How to Remove Items from LexisNexis

Every American’s personal and credit information is vitally important. After all, it’s what lenders use to determine whether they will lend you money. It’s also how you qualify for things like new credit cards and even jobs – if your personal information shows a red flag, a prospective employer may not offer you a great new position, even if you’re qualified.

While the three big credit bureaus – Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax – are most often used by employers and lenders, other credit agencies also provide compilations of your public records. LexisNexis is one of those agencies. If inaccurate information about your background or credit history is going around, you may need to remove items from LexisNexis to set the record straight; here’s how you can do just that.

LexisNexis – What is It?

LexisNexis is a credit and background information agency. Think of it as a massive database that aggregates different public records and information from sources like credit bureaus, credit history reporters, court records, property records, and much more. It’s not as expansive as one of the big three credit bureaus, but it has a ton of information on most consumers.

In fact, at the time of this writing, LexisNexis has records for over 283 million American consumers. It monitors 1.5 billion bankruptcy records every month, plus has information on over 330 million unique cell phone numbers, 11.3 billion unique addresses and name combinations, and 6.5 billion personal property records.

Lenders, such as banks, credit unions, and investment firms, oftentimes use organizations and databases like LexisNexis to make lending decisions. For example, if you apply for a mortgage loan, your potential lender may check out your credit reports in addition to LexisNexis’s information on your public records.

Why Might You Want to Remove Information from LexisNexis?

Simply put, because the information LexisNexis provides and collects can be wrong from time to time.

Like other credit agencies, LexisNexis is not infallible. It may accidentally collect inaccurate information about your background, credit history, property records, and so on. Once it collects that inaccurate information, it may then provide it to lenders, bankers, and other interested parties.

Even though this is potentially an honest mistake, it can have massive negative consequences for your future. A single mistake on LexisNexis’s records of you may lead to:

• Missed job opportunities
• Not being offered a loan or line of credit
• Confusion about your public records for important procedures, like marriages or lawsuits
• And more

It’s always a good idea to ensure your public information on LexisNexis is accurate and up-to-date. If it isn't, you may need to remove items from LexisNexis to correct the record.

Removing Items from LexisNexis

Fortunately, LexisNexis has a straightforward process through which you can remove items from its database. Unlike the big credit agencies, you can’t remove a single line item from LexisNexis. But you can ask the database to remove your information from its records entirely. This is referred to as “opting out” of LexisNexis.

When you opt out of LexisNexis, the database removes all the publicly available information it has about you over a month or so. Successful removal of your information means that no one using LexisNexis will find anything about you in the future, including your address, credit history, etc.

Here’s a breakdown of the steps you should follow:

• First, visit https://optout.lexisnexis.com/. There, you’ll find an “information suppression form” which you need to fill out to complete your opt-out request
• Next, provide your personal information, like your first and last name and address. Note that you don’t have to provide your Social Security number, so you should not do so unless you absolutely have to
• Then, you’ll have to provide a reason why you want to opt out of LexisNexis’s database. You can choose options such as being the victim of identity theft or being at risk of physical harm. If you choose the latter option, you have to prove that’s the case by providing things like the report number of the report you filed with a local police precinct
• After filling out the form and inputting your mailing address, you can add a method of communication so that LexisNexis can follow up with you later on
• After submitting your form, LexisNexis should confirm your request

It will take about one month for LexisNexis to process your request and remove your information. In addition, LexisNexis may reach out for further information or clarification regarding your request. Check LexisNexis in about 31 to 35 days after submitting your request to see if your information has been removed. 

Always Keep Your Confirmation Number

LexisNexis will provide you with a confirmation number after submitting your opt-out request. Be sure to keep this in a safe place; it may be the only way for you to access the status of your opt-out request or to prove that you previously requested to have your information removed.

If you lose your confirmation number, you may need to start the process and the timeline all over again.

Can You Sue LexisNexis?

Yes, but only if LexisNexis has inaccurate information and has refused to correct or remove your information from its records. Under the terms of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, LexisNexis must use accurate, up-to-date consumer information for all of its database reports.

If you notice inaccurate information and ask to opt out of LexisNexis’s database for this reason, LexisNexis must agree to your request. If it doesn’t, you could have grounds for a lawsuit, and a successful outcome may lead to damages of up to $1000 or much more.

Contact Fair Credit Today

Like the other credit reporting agencies, LexisNexis has a legal obligation to only use accurate, up-to-date background and credit information for your profile. If LexisNexis refuses to do this, or correct erroneous information, you could have grounds for a lawsuit. Fair Credit can help you see next steps to take and negotiate on your behalf, giving you the support you need to succeed. Contact us today to learn more.