You’re probably aware that many Italian surnames have a vowel as the final letter, but the number of them that end with an A, E, I, or O might surprise you. Of the top 100 Italian surnames, 96 fit that convention! Piras, de Angelis, de Santis, and Dal are the only four that do not end with a vowel.
Of course, there are also lots of incredibly popular Italian first names. Mario, Giovanni, Antonio or Anthony, Marco, Angelo, Leonardo, and Joseph for boys; for girls, Maria, Angela, Sophia, Olivia, Rosa, and Teresa—just to name a few. In fact, 19% of all Italian men are named Giuseppe!
One Disadvantage of Common Italian Names
Of course, there are plenty of benefits to having a commonplace Italian name. Most people will know how to pronounce and spell it. And, of course, names passed down through the generations make for an incredible sense of connection and belonging with one’s own family and with their proud Italian heritage.
That said, there’s one major downside to being named Tony Russo or Maria Rizzo. Called a mixed-file error, it originates with a simple paperwork or computer error that jumbles up two different individuals’ identifying information—names, birthdates, birthplaces, ages, etc. It could be as simple as inadvertently swapping the middle initials of two Teresa Romanos.
What Damage Does This Error Do?
Mixing up credit files can result in some serious problems. One is that the two people’s credit scores aren’t accurate, as they are partly based on someone else’s debt and credit card usage. That could mean that one Teresa, who’s never missed her VISA payment, bounced a check, or been late with a car payment, gets penalized for the financially irresponsible Teresa’s terrible credit.
Having poor credit affects every area of one’s life; it’s difficult to achieve economic success if you have defaulted on loans or are considering bankruptcy.
Corrective Steps to Take
First and most importantly, make sure to check your credit reports regularly and carefully. Every piece of information should match your records of payment amounts, credit card balances, credit checks, and the like. Finding anything unusual, such as a loan you never took out, a late fee you didn’t incur, or payments showing as missed when you remember making them, could indicate a mixed-file report. It could also be a case of identity theft, so make notes of any discrepancies you see.
Then call Attorney Adam Singer at the Credit Report Law Group. As a specialist in mixed-file errors, he can evaluate your credit reports and get to the bottom of the mistake. From there, he’ll work with you to right these wrongs and may even secure monetary damages to compensate for the difficulty you experienced. Get in touch today at 212-842-2428!