Frequently Asked Questions About Errors on Credit Reports and Background Checks 

Deceased Notation on Your Credit Report

Q: Why Does My Credit Report Say That I am Deceased? 

A: Typically, if your credit report says you are deceased, it is because the credit reporting agency or a furnisher (bank, financial institution, debt collector, etc.) has inaccurately mixed you up with someone with the same or a similar name who actually has passed away. A deceased notation on your credit report will likely cause credit denials and a credit score of zero.   

Q: What Do I Do if my Credit Report Says I am Deceased? 

A: First, identify which credit report(s) the errors appear on. A good starting place is to go to www.annualcreditreport.com to obtain copies of your Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion credit reports. This service is mandated by federal law and does not cost you anything or harm your credit score. Rather, it allows you to download and save copies of your reports so you can identify what is being reported to each of the bureaus (credit reporting agencies.)

Next, you will want to file a dispute with each credit reporting agency that is reporting that you are deceased. So, for example, if all three of your credit reports (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) say you are deceased you will want to file a dispute with each one of those entities individually. These disputes can be done online by visiting their respective websites (www.equifax.com, www.experian.com, www.transunion.com) , by phone by calling their respective hotline numbers (Trans Union: 800-916-8800, Experian: 888-397-3742, Equifax: 888-378-4329), or by sending written disputes to the following locations (Trans Union: P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016, Experian: P.O. Box 4500, Allen, TX 75013, Equifax: P.O. Box 740256, Atlanta, GA 30374-0256). 

No matter how you choose to dispute the inaccurate information on your credit report, it is imperative that you provide the credit reporting agencies with all of the information they need to conduct a reasonable investigation. For example, you may want to include a copy of your driver’s license along with a photo of you holding up a recent newspaper, proving that you are alive as of the date of publication of that paper. Another thing you might include would be a copy of a recent billing statement showing that you recently made a payment on an account. Really anything you can provide to the bureau(s) to show that you are still living today will be helpful in proving that the information contained on your credit report is false, and that you are in fact actually alive. 

At The Consumer Lawyers, we recommend sending the disputes by certified mail so that you can track them, and making sure to maintain copies of what you send to the credit reporting agencies so that you have proof of what they received from you. 

You also will have the option to bring a lawsuit under federal law against the bureau and furnisher if you are being reported as deceased. The Fair Credit Reporting Act gives you the right to sue to not only clear your name and prove that you are alive, but also to seek compensation for the damages you have suffered as a result of being reported as deceased. Most Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no fees or costs up front, but rather a percentage of the total recovery if you win your case. 

A deceased notation on your credit report can appear in one of two places.   It can either appear at the top portion of your credit report where the demographic information is present, or it can appear on an individual trade line, typically following the “responsibility field.”