Man Named 'God' Settles Credit Report Lawsuit

A New York man whose first name is God has settled his lawsuit against credit reporting agency Equifax for failing to generate a credit report because its system did not issue credit reports under the name “God.” God Gazarov, 27, of Brooklyn, claimed he had trouble accessing credit because the lack of a credit report with Equifax led some potential creditors to believe he had no credit history.

Gazarov, who came to the U.S. from Russia as a child, reportedly reached a settlement with Equifax for an undisclosed amount of money, in addition to receiving a credit report, according to ABC News. At one point, an Equifax representative reportedly told Gazarov he should consider changing his name, which Gazarov did not want to do — he’s named after his grandfather, he told ABC News.

Equifax did not address the name-change suggestion, but said this about the resolution in a statement to Credit.com:

The processes we have in place are for security and protection purposes to help ensure that businesses and individuals requesting access to credit are who they say they are. Standalone names that generally are not associated with valid openings of credit accounts are flagged by this process. We have made the necessary alterations to accommodate certain standalone names, including Mr. Gazarov’s, without compromising the integrity and security of our systems.

Credit report errors are a common frustration among consumers, and they can sometimes be very difficult and time-consuming to address, though Gazarov’s issue isn’t the typical sort of credit report problem. The three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — recently agreed to improve their processes for handling credit report disputes, which consumer advocates hope will relieve some of the frustration behind correcting errors.

No matter the issue you encounter when reviewing your credit reports, its important you address it as soon as possible. Credit report problems can affect your ability to get housing, set up utilities or secure financing for important purchases, which is why you should prioritize reviewing your credit for accuracy. You can get two of your credit scores for free every 30 days on Credit.com, which will alert you to significant changes in your credit history. You can also get a free annual credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies.