I found some very interesting info out today...

[tinroofrusted]

Apparently, YOU can't change your name on your credit files.

I had mailed a copy of my marriage license in to Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.

Two of the three told me, in writing, that ONLY THE CREDITORS can report a change of information, that they wouldn't allow me to do it.

However, they took the illegal liberty of adding my husband's name, social security number, and my private cell phone number to my credit files.... when I specifically told them NOT to do that in my letter to them.....

So since when are credit bureau files solely left up to the discretion of the creditor? Is this even legal? I mean it's MY file. Shouldn't I have the right to have my correct name information on there?

[pink_amulet]

I know....I feel the same way!!! I had about 11 wrong addresses on my credit report and I asked how the heck they can do that, and they said thru creditors!!
My hubby's info is on mine !
Ask you CURRENT CC companies to update the name and info, that's waht i did.
I would try ...maybe dispute the info about the phone number saying it is no longer your number and see if they can remove it! I would think alot of married people are in the same boat!!

Also ...my info is on my hubby's...LOL

[AMISLANDER]

My experian...

...has a lot of my x-husband's credit information on it...makes me look a bit better I would think? As his credit is what mine used to be.

[HHM]

The explanation is (although you won't like it) is that the credit report, IS NOT YOUR PROPERTY. A credit report is ONLY a tool for creditors, so the only people allowed to input information are creditors.
However, as far as I can tell, that "background" info has no bearing on your credit score, its really only used to help identify you. Having bad background info may kick-in some of the Fraud indicators, but that is different than your credit score. Personal indentifying info is included in the credit report so that the lender who is looking at the report has a fair degree of certainty that it is YOUR report.

However, I do think it is bad faith for them to add information based on a letter you sent, but that is a different matter. Typically, a person's spouse's info will end up on a credit report if the couple ever applied for credit jointly.

The business behind credit reports is huge, and what you see when you pull a credit report, and what a lender has access too is wildly different. All the basics are in both credit reports (i.e. Background info, creditors, inquiries, public records), but the credit agencies offer all kinds of analytic tools (i.e. scoring, fraud risk assessment etc), the most well known score is the FICO score, but there are specific scores for Mortgages, for car loans, for credit cards, for repayment risk, you name it, they have a score for it.

In short, I wouldn't worry about inaccurate personal identifying info.

[FilingOnMyOwn]

In short, I wouldn't worry about inaccurate personal identifying info.

But what if they are sending pre-qualified offers to places you don't live, in YOUR name? Thats like totally setting you up for identity theft, right?

[HHM]

I may have to research this a little, but I don't think the companies that do these mailings generate the addresses from the credit report (but I could be wrong). Even if they did, they would only use the address that is listed as your current address.

However, to accept any of these mailed offers, the person would have to know your SSN. The odds of some random person that has received mail in your name, opening it, and having the know how, and the will to find out your SSN is very remote. Even though the press has people very paranoid about ID Theft, it takes a bit of effort to pull off.