cases, and there is no out-of-pocket cost to you. We only recover if you do. If you believe your credit report contains mixed credit information, contact Kelly Guzzo, PLC today for help.