Deceased Reporting
One of the most serious credit reporting errors that can affect your life and your financial stability is when you are incorrectly reported as “deceased”. This can unleash a cascade of financial hurdles and bureaucratic nightmares. Imagine trying to open a new line of credit, only to be met with rejection because, according to your credit report, you have no credit score because you are not alive! The implications of such a mistake are profound. Beyond the immediate inconvenience, being flagged as deceased can lead to frozen accounts, rejected loan applications, and even complications with insurance coverage. It’s not merely a matter of inconvenience but can spiral into a full-blown financial crisis.
Fortunately, under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), consumers have rights to ensure the accuracy and fairness of their credit reports, as well as the right to have that information corrected after a consumer disputes the accuracy of their credit reports. If a credit bureau lists you as deceased, you will need to prove that you are still a living, breathing, creditworthy consumer through a process of formal dispute, documentation, and identity verification.
That’s where Marcus & Zelman comes in. The best resource for removing a deceased status from your credit report is to contact an experienced consumer protection lawyer who will assess your case, offer legal advice, develop a strategy to get things fixed, and be ready to represent you. We are a team of experienced attorneys who can help you through every step of the process after a consumer reporting agency has reported you as deceased. At no cost to you, we will help you obtain and review your report, assist to draft a clear and effective dispute letter, and all the way to helping you litigate your rights under the FCRA. If you’ve been reported as deceased, Marcus & Zelman is here to help you fix it and you can count on us to serve your case with the zeal and experience you deserve.
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Frequently Asked Questions
A deceased indicator is a notation on a credit report stating that the consumer is dead. It appears as the actual word “deceased,” and appears next to either a lone account or as a designation across your entire credit portfolio.
There are various reasons why this error could happen. It could be that one or more of your creditors may have reported an account or accounts on your credit report as being associated with a deceased individual. This can happen when someone else who may have been associated with the account, such as a spouse or co-signer, dies. Sometimes, this is the result of someone attempting to obtain fraudulent social security benefits using your SSN, or an error by the Social Security Administration. Whatever the cause, Marcus & Zelman offers a free consultation to help assess your case to fix the situation.
You can request your credit report from the three major Credit Reporting Agencies (Equifax, Transunion, and Experian) for FREE from AnnualCreditReport.com (https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action). Simply fill out the questions and you’ll be able to download and review each of your credit reports for any errors or inaccuracies.
No, you do not need to request a credit freeze if you are falsely reported as deceased. A credit freeze is an important security tool used to close down access to credit (such as mortgages, auto loans, or credit cards) when a consumer dies.
However, when you have been mistakenly declared dead on your credit profile, you will experience the opposite concern. Banks, lenders, credit card companies, and service providers will likely freeze or close accounts independently, believing you to be dead. To get ahead of these pitfalls, contact Marcus & Zelman for your free consultation.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (the FCRA) protects consumers and their credit reports. If a company does not follow the law, they could be liable for statutory damages (between $100-$1,000), actual damages, punitive damages. These companies may also have to pay for your attorneys’ fees and costs. The law provides a powerful tool to keep credit furnishers and credit reporting agencies honest, and to make sure that information reported in your credit report is accurate.
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