Frequently Asked Questions

If you deleted an account accidentally via the e-OSCAR® ACDV (Automated Consumer Dispute Verification) or AUD (Automated Universal Data Process) process, then you will need to submit a Reinsertion/Correction Form to reinstate the account on the database. This type of correction cannot be accomplished via e-OSCAR® or your regular monthly credit data file reporting. Once the account has been reinstated on the database, you can start updating it on your monthly credit data files.

Please fill out the Reinsertion/Correction Form and fax to (972) 390-3900. If you have any questions about this process, please contact the Experian e-OSCAR® Help Desk at (800) 525-0689 and they will assist you with re-instating the deleted account.

A ‘final’ Account Status Code must be reported when an account is paid, settled, or transferred, which would be represented by the following final status codes:

13 = Paid or closed account/zero balance.

61 = Account paid in full, was a voluntary surrender.

62 = Account paid in full, was a collection account.

63 = Account paid in full, was a repossession account.

64 = Account paid in full, was a charge-off.

65 = Account paid in full, foreclosure was started.

Once an account is reported with one of these status codes, it can no longer be updated on the Experian database. The Balance Amount will not display, the Balance Date and Account Condition will be frozen as of the date the final status was reported. A final status account should not be re-reported on future monthly credit update files since re-reporting a final status is both redundant and unnecessary.

Experian® does not recommend re-using account numbers for consumers. When you have multiple consumer accounts with the same account number on a credit report, it can be confusing and may cause processing errors. Therefore, it is recommended to report unique account numbers for each record.

When a new ‘Open’ status account is reported with a previously held account number that is on our database as ‘Paid,’ then our system will create a separate tradeline for this account. There will be two tradelines with the same account number on the consumer’s report – one ‘Paid’ and one ‘Open.’ This is our default processing.

If you plan to re-use account numbers, then we can adjust our processing instructions to have the new account update the old ‘Paid’ account to an ‘Open’ status. There would be one tradeline on the credit report with an ‘Open’ status. The drawback of this option is that the previous history from the old account would still be a part of the new tradeline. Therefore, if your credit data software allows it, it is preferred to retain separate tradelines for separate accounts. Additionally, there is a potential for an increase in consumer disputes due to the consumer becoming confused about missing the account history of the previous tradeline.

Experian® can advise how to report certain account scenarios using the codes of the Metro 2® Credit Reporting format. However, we cannot predict how specific accounts will display in tradeline format on a credit report. There are a variety of factors that impact the display of a tradeline on a report, so it is impossible to accurately predict how a specific account scenario may display.

To confirm how a specific consumer tradeline are appearing on the Experian database, you can pull a BullseyeSM report. BullseyeSM is a service for viewing or researching previously reported credit data under your subscriber code. Inquiries will not be displayed on a client view report or a consumer's personal credit profile through Experian or any other credit monitoring service. If you have further questions about BullseyeSM or wish to obtain this product, please contact Experian Client Care at (800) 831-5614.

Per FCRA regulations, Experian^® purges delinquent and derogatory tradeline information seven (7) years from the Date of First Delinquency. This is the date of the first delinquency that led to the delinquent or derogatory status being reported on the tradeline. To ensure that Experian maintains compliance with the FCRA, we begin our purge cycles at 6 years 9 months to ensure that all data is removed at the 7-year term.

Outside of the FCRA rules, Experian does have some internal business rules that are also applied:

Tradeline Data

• Open accounts with a balance greater than zero (stale accounts) will be purged if no update has been received in three (3) years.
• Open accounts with zero balance and no prior delinquency will be purged if no update has been received in ten (10) years.
• Paid/Closed with no delinquency or derogatory history are maintained for ten (10) years from the date reported as Paid/Closed.
• Lost & Stolen accounts with no delinquency or derogatory history are maintained for two (2) years from the date reported.
• Transferred accounts with no delinquency or derogatory history are maintained for five (5) years from the date reported.
• Paid/Closed/Transferred/Lost & Stolen accounts with prior delinquency or derogatory history are purged seven (7) years from the Date of First Delinquency.

Public Record

• Bankruptcy (Chapters 7, 11 and 12) = Ten (10) years from the filing date (Petition & Discharged).
• Bankruptcy (Chapters 7, 11 and 12) = Seven (7) years from the filing date (Dismissed).
• Bankruptcy (Chapter 13) = Seven (7) years from the filing date.

