Most consumers don’t realize that when they file a credit report dispute, the process is handled through a private system called e-OSCAR—built by the credit bureaus, not by lawmakers or regulators. This system reduces disputes to short codes and often prevents meaningful investigations. As a result, false information may remain on your report even after you dispute it. If your credit dispute has been ignored or mishandled, you may have legal rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
The CFPB has issued a final rule amending Regulation V under the FCRA to strengthen consumer protections related to medical information. It eliminates a previous exception that allowed creditors to consider medical debts in credit decisions, aligning with the FCRA's prohibition on using medical information for credit eligibility. Additionally, consumer reporting agencies are generally barred from providing creditors with consumer reports containing medical debt information that creditors are not permitted to use.
A mixed credit file occurs when information belonging to more than one person is unintentionally combined in a credit bureau's database. This can result in errors involving names, phone numbers, addresses and credit account information.