How do I find errors on my credit report?

By Jennifer Westhoven

updated 9:12 AM EST, Mon February 11, 2013

NEED TO KNOW

Report: 1-in-5 Americans have a mistake on their credit report
Jennifer Westhoven explains how to check yours

An eight year study by the FTC found as many as 40 million Americans have a mistake on their credit report.

Did you know there is reportedly a 1-in-5 chance your credit report has a mistake in it!

That mistake could keep you from getting a mortgage or a car loan and it's nearly impossible to fix.

An eight-year study by the FTC found as many as 40 million Americans have a mistake on their credit report. One woman told CBS newsmagazine '60 Minutes' that her life spiraled into a kind of credit hell when someone else's debts were put in her name.

A lobbyist for the industry said the major credit reporting agencies don't break the law and 95 percent of customers say they are satisfied with the dispute process.

Here are some resources you can use to check your own credit report for mistakes:

To access your free credit report from each of the three national credit reporting agencies: AnnualCreditReport.com
For tips on what to look for, and how to read it, the The National Consumer Law Center (.pdf) can help
If you contact the credit industry, and your complaint is not resolved, you can contact the government watchdogs that oversee the companies:
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
And if you'd like to read more in-depth about credit reporting errors, check out this Columbus Dispatch investigation: Credit Scars: Dispatch Investigation

Morning Express with Robin Meade airs Monday through Friday at 6am ET on HLN. Like the show on Facebook, follow Jennifer Westhoven on Twitter: @JenWesthoven.

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