Triage a credit report before taking action

Confirm the report

Record the reporting agency, report date, and the client who provided it. Keep each bureau report separate. A missing account on one report does not tell you what appears on another.

Review identity and accounts

Review names, addresses, account identifiers, status, balance, dates, and payment history. Copy the exact field that raises a question into your notes. An unfamiliar creditor name is not proof of identity theft, and an unfavorable entry is not automatically inaccurate.

Ask the client

For every concern, record what the report says, what the client believes is correct, and which records support that belief. Ask whether an unfamiliar account could be a transferred debt or a different business name. Do not label an account unauthorized without the client confirming that fact.

Build an evidence checklist

Collect relevant statements, payment confirmations, correspondence, or genuine identity-theft records. Use copies and collect only what is needed. Keep missing dates, balances, and facts marked unknown rather than estimating them.

Prioritize review

Separate well-supported factual issues from concerns needing more research. Before preparing any correspondence, confirm the correct recipient and the current submission instructions. Retain the report and the evidence used for that specific concern.

This checklist organizes factual review; it does not guarantee a correction, deletion, score change, or legal outcome.