Should I dispute an incorrect address on my credit report now?

[WantToBuyNeow]

I have an address listed on all three of my reports that I've never lived at (I lived in the same state all my life and this is in a different state). Normally, I wouldn't hesitate to dispute it, but I'm planning on applying for a mortgage loan within the next two months. I'm afraid disputing this would somehow deny me the loan.

As far as I can see, this extra address is the only thing wrong on my report. I don't see any accounts that aren't mine that might be associated with this address.

Of course, on the other hand if I don't dispute it now, I worried that somehow it'll affect me when my loan goes into underwriting. I don't have a clue how it would, but hopefully one of you can provide me reasons. If disputing it now and taking care of it before I apply is best, then I'll do that.

Advice greatly appreciated, thanks!

[RobertEG]

No, dont dispute unless you cannot get it corrected informally.  You dont want a pending dispute flag in your file, which will temporarily affect your credit scoring.

Just send the CRA an informal request to correct,along with proof of your identity in the form of a photo ID and a copy of a current bill matching you with your current residency address, along with a signed statement regarding changes/deletions to prior address information.

[Flying_Spaghetti_Monster]

So any dispute on a credit report affects the FICO score? Even something as benign as an address dispute?  That seems a bit off. One would think that their math didn't "score" an address or other personal information dispute...

Or is it that the lender will only see a message of "dispute" and not see what is being disputed?

[RobertEG]

A formal dispute under FCRA 611(a) results in a flag denoting it is pending until it is resolved.

The substance of the information being disputed is not the issue.

Until a dispute of accuracy of information is resolved, FICO scoring temporarily ignores certain OC account information.

The CRAs are notorious for not promptly removing pending dispute flags upon resolution of a dispute.

[dddewdrop]

   You should dispute that address. The less addresses you have on there, the less likely that they are going to attach some bill that isn't yours to your report. The less addresses they have for you the less likely that "Big Brother" is going to track your movements. I operate on the principle that the less info in your reports the better. Addresses are not part of the calculation of FICO scores so you don't have to worry about disputing an address negatively affecting your scores.  

[dddewdrop]

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@RobertEG wrote:

No, dont dispute unless you cannot get it corrected informally.  You dont want a pending dispute flag in your file, which will temporarily affect your credit scoring.\ a

How would disputing an address temperarily affect your credit scoring? There is nothing that fico says anywhere that disputing an address has anything to do with fico scoring.

[webhopper]

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@WantToBuyNeow wrote:

I have an address listed on all three of my reports that I've never lived at (I lived in the same state all my life and this is in a different state). Normally, I wouldn't hesitate to dispute it, but I'm planning on applying for a mortgage loan within the next two months. I'm afraid disputing this would somehow deny me the loan.

As far as I can see, this extra address is the only thing wrong on my report. I don't see any accounts that aren't mine that might be associated with this address.

Of course, on the other hand if I don't dispute it now, I worried that somehow it'll affect me when my loan goes into underwriting. I don't have a clue how it would, but hopefully one of you can provide me reasons. If disputing it now and taking care of it before I apply is best, then I'll do that.

Advice greatly appreciated, thanks!

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In my opinion, you should leave it alone until after you get the mortgage.  After that, then dispute away! 

The scary part about finding addresses that aren't yours, is that there may be an account associated with it that you know nothing about or have never heard of...  In that case, you may have some identity theft issues.

[WantToBuyNeow]

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@webhopper wrote:

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@WantToBuyNeow wrote:

I have an address listed on all three of my reports that I've never lived at (I lived in the same state all my life and this is in a different state). Normally, I wouldn't hesitate to dispute it, but I'm planning on applying for a mortgage loan within the next two months. I'm afraid disputing this would somehow deny me the loan.

As far as I can see, this extra address is the only thing wrong on my report. I don't see any accounts that aren't mine that might be associated with this address.

Of course, on the other hand if I don't dispute it now, I worried that somehow it'll affect me when my loan goes into underwriting. I don't have a clue how it would, but hopefully one of you can provide me reasons. If disputing it now and taking care of it before I apply is best, then I'll do that.

Advice greatly appreciated, thanks!

---

In my opinion, you should leave it alone until after you get the mortgage.  After that, then dispute away! 

The scary part about finding addresses that aren't yours, is that there may be an account associated with it that you know nothing about or have never heard of...  In that case, you may have some identity theft issues.

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That's what I learning towards, leaving it alone. Hopefully doesn't bite me in the future. . Thanks all.

[guiness56]

I don't think having an incorrect address is going to hurt at all.  I have several on mine from states I never lived in and nothing has ever come up about them.