7 Helpful Resources for an Address History Search

Key Takeaways for an Effective Address History Search

• Lenders, employers, and real estate agents typically demand address histories to verify identity.
• You’ll likely need to use several resources to find all your previous addresses.
• Regularly performing an address search helps protect against identity theft.
• Your previous addresses don’t directly affect your credit score, but activities and accounts linked to those addresses may.

Why Perform an Address Lookup? Common Uses

Many people don’t remember every address they’ve lived at, especially if they’ve moved frequently. However, knowing your address history becomes crucial in certain situations, such as:

• Verifying identity during credit or loan applications.
• Correcting address errors on official reports.
• Detecting potential cases of identity fraud through unfamiliar addresses.

Why Do Businesses Use Address History Checks?

You may be in the middle of a loan application, responding to job offers, or you’re looking into buying or renting property; in all these cases, the checker needs to verify your identity.

They cross-reference multiple sources — including credit agencies and institutions — to confirm the legitimacy of the individual they’re dealing with.

Cross-checking the information they’ve received can help them ascertain its authenticity, protecting their clients as well as themselves from identity theft.

Credit checks also provide evidence — evidence, not proof — that you’re capable of honoring a contract. Employers, lenders, and real estate agencies can use past addresses to see your payment histories and any past problems therein.

An address history search helps people get a rounded view of an individual. Knowing whether someone has moved every few months or has lived primarily in the same house or the same region affects the idea of their stability.

Your previous address history is one way that people can use to determine character. The places themselves — the buildings and the regions — will provide information that might guide a business’ decisions.

With this in mind, you’ll appreciate that an address history search going back decades can provide rich, rounded information.

Even if you’re not in one of these situations (yet), managing and securing your personal information is an important part of life in the 21st century. Information technology and digital transformation mean that there’s more personal information being sent, processed, and stored than ever, and there are consequences when that information is incorrect, accessed inappropriately, and misused.

Keeping track of your information can help keep you safe and keep your life running smoothly.

Don’t think of it as filing information in a dull, grey filing cabinet. Think of your information skills as a samurai’s blade that lets you slice through fields of red tape.

How to Correct Address Errors in Credit Reports

If you’re turned down for credit or your credit rating is not as good as expected, you can investigate your credit reports for mistakes.

For example, you might find that someone else at your address is affecting your credit status. Or you may be down as having lived at an incorrect address.

In such circumstances, you can write to the credit report agency or the creditor directly to have this corrected, which may improve your credit rating.

Writing to the creditor is likely quicker than going through the agency. However, if the creditor doesn’t cooperate, you can try the credit agency. Just be aware that a credit bureau will need your permission before amending any information (it’s an identity theft thing) and this can add to the wait.

An error on a credit report could be a genuine error, such as a typo or other administration mistake. Also note that having your address written differently several times does not mean it’s wrong. However, a completely incorrect address or addresses you don’t recognize are red flags signaling potential identity theft.

Identity Theft Prevention With Address History Checks

It’s worth looking at your credit reports regularly to see if there are signs of identity theft, such as unknown addresses. If you see addresses that you have not lived at or false information about how long you lived at them, someone may have used your identity to commit fraud. 

Fraud in these circumstances would typically involve using another person’s identity to take out credit or to rent or buy property.

Query all instances of an incorrect address to protect yourself from the effects of identity theft. Contact the creditors directly and ask them to update the information they’ve given to the credit agency. If they don’t satisfy your request, get in touch with the agency.

Where Can I Find My Previous Addresses?

Fortunately, there are multiple sources for reliable information on your previous addresses. These include:

1. Credit reports
2. Tax documents
3. Public records
4. Online accounts
5. Former landlords
6. People search platforms like Nuwber
7. Your old paperwork

Credit Reports

A credit report is typically the first port of call for people looking for a reliable, comprehensive previous address history. Here are some things to know.

• A credit report will tend to have your address history going back as much as 10 years.
• Most people will need to use more than one credit agency to get all their addresses.
• Not all creditors report to the big credit report agencies.
• Minors usually won’t have credit histories, so childhood addresses must be obtained elsewhere.
• You can request a free credit report once every 12 months from the big three: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

Tax Documents

Most people have an instinct for keeping their tax documents awhile. Hopefully, that’s you. Any taxation documentation can be useful for filling in gaps in your previous address history.

If the tax documents you have to hand don’t go back far enough, you can pay the government to retrieve them.

You can look up your previous tax documents for free. The IRS website hides most of the address information, leaving only a snippet. However, if the first few characters of your address line will be enough to jog your memory, this could be useful. Otherwise, using the paid service will save you time and frustration.

Public Records

Public records can serve as a valuable tool for locating your previous addresses. To get started, search for property records at the county recorder’s office or online databases; these records detail property ownership or rental information associated with your name.

Next, try your voter registration history by contacting your state’s election office, which can provide a list of past registered addresses, though privacy laws may limit access in some states.

If you’ve owned or registered vehicles, state DMV offices may have address information tied to car registrations or driver’s licenses. While many DMVs do not provide reverse lookups to the public, they may share your records upon request.

The US Postal Service (USPS) can also help via mail forwarding requests if you’ve recently moved. You’ll need to submit an official request to access this data.

Additionally, court records — available through local courts — might contain address details if you’ve been involved in legal proceedings, such as lawsuits or divorces.

While some public records are accessible for free, others may require a fee or authorization. Take advantage of online tools and portals provided by these institutions before paying for third-party services. Checking these sources methodically will help fill in gaps in your address history.

Your Online Accounts

Don’t forget places you’ve done online shopping, like Amazon or Temu. When people move to a new address, they don’t necessarily delete their previous address from the site. Therefore, any online retail store you use regularly is a good place to do an address search.

Similarly, online banking is worth checking, too. And try other online services where you may have included a correspondence address.

Former Landlords

Sometimes the simplest way to find a previous address is to ask someone associated with it. In this case, the people who will know your previous addresses and how long you stayed at them are your landlords, if you had them.

Nuwber

Because Nuwber has up-to-date information on US citizens, you can use the site to do an address search for yourself and see if it can fill in the gaps in your information. You can also use Nuwber to find the people who may have more information on your previous addresses.

The site will give you their name, location, current phone number, and social media accounts, if available, so you can verify that you’ve found the right person and get in touch about your previous street addresses.

All information about individuals is taken from public sources.

Your Old Paperwork

If you have old files, it’s a good idea to have a look to see if any are addressed to a previous address rather than your current address. Even if you don’t have a filing system, just go where you put your old paperwork. Under the bed, in the closet, in the garage. Just have a non-judgemental look and you might get a pleasant surprise.

Hone in on the big legal documents, like weddings, property purchases, and employment contracts. Rental agreements, of course, will be useful, too. Utility bills are key items used to prove your address, and most people have these.

Conclusion

Tracking your previous addresses is essential for both practical and security reasons. Whether you’re applying for credit, dealing with identity theft, or just managing your personal information, using a combination of tools — from credit reports to public records — will give you the best results.

Performing regular address lookups ensures you catch errors before they affect your credit rating or lead to identity theft. With the right approach, staying on top of your address history becomes an easy habit that protects your personal and financial well-being.

FAQ

What is an address history?

Your address history refers to your previous addresses. Employers, lenders, and other companies may request this information, in addition to your current address, to verify your identity and build up a picture of you. It often helps businesses make credit and lending decisions.

Why do I need to perform an address history search?

The information discovered helps establish credibility, confirm residency, and detect potential instances of identity theft or fraud.

How far back does an address history search go?

An address history search typically covers the previous 7-10 years, as this period is most relevant for background checks, credit assessments, and identity verification processes. However, the exact timeline can vary depending on the sources used and the requirements of the requesting entity.

How do I find my previous addresses for the last 10 years?

A credit report is a good place to look for past addresses, but they don’t always have all your addresses. Using several credit reports can help fill in gaps. You can also perform online people searches, use public records, or ask people related to your time at past addresses, such as landlords or property managers.

How do I perform an address history search for free?

While many companies charge for address history searches, you can do an address search for free using public records online, credit bureaus (once per year), and other helpful online databases.

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