Hidden Consumer Reports: What to Do When LexisNexis Risk Solutions Gets it Wrong

Credit reports? You know what they are and check yours regularly (because you’ve read our other articles, like this one). Background checks? Yep- you’ve applied for enough jobs to know that sometimes you need one of these to get hired. LexisNexis Risk Solutions report? Say what?

If you find yourself face to face with a consumer report you’ve never even heard of, it’s time to get familiar with the company that runs it, the implications it can have on your life, and the consumer rights that protect you when the report includes info that isn't true. If you just discovered you've already lost out on an opportunity because of errors in your report, you've got some catching up to do, but nothing to fear.

What is LexisNexis Risk Solutions?

LexisNexis Risk Solutions is a major company that deals in the buying and selling of consumer data- which means your data. Just like the credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) or background check companies (like Checkr, First Advantage, and HireRight), LexisNexis Risk Solutions gathers data, then packages that data into a report and sells it to employers, insurance companies, and law enforcement. When you apply for something that needs a layer of screening prior to approval, there's a chance that a LexisNexis consumer report will play a big role in whether you end up celebrating a win or suffering a rejection.

The top reasons someone might run a LexisNexis Risk Solutions report on you are:

• risk assessment
• identity verification
• fraud prevention
• insurance underwriting (called CLUE reports)
• employment screening

LexisNexis is a Consumer Reporting Agency

“Consumer reporting agency” or CRA, is the formal name given to the companies that buy and sell consumer data packaged as reports. So, for example, credit bureaus, background check companies, and tenant screening companies are all consumer reporting agencies.

Being designated as a CRA is important because it means that the company has to follow very specific rules set out in a federal law called the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). And, since the data in these reports determines whether you have access to things like credit, jobs, loans, rentals, insurance, and more, you are protected by the FCRA.

The most important rule under the FCRA? The data included in your consumer reports has to be accurate. Can’t believe this even has to be a law? We get it. But you’d be really surprised to learn how many data errors still happen every single day despite the fact that the law requires accuracy!

Key Rights Under the FCRA

Accuracy, obviously, is #1. But there are also other essential rights you have as a consumer under this law, including the right to:

1. dispute mistakes on your LexisNexis Risk Solutions report
2. have the errors investigated quickly (typically within 30 days)
3. have the errors corrected‍
4. file a lawsuit if your dispute gets ignored, errors go uncorrected, errors keep returning, or you’ve suffered harm because of them

Filing a LexisNexis dispute is the place to start. But if that doesn’t fix the problem, a LexisNexis lawsuit usually does the trick. FCRA violations are taken seriously by the courts.

Common LexisNexis Products That Affect Consumers

These are the two most likely ways that people bump up against a LexisNexis Risk Solutions report:

LexisNexis Accurint reports: this is a specialized type of background check report frequently used by law enforcement and other agencies to locate people and their assets.

LexisNexis C.L.U.E. reports: This shows a history of your auto and property insurance claims. It stands for Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange report and is used by the insurance industry to decide whether you'll be approved for an insurance product and what your premium will be.

Where Does LexisNexis Risk Solutions Get Your Data?

When a LexisNexis consumer report is created, your data is pulled from different sources, which usually include public records data (like municipal and court records) and private data brokers. Data brokers are companies in the business of gathering and selling consumer data to other companies for use in reports.

The data gathering process is automated and usually involves minimal human oversight or quality control prior to issuing a report. Which is why consumer reporting errors are a common problem.

Common Errors in LexisNexis Risk Solutions Reports

Inaccurate consumer reporting is a common problem, and not just when it comes to LexisNexis errors. Some of the most common types of errors are:

• ‍Mixing up consumer data- including someone else’s data in your LexisNexis report‍
• Incorrect data- including incorrect data about your debts, claims history, accidents, and more‍
• Outdated info- including data that should have aged off of your LexisNexis Risk Solutions Report by now (usually after 7 years)

Protecting Yourself from LexisNexis Errors

If you do find errors in your report, or learn that you’ve already been harmed by errors, you are not alone. LexisNexis Risk Solutions complaints are a frequent problem and typically require formal enforcement of your consumer rights.

To dispute LexisNexis report errors, you can:

• Draft a dispute letter, clearly indicating the data error and explaining why it is incorrect
• Gather and submit supporting documentation that best backs up your position
• Mail the dispute and copies of your documentation to the address available on their website using certified mail, return receipt requested, to track the dispute and avoid waiving any of your rights

If you get ignored, errors go uncorrected, or you’ve experienced harm because of the errors, it’s probably time to talk to an FCRA attorney (a.k.a. consumer protection attorney).

How Mistake.com Helps Fix LexisNexis Report Errors Fast & Free

Finding, fighting, and fixing data errors on some seemingly out-of-left-field consumer report can seem overwhelming when it’s not what you do all day, every day. But it is what we do full-time, every day of the week, every week of the year. So we’re really good at making the process as painless and powerful as possible.

Once you reach out to start a case, a member of our experienced legal team will get in touch to listen to your story, assess the facts in light of your consumer rights, and take care of everything for you.

We draft the dispute letter, walk you through identifying which documentation will serve as the best support for your dispute, file the dispute to protect your rights, track the response timing in accordance with the law, and follow up. If your LexisNexis Risk Solutions report doesn’t get fixed? We’re also the team that will file the LexisNexis lawsuit. If you're entitled to compensation, we fight for that too.

We do the work for you. Fast and for free!

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