Daniel Rosen explains how simple data-entry mistakes (typos) made when entering consumer information at places like car dealerships can be written verbatim to a consumer’s credit report (name, address, SSN, DOB, employment). He warns these errors can become permanent on the credit file and cause future credit denials because newly provided information won’t match the erroneous file.
When was the last time you made a typo? Imagine you're buying a car and you need a loan. The person in the dealership, they type your information into the system and it doesn't seem like a big deal, right? Well, here's what happens. That info they're typing, it goes straight onto your credit report. If you've ever checked your credit report and you wondered where this weird info came from, that's how it got there. Your name, your address, your social, your date of birth, and your employment information. They all get added to your credit report exactly the way they typed it. So that means if the person typing it misspells your name or puts in the wrong date of birth or anything else, it becomes part of your permanent credit file. But these errors can cause you to be denied the next time you apply for credit because the info you gave them doesn't match what's on your credit file. And that's an instant red flag.
