The number of credit report complaints filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has grown dramatically. In 2020, there were roughly 284,000 complaints. By 2025, that number had climbed to 4.8 million—a nearly 17-fold increase in just five years.
The single largest complaint category is mistaken identity. Nearly 1.92 million people reported in 2025 that information on their credit report belonged to someone else, making up about 40 percent of all complaints filed. This type of error—where your file gets mixed with another person's—can seriously damage your credit score even though you did nothing wrong.
Other common problems driving complaints include accounts that were opened through identity theft, outdated negative marks that should have fallen off your report, and general inaccuracies in account details. All of these errors can raise the cost of borrowing. When your credit score drops because of someone else's mistake, you may end up paying higher interest rates on mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards.
The data suggests that the gap between how much credit information is being collected and how well it is being maintained has widened significantly. Credit bureaus handle vast amounts of data, and errors slip through more often than many people realize. Most consumers don't discover these mistakes until they apply for a loan and see a lower score than expected.
One shift stands out in the complaint data: almost all of the increase came through online complaint forms rather than phone calls. This suggests that more people are learning they can file complaints directly with federal regulators, not just dispute errors with the credit bureaus themselves. The move to digital filing has made it easier for consumers to report problems and document what went wrong.
If you suspect your credit report contains someone else's information or contains inaccurate accounts, you have the right to dispute those errors. You can request a free copy of your report from each of the three major bureaus and review it carefully. When you find a mistake, contact the bureau and explain what's wrong. You can also file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau if the bureau doesn't fix the error or if you believe your dispute was handled unfairly. Keeping detailed records of all communications with the bureaus will help support your case. The scale of these complaints points to a real problem affecting millions of people, and understanding your rights is the first step toward protecting yourself.