Q.I have totally disappeared from Equifax and have no report from them, I do not know why this has happened.  I discovered this while trying to get a VA mortgage from a loan officer who also could not find it.

My Experian report has me at a 640 and TransUnion only has me at a 480. I have been told since I have only two reports they have to use my lowest credit score, which will not get me a loan. My TransUnion score is so low I cant borrow a plug nickel. I am almost convinced that once you have bad credit there is no way to fix it, once you are there the credit bureaus keep you there.

A. I understand how disheartening this can all be. The credit bureaus are known to have highly inaccurate information. Some studies have estimated that one out of every four credit reports contains serious errors. To add insult to injury, you’ve probably got one of Equifax’s famous “split files“.

What is a split file and how does it happen?
Equifax sometimes splits its files into two, Equifax 1 and Equifax 2, if the information is too much, usually as a result of name and Social Security Number (SSN) mix-ups. Another possibility for a split file may be there is an excessive number of account, inquiry or other or credit information in your file.

What is frustrating about a split file is that each of these credit reports have its own credit scores and information. This makes finding your report in the system very complicated and the errors even more difficult to find and correct.

In your case, it could be that all the information concerning your credit is on the file which has your incorrect SSN and name. If this misinformation happens to be in Equifax 1 file, the search results will turn up nothing when searching on your name and SSN.

Usually in credit reports pulled by mortgage companies, though, your two Equifax files should be merged and the complete information should be there. The fact that the mortgage company cannot find your Equifax report suggests to me that there is a name and SSN mix up.

Call Equifax’s fraud office (or anywhere within the company) to talk to a live person. Forget about the advertised 800 number, you won’t get a live person, but an automated menu system. I’d suggest looking up their local office number in Atlanta, Georgia (this worked for me). You can also try this page for some tips: How to Get A Live Person on the Phone.

Have you been the victim of Equifax’s “split file” syndrome? Tell us by leaning a comment!

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