India is well-known as one of the world’s most populous countries, with just under 1.4 billion people calling that South Asian nation home—but Indians are living all over the globe, of course, and the Indian diaspora is the largest in the world. As of 2020, there are 18 million Indians living outside of their home country.
Of course, people from every culture will face some degree of difficulty when living abroad, whether they experience culture shock, prejudice, language barriers, problems securing employment, housing or food insecurity, or simple homesickness. However, immigrants to the United States must be on the lookout for one particularly troublesome pitfall: mixed-file credit errors. Let’s take a closer look.
Fast Facts About Indians in the U.S.
There are over four million people of Indian descent living in the United States; their numbers are split fairly equally between long-term residents and relatively recent arrivals. Some 46% have been here for more than ten years.
Although there are about 3,955,695 surnames in use by folks of Indian origin, many of those living in the U.S. have common surnames such as Singh, Devi, Kumar, and Das. This can lead to confusion, especially among non-Indian people. And when that confusion enters the arena of credit reporting, mistakes on Indians’ credit reports can spell out serious trouble.
Mixed-File Mistakes
Mixed-file credit report errors happen when two different people’s financial accounts get jumbled up for some reason. Usually, the names are identical or nearly so, with perhaps a different middle initial. The problem is often compounded by other personal details also matching up: age, marital status, birthplace, job title, etc.
Unscrambling the mixed-up credit reports isn’t an easy task. In fact, these errors can go unnoticed for years—unless people keep an eagle eye on their credit report. Other times, people will run their credit report and be surprised that the number is so low. Only after in-depth investigation do they discover that someone else’s debt or delinquency has negatively impacted their standing with the major credit bureaus.
Get Help Solving Credit Report Snafus
In nearly all cases of mixed-file credit report errors, it’s necessary to use a lawyer to get everything straightened out—and not just any old lawyer, either. If your credit is cockeyed because your name was confused with another person’s, look for an experienced and dedicated attorney specializing in credit report errors.
The Credit Report Law Group, helmed by attorney Adam Singer, can help with mixed-file problems or issues with identity theft. Call 212-842-2428 or click here to tell us about your situation and explore your legal options.