Background Check and Credit Report Errors

Has a background check or credit report error cost you a job, an apartment, or another important opportunity in California? Inaccurate consumer reports can have devastating consequences. We help California consumers pursue legal claims when reporting errors cause real harm.

Real Consequences

When employers, landlords, or lenders make decisions based on inaccurate reports, the impact can be immediate and severe. A single reporting error can mean a lost job offer, a rejected rental application, or a denied mortgage – costing you thousands of dollars and irreplaceable opportunities. These aren’t just inconveniences, they’re serious violations of your consumer rights that deserve legal action.

Background Check Errors in Employment and Housing

Background check errors can derail job opportunities and housing applications. Whether it’s someone else’s criminal record appearing on your report, outdated information being included, or incomplete records creating a misleading picture, these mistakes can cost you career opportunities and access to housing. When employers or landlords make decisions based on inaccurate background checks, you have legal rights.

Reported as Deceased

Being wrongly reported as deceased on credit or background reports creates immediate, serious problems. Banking becomes impossible. Credit applications are automatically denied. Employment screening fails.

This profound error can bring your financial life to a complete halt. When credit bureaus or background screening companies fail to correct this critical mistake, legal action may be necessary to restore your status and recover damages.

Identity Theft

While we don’t provide direct identity theft recovery services, we do represent California consumers who have suffered harm from identity theft-related reporting errors. If identity theft has led to inaccurate information on your reports and you’ve been denied employment, housing, or credit as a result, you may have a legal claim for damages.

Credit Report Errors

Errors on credit reports can have far-reaching consequences. When credit bureaus fail to maintain accurate records or properly investigate disputes, consumers suffer real damages through loan denials, higher interest rates, lost housing opportunities, and employment rejections. If you’ve disputed credit report errors and the bureaus have failed to correct them, resulting in financial harm, you may have a case.

Your Legal Rights

Federal and California law provide strong protections for consumers affected by reporting errors. Companies that prepare background checks and credit reports must follow strict accuracy and dispute investigation requirements. When they fail to meet these obligations and you suffer damages as a result, you may be entitled to significant compensation.

Common violations we see include:

  • Mixing up records with other people who have similar names
  • Reporting expunged or sealed criminal records
  • Including outdated negative information beyond legal reporting periods
  • Failing to properly investigate consumer disputes
  • Not following required procedures when reporting public record information

We Can Help

We represent California consumers in legal claims against credit bureaus, background screening companies, and other consumer reporting agencies when their errors cause real harm. While our cases often result in corrections to inaccurate reports, our primary focus is pursuing compensation for damages you’ve suffered from these errors.

You may have a legal claim if:

  1. Your report contains errors, not just negative information but inaccurate or false information
  2. You’ve been denied an opportunity like employment, housing, or credit because of these errors
  3. You’ve disputed the errors with the reporting agency (required for some but not all claims)
  4. The errors remain uncorrected (required for some but not all claims)

Deadlines

There are strict time limits for pursuing these claims. If you’ve been denied an opportunity due to report errors, don’t wait to explore your legal options. Many consumers don’t realize they have rights when they’re wrongly denied a job or apartment due to background check errors, or that they can seek compensation beyond just getting their reports corrected.

Let’s find out if you have a claim. Contact us for a free consultation.