Checking Your Credit Report

It is always a good idea to review your credit report to see if any inaccuracies exist. Checking credit reports is especially important if you believe you may be a victim of identity theft. In a free initial consultation, the Birmingham, Alabama attorneys of Yearout & Traylor, P.C. can help you deal with any serious legal issues that involve your credit report.

Our lawyers make frequent use of The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The FCRA prevents credit reporting bureaus, such as Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax Credit Information Services, from selling your information to unauthorized individuals, and also prohibits the reporting of incorrect information by creditors to those bureaus. You can also sue creditors for violations of that act, such as refusing to remove incorrect information from your report when proof is provided. To speak with an attorney about creditor/debtor litigation matters, contact us today for a free initial consultation.

Incorrect Credit Reports Are Common

The accuracy of your credit report is very important, and yet approximately 75% of all credit reports include errors. Checking your credit report at least once a year free of charge is your legal right; the three credit reporting agencies (Equifax, TransUnion or Experian) must, by law, allow you to do so. You can access free credit reports and check for errors through Annual Credit Report or by calling (877) 322-8228.

Below are a few common inaccuracies, along with the documentation you will need to prove that they are incorrect:

• A credit card or other account that you never opened: This is a signal that you may be a victim of identity theft. To prove you did not open the account, you will need copies of your signature on checks or other documents, so that they can be compared to the signature on the application. You also need a police report about the apparent identity theft and an affidavit swearing that the account is not yours. Our lawyers can help you compile all of this necessary information.
• Wrong Name: This is a common mistake that leads to other people's accounts being placed on your report. You simply need a drivers license or other similar document to prove your identity.
• Late Payments that Were Not Late: You will need bank statements that show when and how much you paid.
• Debts that were discharged in bankruptcy: You will need copies of your bankruptcy paperwork, which you can obtain from your bankruptcy attorney.

Particularly if the credit report reveals any of the above mistakes, correcting a wrong credit report is very important, particularly if they reveal evidence of identity theft. If you have trouble accessing a free credit report or discover any of the above mistakes on your credit report we highly recommend you contact one of our experienced lawyers, Jason L. Yearout,  immediately.

Fighting Wrong Credit Reports

You can formally request inaccurate credit report information be changed and corrected by sending letters to the credit reporting agency. However, credit report companies are not always helpful or cooperative.

If you are facing serious issues and inaccuracies with credit reporting agencies, credit card companies, or other organizations, attorney Jason Lamar Yearout will personally devote themselves to your case. We can help you assemble all the necessary information and draft letters demanding changes to your credit report. If the companies refuse, we can take them to court.

Contact Us

Email our experienced attorney, Jason L. Yearout, or call (800) 226-6116 to learn more about our work in checking credit reports. The attorneys of our firm are available for free initial consultations during weekdays, weekends or evenings.

Our law offices are located in Birmingham, Alabama, and most of our clients come from Alabama and Georgia, although we help clients throughout the United States. Our lawyers help people checking credit reports in the Alabama cities of Bessemer, Mountain Brook, Homewood, Fairfield, Gadsden, Jasper, Mobile, Montgomery, Huntsville, and Tuscaloosa, as well as the Georgia cities of Atlanta, Macon, and Savannah.