RentGrow Says I Committed Theft in 2017, But I Was Out of the Country Can I Sue?
Being out of the country in 2017 is powerful proof that the record doesn’t belong to you, but the legal issue is even simpler: RentGrow cannot report someone else’s criminal history as yours, and they must use reasonable procedures to avoid exactly this kind of error.
Why this happens
Tenant screening companies like RentGrow pull criminal and court information from multiple sources, then match it to applicants using identifiers like name, date of birth, and address history. When the matching process is sloppy, a record can be incorrectly linked because of a shared name, similar birthdate, old address overlap, or incomplete court data. Sometimes the report is missing key identifiers that would have prevented the mix-up.
Do you have a case?
You may have strong grounds if the false theft record led to any negative housing outcome denial, delay, extra fees, a co-signer requirement, or reputational harm. Mixed-file cases are treated seriously because the accusation is severe and the resulting damage is obvious.
Even if RentGrow says “we got it from a database,” that doesn’t excuse it. Under the FCRA, they’re responsible for ensuring the report is accurate and belongs to the correct person, and for conducting a real reinvestigation after a dispute.
Compensation: what’s possible
If you suffered harm, you may be eligible for compensation that can include lost housing opportunity costs, additional deposits/fees, moving costs, time off work, and emotional distress. In serious misidentification cases, settlements can be meaningful because the allegation itself is so damaging.
How we can help
If RentGrow reported a false criminal record that isn’t yours and it affected your housing, we can help clear the error and pursue compensation under the FCRA for the harm caused by the false report.