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Dealing with mixed or split credit files:

Date: Mon, 04/25/2005 - 13:12
Submitted by Pammila on Mon, 04/25/2005 - 13:12
Posts: 112
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Credit reports contain errors on a regular basis. So, before applying for new credit or beginning your credit repair journey make sure that all of the information contained in your credit report is yours.

Reasons for such mixes include:
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  • Common name. For example, a father and son who live at the same address, or who don't add “Sr.” or “Jr.” when completing credit applications.

  • Loan officers make clerical mistakes. For example, spelling names wrong, transposing social security numbers when pulling the credit report, or even entering incorrect addresses.

  • When reporting data to the Credit Reporting Agency (CRA) personal information is entered incorrectly. For example, an address at which you never lived.

  • If married, the social security number of the incorrect spouse is entered. This is not good because each credit report should be individual. What can happen is a merged credit report resulting in incorrect scores.

  • Co-signing for children or other people. Sometimes the lender will match the social security number with the wrong person.

  • Individuals with the same name mixed at the CRA's side. For example, John L Smith and John M Smith all is the same except the middle initial. This is a very common mistake.

    It is not easy finding these mistakes, but if you know you see information that does not belong to you, then call the CRA specifically to ask, “Is my file mixed?”

    Mortgage lenders pull three bureau credit reports through different systems. Sometimes the system has the capability to pull in mixed reports or split files, which will show the conflicting information. This is something consumer reports don't always show.

    Experian: Experian is the best for this because the mix can show two ways.
    It will show additional names and addresses and possibly incorrect accounts that are not obvious. If the consumer gets the chance to review the credit report and knows something is not right, then the consumer will have to write directly to Experian and provide a copy of a driver's license (with DL number marked out) and request to un-mix the file.
    Sometimes it is obvious showing additional social security number of the other individual mixed on the file. Fix the same way by writing to the CRA with request to un-mix the file.

    Equifax: On the mortgage side when the files are split, the files are received as Equifax 1 and Equifax 2. What is different is that on the credit report are two credit scores, one for each file. But it is all merged on the mortgage reports. These are very complicated.
    It may very well be all of the consumer's information that just got split because two names were used. For example, a married name verses maiden name. If that is the case, Equifax advises to add both scores and divide by two for the end score to be used. But also follow up informing Equifax that the file needs to be re-merged.
    Other splits may be by common name, for example father and son, where there are two people making up the files. These need to be unmixed.
    Consumers using and pulling their personal credit report on a daily basis from monitoring services can cause problems, compiling soft hits to the credit report. If the file gets too large, Equifax cannot handle it and will result in a split file. Some accounts will show on one credit report while other accounts show on another credit report.

    TransUnion: Like Equifax, TransUnion doesn't show additional social security numbers, only additional names, addresses, and possible accounts that don't belong. The consumer must contact TransUnion with a copy of their driver's license in order to update the file.

    So, depending on the vender and software used, besides the type of creditor, different things can result when trying to pull credit reports. Sometimes it just looks like you have no credit history, and other times it mixes other people's credit reports right in with yours. If creditors don't know to look for the warning signs, they will flat out decline credit because they think it was all your credit that was bad.

    The CRA's don't go first and foremost by the social security number. Listed below is how the repositories assign importance to this information (from most important to least important). Notice the SSN is not the most important (Information provided by California Association of Mortgage Brokers, Orange County Chapter, “Shedding Light on Credit Scoring” by the NAMB Credit Scoring Committee Chair, March 12, 2002):

    Equifax

    Last name
    First initial
    Address
    SSN

    TransUnion

    Zip Code
    Address
    Last name
    First name
    SSN
    AKA/Alias name

    Experian

    Last name
    First name
    SSN
    Address

    With this in mind, understand that it is quite easy for the creditors to mix consumer files. Even if you catch this and fix it completely, it can happen again.

    You must take precautions to just use one deviation of spelling your name, especially if you have a father and son with similar names living at the same address.

    Finally, be sure to obtain a copy of your credit report at least once a year or 60 days prior to applying for credit so you can catch and fix mistakes in time.


    • Dont know how to thank you !!

    thanks for taking your time to write this very valuable post !!

    so cool :D


    Submitted by on Mon, 04/25/2005 - 14:11

    ( Posts: 202330 | Credits: )


    I need help on merging a split credit file with experian. I legally changed my name 2 years ago. I contacted all of my current creditors and had my name updated with them. When I pull my experian credit report, all I get is my current information. All of my history is on a seperate report under my old name. Both Equifax and Transunion have merged the files. Experiant will not. They keep telling me to contact my creditors, and change my name with them, then my information will migrate over. I cannot change my name on the items listed on the report by my old name, because it is my good credit history, and all accounts in the file are closed. Please Help. my email


    Email deleted as per forum rules-Vikas


    Submitted by on Sat, 01/21/2006 - 07:21

    ( Posts: 202330 | Credits: )


    Susan - That don't make sense, usually Experian is not the one to split files, but instead mix them, in this case you are wanting the files merged so that you get the benefit of the old closed accounts in your old name.

    What should work is contacting Experian and asking to speak with special handeling department.

    They may need you to send copy of your social security card, any old documentation that proves your prior name inform the special handling department that both of these files are one and need to be put together.

    You can try to contact old creditors on closed account to see if they can update your name in their files - if they are still reporting, or a letter from them acknowledging that you are the same person with both names and send that to the credit reporting agency.


    Submitted by on Sat, 01/21/2006 - 08:42

    ( Posts: 202330 | Credits: )