HireRight mixed me with someone else and I lost a job offer. What should I do next?

Question

I had the offer in writing, passed the interviews, and already started planning around the new start date. Then I got an email saying they were “moving forward with other candidates” because of my background check. No other explanation, no conversation.

I pulled the HireRight report and it’s clearly someone else’s record, but it’s tied to my file anyway. I disputed it through HireRight’s portal and uploaded my ID and proof, and they told me it can take up to 30 days to review. Meanwhile, the job is gone. I’m furious and honestly scared because I turned down other opportunities while this one was “in progress.” What should I do right now to get the report corrected, prevent this from happening again, and find out if I have a case?

Consumer Attorneys · Accepted Answer

A mixed-file error like this is exactly what the FCRA is meant to prevent, and HireRight has legal duties to reinvestigate and correct or delete information that doesn’t belong to you.

Take these steps:

Get a copy of your report from HireRight.
Dispute the incorrect information immediately.
Document the job denial and any financial losses.
Send us the report showing the wrong record.

If the company used insufficient identifiers (for example, name + birthdate only), that may violate the FCRA. Losing a job because of a mixed file is exactly the type of harm the law is designed to address, and compensation is often available. You may have an FCRA claim for damages, including lost wages and related harm.