Credit Tips: Personal Information on Credit Card Applications

Posted On: February 11, 2005

Author: NightStar
Board Monitor
Joined: 07 Nov 2003
Posts: 2579
Location: Illinois
Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 11:56 pm
Post subject: Regarding personal information used when applying for credit

This is so important for limiting errors on credit reports, and preventing mixed / split files.

Names:

So many people use different spellings of their names,

John J Smith
John Joseph Smith
John Smith

Just keeps going forever on what can be used.

Misspelling of names, is a common problem as well, either you get someone processing the request for a credit report that can’t spell, or if they have application with the spelling, it is illegible!

Addresses:

Also moving around, some people I have seen have up to 10 or more addresses on their credit reports! Some of them are deviations…

Rt 123 Town State Zip

123 Rt 123 Town State Zip

1234 South 1234 County Highway Town State Zip

* Because of the new 911 address assigned to replace route addresses.

PO Box 123 Town State Zip

123 PO Box 123 Town State Zip

All because you say it one way, but the system requires it entered another way.

Can’t stress how important it is to use one name, and one address like if your address is a street, road, drive, blvd… use it, don’t leave it dropped off. If you have name like me that can be Rick or Richard then use just one of them, don’t swap them out.

Never know when you are going to match up just right with someone elses info… also always be clear on correct social security number, I see numbers swapped all the time… like 123-45-6789 > 123-45-6798. This I see ALL the time, I really mean it, and if that incorrect number even though a clerical error does in fact belong to someone else - then you can bet your file just got mixed! Always write legible, it is so so important.

So please if you apply for credit,

1. Complete the application just as clearly as possible.
2. If verbal, please spell out all words so no one makes mistakes.

This will go along ways to insuring accuracy on the reporting!

Even so, it is never too late to contact customer service for existing accounts, and correcting mistakes to fix existing reporting problems.

Best Regards,
Pammila Phillis
Board Monitor
U.S. Citizens for Fair Credit Card Terms, Inc.
http://www.cardratings.com
501-663-0314 PH
501-663-0033 FX

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