There is a problem that mimics identity theft on a cursory inspection. It is called a “ile merger error”. This occurs when the credit reporting system accidently merges two separate individual’s credit information. It is not a deliberate act but rather a glitch in the reporting system. Credit bureaus allow for a small amount of non-matching data fields to be incorporated into your report. The reason behind this is to allow for data entry errors which can happen.

The good news is a file merger error is relatively easy to correct.

The first thing to do is verify the accounts you believe are incorrect. This is accomplished by contacting the creditors. If they have no record of the accounts in question, it’s probably a file merger error. A simple letter to the credit bureaus should clear this up. Include in your letter a list of the bad accounts and a statement stating you have been the victim of a file merger error.