About 6 months ago a house under forclosure showed up on my Experian credit report. I immediatly went to their websit and posted a dispute. About 2 months later the results of the "investigation" came in showing two more houses, though in good standing, that are not mine. I have called the company numerous times and have recived a recording every time. In the past two months I have sent letters to all of the reporting agencies that I have delt with requesting that these items be removed. I have recieved letters in return from all of them (except experian) stating that it doesn't exist. Experian has not responded. I called the bank that the loan was through and they have told me that I am not in the database. I am currently trying to buy my first house with my new wife and I am told that I may not get the loan because of the forclosed house. What can I do. I have spoken to the bank that has the forclosure and requested information about the file. ( First of all i dont know the complete file number as all but the last four digets are xed out on the report) They could not find the file, the loan, or any history of my name in the system. I need the fastest solution possible as time is of essence with the bid on the house and the loan lining up.
What information do you have from who? Is it your credit report that shows the mortgages, with loan numbers X'd out? You can request credit reports with complete account numbers. X'd out numbers is an option. Or you could ask the CRA for the full account number. Similarly, the bank(s) supposedly posting the mortgages should be able to get them removed via the CRA, given a copy of your credit report, and the report number of your credit report. Although you want this to be cleared up quickly, you may not be able to avoid damages. You should also proceed to get your ducks in a row should this kill your purchase. Make sure you have disputed each erroneous tradeline thru the CRA, CRRR. Make sure if they do not remove or repond, you dispute again. Dispute with each bank, including a copy of the credit report page showing the error. If you can, walk into the bank branch, particularly if they have a mortgage lending branch within a few hours drive, show a loan officer your credit report, and tell him these are not your loans. Be a pain in the ass. Start building the case that your damages were due to their error, followed by their negligence and incompetance in fixing it. If you are not getting an adequate response, contact your state AG. These may be unrelated "errors", or someone may be using your SSN and good credit history.
Have you gotten a written reply from the bank that you do not have a mortgage with them? Get it, and submit a copy with your dispute with the CRA. If they refuse to use it, send a complaint thru your state AG. Also, you may need it to get a timely rescored credit report when you get your loan.
The bank should be able to determine if "you" are in their system by either your name, or by your SSN. If you don't show up under either, get a letter from them to that effect, and use it to put pressure on the CRA to remove.
See if you can get some sort of paperwork from the bank stating that the forclousre doesn't exist. Once you get that, make copies and send a copy to Experian. If they don't delete it, then it will be another violation being racked up against them.
You might also ask this question on bankersonline.com. Although this may be a CRA mistake, an identity theft, a bank mis-keying, etc, it also may affect the security of the bank's loan portfolio. There may be agencies with oversight over the bank that can put pressure on them.
I spoke with a bank manager yesterday ( I finally got the complete file number through a friend who is a loan officer ) They informed me that my social is not on file and they did not report this account to my name and of course she pointed fingers back at Experian and informed me that they must have entered it wrong. I think she might have been quick to point fingers because I told her my lawyer advised me to file a lawsuit against the bank if they didn't have it removed in 3 days. What are your thoughts?
Also another wonderful point, I have tryed numerous times to contact Experian over the last 6 months to resolve this issue via phone, internet disputes, letters, etc and the only response that i recived was on the internet dispute. Acording to the "invesigation" it is me. However, this loan was opened in 2001 i think, and I would have been 17 yrs old buying a 90,000 house.
Have the bank manager put the facts in a letter, rather than talk on the phone with them. Include that it is not your SSN on the account, and you do not, in fact, have an account with them. Then send a copy of the letter by certified mail to the CRA along with a warning stating that this is their last chance to correct the erroneous information on your report before you sue them. Stress to them that this is their last chance to correct this matter Give them 3 days, and if they don't, then sue (are you sure this is not a case of identity theft? You said first one, then two other houses showed up on your reports...is someone using your name for real estate investments?)
Also after you get your letter from the bank that this is not your account, you can put pressure on them by notifying them that according to the CRA the bank has "verified" the account is yours, which makes the bank liable for their erroneous reporting. Let them put pressure on the CRA to remove it.
I know its not a case of identity theft. I found out that the other two houses that showed up on my credit are my fathers ( he does real-estate investing ) however the house that is under forclosure is not his or has never been his. I know this because I help him maintian all of his properties. (and of course I asked him) I contacted the bank to get a letter and they gave me a fax number to an office that doesnt have a phone # (yeah right!) so I sent them a fax and havnt heard back from them. Should I just wear out their fax machine or attempt to get a direct number?
oh yeah I finnaly got someone from Experian on the phone ( after 6 months and probably in the range of 20hours of "on hold" time") I got ahold of thier corperate office number called and thretened to sue them and had someone on the phone begging to help me in about 10 seconds. If anyone needs that number I would be more than happy to give it out so you guys can give them Hell.
