Metro 2® Compliance
The Metro 2® format is the standard language used by creditors to report data to bureaus. Understanding this format allows you to identify factual errors that others miss, leading to more successful disputes.
What is Metro 2?
Metro 2® is the standard data format developed by the Consumer Data Industry Association (CDIA) for reporting credit information. It is the "language" that banks, collection agencies, and lenders use to send your data to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
Every item on your credit report is originally a line of computer code in the Metro 2 format. When you look at your credit report, you are seeing a "translated" version of this raw data.
Why It Matters for Disputes
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires that all reported information be 100% accurate, complete, and verifiable.
"If a creditor fails to report data according to the Metro 2® standard, that data may be considered inaccurate or incomplete under the FCRA. This gives you a powerful legal basis for deletion."
Many credit repair strategies focus on "not my account." Factual disputing focuses on "this account is not reported correctly according to Metro 2 standards." This is often much harder for bureaus to verify because their automated systems are designed to check for Metro 2 compliance.
Key Data Fields
While the full format has hundreds of fields, these are the most critical for identifying errors:
Account Status
A two-character code indicating the current state of the account. Common codes include:
- 11: Current account (0 days past due)
- 71: Account 30-59 days past due
- 78: Account 60-89 days past due
- 80: Account 90-119 days past due
- 93: Collections
- 97: Unpaid Balance Reported as a Loss (Charge-off)
Payment History Profile
A string of characters representing your payment status for the last 24 months. Each character position corresponds to a month.
In this example, '0' means current, and '1' means 30 days late. If the "Account Status" says the account is current (11), but the Payment History Profile shows a late payment for the current month, the reporting is inconsistent and can be disputed.
Compliance Condition Codes
Codes used to comply with laws like the FCRA and ECOA.
- XB: Account information disputed by consumer (FCRA)
- XC: Completed investigation, consumer disagrees
- XR: Account verified; dispute resolved
If you dispute an account and the creditor fails to add the "XB" code during the investigation, they may be violating the FCRA.
Common Metro 2 Errors
Look for these specific Metro 2 violations on your report:
Inconsistent Dates
The "Date of Last Activity" or "Date of First Delinquency" must be consistent across all three bureaus. If Experian says 01/2020 and Equifax says 02/2020 for the same account, one (or both) is factually incorrect.
Invalid Account Type
A collection account appearing as an "Open" account type (like a credit card) instead of a "Collection" type. Collections are factually not lines of credit.
Zombie Debts
When a debt is sold to a new collector, the "Date Opened" should be the date the collector got the debt, but the "Date of First Delinquency" must not change. If a collector "re-ages" the debt by updating this date, it's a serious violation.
Factual Disputing Strategy
When using Sable to generate disputes based on Metro 2 errors:
- Compare Reports: Look at the same account across all three bureaus. Note any discrepancies in balances, dates, or status codes.
- Be Specific: Don't just say "this is wrong." Say "The Account Status 93 (Collection) conflicts with the Payment History Profile showing 'Current' for this month."
- Demand Verification: Ask the bureau to verify the specific data point (e.g., the Date of First Delinquency) with the original furnishers' records.
