STUCK IN THE SHARK TANK — When One Background Check Error Turns Into Five
One Mistake. Five Reporting Agencies. Endless Rejections.
“Jane” did everything right. Stable housing. Good credit. A new healthcare job waiting. But a single, outdated dispute with a landlord was misreported — and it turned into a cascading nightmare across five separate consumer reporting agencies (CRAs). The result? Rejection after rejection, eviction rumors that weren’t true, and emotional and financial chaos for her entire family.
At R23 Law, our California Consumer Protection Attorneys fight to hold background check companies accountable for exactly these kinds of failures — because one error, when left unchecked, can ripple into a complete loss of opportunity.
The CRA Circle of Sharks — Who’s to Blame?
When Jane tried to move her family to Georgia, she had no idea that tenant screening companies had listed her as evicted — even though a judge ruled no money was owed and no eviction occurred. That false data, drawn from years-old public records, was repeated across Checkr, RentGrow, TransUnion Rental Screening, SafeRent, and AppFolio.
Each agency sourced the same flawed data. Each rejected her corrections. Each cost her more housing applications and more money in hotels.
These companies profit off speed — not accuracy — and very few verify the public records they use.
Background Check Errors That Cost Everything
Jane’s case is sadly common. Errors we often see include:
Misreporting resolved landlord-tenant disputes
Listing non-existent evictions
Failing to update or remove old legal actions
Refusing to conduct proper reinvestigations
Bouncing blame between multiple reporting companies
These aren’t minor mistakes — they destroy access to housing, jobs, and stability.
When the Dispute Process Fails
Even after Jane submitted documentation showing:
The home had been sold
She had never been evicted
A judge confirmed no legal fault
...CRAs still refused to remove or correct the errors.
Some even asked her to prove her own innocence again, while others simply marked her record “accurate” without reviewing her evidence. This common tactic — delay, deflect, deny — is one we’ve seen before. And it’s why legal action is often necessary to get justice.
R23 Law’s Legal Strategy — Sue Them One by One
We sued each reporting agency that spread the false eviction. Most settled out of court, paying damages to help Jane rebuild her life. It took persistence, proof, and legal pressure — but her record was repaired.
This is exactly what R23 Law’s California Consumer Protection Attorneys do best:
Demand accountability
Force reinvestigations
Pursue damages under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
Help clients move forward without misinformation holding them back
What You Can Do If You’re Caught in a Similar Situation
Request your full background screening reports from any housing or employment denials
Dispute false information in writing — don’t rely on app-based portals
Gather supporting documentation — court orders, landlord letters, receipts
Contact an FCRA attorney — especially if the same errors show up again and again
Contact R23 Law Today
📞 Toll-Free: 310-598-1588
📩 Schedule a Free Consultation
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If you’ve been denied housing, a job, or any opportunity due to false data in a background report, you may be entitled to compensation — and R23 Law is ready to help.
