Job applicants negatively affected by credit report errors

Given the current lack of available jobs, the slightest blemish on a person's resume or their background can mean the difference between an offer of work and being ignored. When it comes to consumer credit reports - which CBS News reports are used by 60 percent of employers to evaluate applicants - errors can have devastating consequences for those in need of employment. The news source points to the example of military veteran Emmett Pinkston, who was denied a job as a Transportation Security Administration baggage screener because of an erroneous $8,000 charge on his credit check. Pinkston now faces the daunting task of rectifying the error. "It can take months of ... calling and writing letters to the credit reporting agencies, to these companies that are persisting on billing you for something that you never owed in the first place," Amy Traub, a senior analyst at Demos, a public policy think tank, tells the news source. Pinkston isn't alone is his hardship. At least 22 million Americans have errors on their credit reports, says the news source, citing data from the credit industry. Credit Karma notes that three of the most common errors are outdated person information, mistaken or fraudulent accounts and incorrect account details.