yes, very true
but the credit reporters don't make it easy either
your best defense if getting a company to send a statement that says you don't owe or don't have an account with them
or to show the person who owes isn't you (wrong address, stuff like that )
or to show the account was previously paid
if a collection agency is involved, work with that agency and demand that if you are not the person they are seeking that they request removal of the information
the collection agency would want to report the actual debtor, not somebody with the same name, in this circumstance a collection agency may be helpful
the problem is when you are who they are looking for
the best route there is the creditor , make the original company fix it- and get you out of collections
but, if you owe the debt.. they will not cooperate