Inquiry Data

• All inquiries are maintained in file for 25 months.

It was brought to Experian’s attention, through continuous litigation, that many data furnishers do not have a process in place to verify deceased status. As an example, data furnishers were not asking for a copy of a death certificate prior to reporting to us. Therefore, Experian has changed the way it handles deceased reporting that comes to us through an ECOA of ‘X’ on trades reported on Metro 2® files. Prior to October 20, 2023, Experian would load and display all ECOA of ‘X’ as reported and then change the ECOA of ‘X’ to ‘H’ (individual association terminated as of date reported) if, within 60 days of the activity being reported for the consumer, there was no additional corroboration of the deceased tag for that consumer being reported by other sources.

As of October 20, 2023, for phase one of the change, Experian took all reported ECOA of ‘X’ and change the 'X' to the appropriate ECOA termination code (for example, an ‘H’ for ECOA of ‘1’). In early 2024 for phase two of the change, Experian implemented a new policy that will require at least two (2) sources to confirm a deceased indication before displaying the ECOA of ‘X’ on the trade. The sources included are an ECOA of ‘X’ being reported by other data furnishers for that consumer, the reporting Social Security Number (SSN) being on the SSA death master file, or a consumer comment referral code of ‘33’ (our consumer care center placed a deceased indicator on file). When there is not a second source collaboration, Experian will look for activity for the next 180 days after the ECOA of ‘X’ is reported and re-instate the ECOA of ‘X’ if there is no activity.

Here is the chart for reference for ECOA codes related to active and terminated consumer associations:

The Metro 2^® reporting format is a format that is used by all Credit Reporting Agencies (CRAs) and was built to accommodate each CRA system, but there are multiple fields that each CRA does not use. Experian does not use the Date Closed field, but instead, our system uses the Activity Date/Date of Account Information associated with the reporting of the “paid” Status Code or “closed” Special Comment Code/Compliance Condition Code to build the status date of the paid/closed account condition.

For instance, if an account is reported with Status ‘13’ (Paid), Compliance Condition Code ‘XA’ (Acct Closed at Consumer’s Request), and a Date of Account Information of 8/30/2009, then the account would display on the database as “Closed” with a Balance Date of 8/30/2009.

Experian^® builds the payment history grid of a tradeline from the monthly credit data files you transmit to us. Every month you report an account, we store that month’s status to build the payment history grid. This grid will display up to 25 months of history on a credit report. The first grid character (25th position) is representative of the last status reported, which is related to the Balance Date. As an example, if you were reporting an Account Status (Current Account) for May 2024, the first grid character will present a ‘C’ as defined of Page 3 of the Glossary of Account Conditions and Payment Status.

For instance, if you have been reporting an account on a monthly basis for the past 18 months, regardless of the Open Date of the account, you would expect to see 18 months (or 18 grid characters) in the payment history grid of the tradeline on a credit report.

In the Metro 2® Format only, you have the option of reporting up to 24 months of account history in the Payment History Profile (Field 18). If you prefer, Experian can use the data in your reported grid to build the payment history grid instead of building our own. This is a good option if you want to use your grid to correct payment history on file or provide history on an account prior to when you first began reporting it to us. You cannot report more than 24 months of history, as the Payment History Profile is a 24-byte field. If you do decide to populate and report a Payment History Grid, Experian must verify that the grid information is accurate prior to using the grid.

If the account on our database has already been updated as “paid” or “closed,” then it can no longer be updated via the Payment History Profile. Our system will not allow updates to “paid” or “closed” status accounts because these are final statuses. You will have to update “paid” or “closed” accounts via e-OSCAR® if needed.

When your file is received, the processing system will make a comparison between what Experian has on file in our database for your payment history grid and your incoming 24 month payment grid. If the processing system finds that the payment grid does not match, Experian will populate your incoming payment grid for open accounts contained in your submission.

Please refer to Exhibit 5 of the Metro 2^® Credit Reporting Resource Guide® on reporting the Payment History Profile field for additional information. If you have questions on setting up your Payment History Profile to report on your Metro 2^® credit files, please contact your credit data software vendor.