Moving to a new state brings enough stress, new responsibilities, and the need to find housing. But discovering a violent felony conviction on your background check that isn’t yours is truly shocking.
That’s exactly what happened when Resident Verify mixed up our client with a completely different individual, someone with a criminal record, a different middle name, and a different life altogether.
Starting Fresh in a New State and an Unexpected Accusation
Our client applied for a rental home as part of a relocation for work. With no criminal history and no reason to expect problems, the tenant screening process felt routine.
Until the results arrived.
The Resident Verify report didn’t show a clean record.
It showed a felony conviction for a violent crime.
- A crime our client never committed.
- A crime committed in a state where our client had never lived.
- A crime committed by someone who was actually incarcerated at the time of the housing application.
Even more alarming: the real offender had a middle name, and our client does not. The court records made this difference unmistakably clear.
But Resident Verify ignored it.
A Common Name, an Uncommon Failure
Resident Verify knows certain last names are extremely common and require heightened matching standards to avoid exactly this kind of mistake. But instead of exercising caution, they matched our client to a violent criminal’s record simply because the first and last names were the same.
Identity reduced to two names.
A life changed by a careless match.
Disputing the Truth and Being Ignored
Shocked and terrified, our client disputed the inaccurate record. But Resident Verify didn’t listen. They “verified” the false felony as accurate and continued reporting it. To be falsely labeled a violent felon, and then told the information is “verified”, is more than an error.
It’s a serious mistake.
It’s a threat to your stability, your career, your future.
Because of that false verification, the landlord denied the housing application.
Fighting to Be Seen Correctly
Our client disputed the information again, insisting that the report be corrected. Only after the second dispute did Resident Verify finally remove the criminal history. With the corrected report, our client returned to the landlord and was able to secure an apartment. But the approval didn’t erase the damage done.
Trauma That Doesn’t Go Away
Even after the mistake was fixed, the emotional harm stayed. Our client had never committed a crime, not even close, yet they were labeled as someone dangerous. Someone violent. Someone they are not. They were embarrassed, humiliated, and deeply shaken. And even after securing the apartment, they worried:
What if the landlord still wonders?
What if this happens again?
What if Resident Verify makes the same mistake the next time I apply for housing?
These are fears no one should have to live with.
The Law Protects You From Being Misidentified
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires background check companies to use reasonable procedures to ensure the accuracy of the information they report, especially when matching records to people with common names. Resident Verify failed that obligation. Twice.
At Francis Mailman Soumilas, P.C., we represent people who have faced life-altering consequences because of these errors: people who have been wrongly labeled criminals, denied homes and jobs, and treated as though a false record defines who they are.
- You deserve better.
- You deserve accuracy.
- You deserve to be seen for who you really are.
If a Background Check Says Something You Know Isn’t True, We Can Help
If you’ve been denied housing or harmed because a background check listed crimes you didn’t commit, you have rights, and you can take action. Contact our consumer attorneys now; we are here to help you.
Contact Francis Mailman Soumilas, P.C., for a free case review.
Get a Free Case Review>>> Fill out the online form or call 1-877-735-8600
Your identity should never be up for debate.
Not by a background check company.
Not by anyone.