Credit Report Says You’re Deceased? How a Lawsuit Could Help
Last Updated on February 25, 2022
At A Glance
- This Alert Affects:
- Anyone who has been mistakenly reported as dead on their credit report.
- What’s Going On?
- Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are actively helping individuals across the country who have been incorrectly reported as dead on their credit reports.
- How Could an Attorney Help?
- An attorney could help consumers prove they are not deceased, get their credit reports fixed quickly and recover money for the harm they suffered after being mistakenly reported as dead.
- What You Can Do
- If you were mistakenly reported as deceased on a credit report, fill out the form on this page. After you get in touch, one of the attorneys working with ClassAction.org may reach out to you directly to explain more about your options and how they can help.
If you’ve been mistakenly reported as dead on your credit report, you may be able to take legal action to get the error fixed and recover money for the harm you’ve incurred.
Being marked dead can have a catastrophic effect on your life, finances and career – and attorneys working with ClassAction.org are ready to help.
To learn more about your legal rights and options, fill out the form on this page. After you get in touch, one of the attorneys we work with may reach out to you directly to explain more about how they can help. It costs nothing to get in touch or to speak to someone about your rights.
Why Does My Credit Report Say I’m Deceased?
You’ve likely been wrongfully reported as dead due to a mistake by a creditor, such as a credit card company or bank, or a credit bureau, such as Experian, TransUnion or Equifax. For instance, you may have had a joint account with someone who recently died, and the bank or lender mistakenly marked both accountholders as deceased.
It’s also possible that you were confused with someone who has a similar name and who is, indeed, dead. There is also a small chance that the error may stem from identity theft – namely, someone attempting to fraudulently collect Social Security benefits.
It’s also possible that your Social Security number has been reported as deceased. These false death reports are, unfortunately, passed on to all three major credit reporting companies. According to CNBC, approximately 6,000 people are wrongfully reported as dead by the Social Security Administration every year.
Mistakenly Reported as Deceased? Why You Need to Fix the Error
If you have a deceased indicator on your credit report, it’s important that the mistake be corrected as soon as possible. This error can cause considerable harm in that:
- You may be unable to get a mortgage, personal, auto or student loan.
- Your bank accounts could be frozen.
- Your credit cards may get shut down and you’ll be unable to open new ones.
- Your credit score may drop to zero.
- Your application for an apartment may be denied.
- You may be turned down for jobs.
- You may be unable to renew your driver’s license.
- You may not be able to set up utilities.
- Your health insurance might get canceled and you may be denied medical care.
Oftentimes, when you’ve been mistakenly marked as dead, your creditors, landlord and others may wrongfully assume that you have stolen someone else’s identity and refuse to work with you.
How Can I Dispute a Death on My Credit Report?
If you’ve been mistakenly classified as dead, attorneys working with ClassAction.org can help you dispute the false report and prove you are not deceased. They will collect copies of your credit report, among other necessary documents, and work with the credit bureaus, your bank, creditors and the Social Security Administration, if necessary, to correct the error.
They can also work to determine who is liable for the error and build a case to help you recover compensation. Many deceased credit report errors amount to violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and you may be entitled to money for actual losses (i.e., loss of a job, housing, etc.) stemming from the mistake, among other damages.
If you’ve been mistakenly reported as dead and you need help, fill out the form on this page today. One of the attorneys we work with may then reach out to you directly to learn more about your situation and to explain how they can help.
It doesn’t cost anything to get in touch or to speak to someone about your rights.
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