The Money Coach
  • About
    • Meet Lynnette
    • Media Kit
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Submit an Article
  • Books
  • Categories
  • Coaching
  • Book Lynnette
  • Money Coach University™
No Result
View All Result
The Money Coach
  • About
    • Meet Lynnette
    • Media Kit
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Submit an Article
No Result
View All Result
The Money Coach
No Result
View All Result

How to Fix Duplicate Entries on Your Credit Report

Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach by Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach
in Credit Reports
Reading Time: 2 mins read
69
SHARES
1.1k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedIn

Checking your credit report at least once a year – even if you don’t use credit cards or have any loans – can help you correct any mistakes that could be hurting your credit score.

Every entry on your credit report will affect your credit score in some way, and many creditors do make the mistake of sending a duplicate entry on certain accounts. These duplicate “negatives” can have a very big impact on your credit score and might even prevent you from getting a loan.

Here’s what you need to do when you discover this type of mistake:

#1: Prepare a Dispute Letter

You will need to create a dispute letter that includes information about the creditor, the account number, the balance that has been inaccurately reported, and all of your personal information.

Make sure you double check this for accuracy, and can confirm that the entry is in fact, a duplicate. Start by asking the company that reported the information twice, if they will remove the erroneous second listing with the credit bureaus.

If one of your accounts went to a collections agency, both the original creditor and the collection agency may have reported your account. The credit bureaus will not consider this a duplicate entry, but you can check to make sure that the account has been marked as “paid” when it has been brought current.

#2: Contact all of the Credit Bureaus

You will need to contact each of the credit bureaus – Experian, TransUnion and Equifax – independently to report the error.

Send a copy of your dispute letter to each one via return receipt mail, and keep a copy for your records. The credit bureaus have 30 days to investigate your claim and will send you a copy of your updated credit report once the item has been removed.

#3: Verify that the Duplicate Entry Has Been Removed

If the credit bureau has not responded within 30 days, they may not have been able to remove the duplicate entry.

You will need to again contact the creditor directly to have them contact the credit bureau and ensure that everything is accurate and up to date. This can take some time, so be prepared to make a phone call and write a letter to follow up.

Keep records of all communications so that you have proof that you took steps to make the corrections.

Making sure your credit report is up-to-date and accurate can put you in a better position to get a loan or financing you need in the near future. But the burden is on you to dispute any errors in writing and follow up within a few weeks to make sure credit-report mistakes have been corrected.

Tags: duplicate entries
Previous Post

5 Ways You’re Wasting Money Without Knowing It

Next Post

Is a Timeshare a Good Investment?

Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach

Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach

Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach, is a renowned financial expert, author, speaker, and media personality, empowering people to achieve financial success.

Related Posts

Dissatisfied businessman freelancer in glasses upset looking at camera man working inside office building holding phone and looking at camera with complaint

How To Handle Problems With Credit Bureau Reporting Agencies

by AskTheMoneyCoach

When it comes to managing your credit, dealing with credit bureau reporting agencies can be frustrating. The process can be confusing and time-consuming, whether you’re trying to access your credit report, dispute an error, or simply understand how your credit score is calculated. Here are the top 10 complaints people...

Young woman using mobile phone at coffee shop

Here’s How to Get Free Weekly Credit Reports

by Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach

If you want to improve your FICO credit score, you absolutely must monitor your credit files. Fortunately, the credit bureaus Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union are making it easier for you to do just that. See their joint press release below: The three nationwide credit reporting agencies – Equifax® (NYSE:EFX),...

credit rating covid-19

How to Protect Your Credit Rating During COVID-19 VIDEO

by Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach

The CARES Act made significant changes to the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Learn how to protect your credit rating during the COVID-19 pandemic.

report to credit bureaus

Here’s How to Report Rent Payments to the Credit Bureaus

by Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach

Q: I carried a mortgage on a property I rented out and I would like to report rent payments to the credit reporting agency. How can I do this? A:  Thanks for reaching out and for your question about reporting a mortgage to a credit bureau. In order to do...

Equifax Data Breach

Credit Freeze Explained and How to Protect Your Credit

by Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach

After the Equifax data breach where thieves stole the Social Security numbers and personal info of 143 million Americans, many people are considering credit freezes to lock down their credit reports. But some folks ask: "Why should I have to PAY for a credit freeze just because Equifax got hacked?...

ex won't pay bill

When an Ex Won’t Pay a Bill that Hurts Your Credit

by Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach

Q: A woman recently reached out to me, explaining that she was in the middle of a divorce, and that her spouse wasn’t paying a debt he agreed to pay – namely, the couple’s timeshare bill. She was making all of her required payments, but the husband wasn’t, and now...

remove tax lien from credit report

Steps to Get a Tax Lien Removed From Your Credit Reports

by Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach

Having a tax lien on your credit report can weigh down your credit score, and can even make it tougher – if not impossible – to do things like sell or refinance a property, or get a loan. After all, a federal tax lien is viewed as a severe credit...

Load More

Popular Posts

  • Car repair

    What to Do If You Can’t Afford a Car Repair Bill

    1529 shares
    Share 612 Tweet 382
  • What to Do if Your Spouse Stole Money From You

    1311 shares
    Share 524 Tweet 328
  • What to Do If You Can’t Afford to Leave Your Spouse

    1276 shares
    Share 510 Tweet 319
  • Here’s Why I Pay My Kids For Good Grades (And Maybe You Should Too)

    1131 shares
    Share 452 Tweet 283
  • What Do All Those Strange Codes In My Credit Report Mean?

    901 shares
    Share 360 Tweet 225
  • Which Credit Report is More Important: Equifax, Experian or TransUnion?

    869 shares
    Share 348 Tweet 217
  • Do This Now If Your Wages Were Not Reported

    855 shares
    Share 342 Tweet 214

Categories

  • Bankruptcy
  • Budgeting
  • Building Wealth
  • Careers
  • Couples and Money
  • Coupons and Deals
  • Covid-19
  • Covid-19 Video
  • Credit Cards
  • Credit Reports
  • Credit Scores
  • Crypto
  • Debt
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Family Finances
  • Featured
  • Identity Theft
  • Insurance
  • Investing
  • Loans
  • Paying for College
  • Personal Finance
  • Press Releases
  • Real Estate
  • Retirement
  • Saving Money
  • Scams
  • Student Loans
  • Taxes
  • Uncategorized

All information on this blog is for educational purposes only. Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach, is not a certified financial planner, registered investment adviser, or attorney. If you need specialty financial, investment or legal advice, please consult the appropriate professional. Advertising Disclosure: This site may accept advertising, affiliate payments or other forms of compensation from companies mentioned in articles. This compensation may impact how and where products and companies appear on this site. AskTheMoneyCoach™ and Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach® are trademarks of TheMoneyCoach.net, LLC.

©2009-2023 TheMoneyCoach.net, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

RSS / Sitemap /Submit an Article / Privacy Policy / LynnetteKhalfaniCox.com

No Result
View All Result
  • Books
  • Categories
  • Contact Lynnette
  • Get Coaching
  • Book Lynnette
  • Money Coach University™
  • Home
  • Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Submit an Article

©2009-2023 TheMoneyCoach.net, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist