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Call Kurtis: The Credit Report Mistake That Won't Hurt Your Credit (Probably)

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- Sheila Inks said her credit report shows she spent $10,221 on a credit card earlier this year.

But she never did. When she couldn't get it removed she called Kurtis.

Call Kurtis has told you about how common mistakes are on credit reports, and she spotted one she thinks could cause big problems.

After 14 years, Inks is ready to replace her Nissan Quest.

With repair receipts piling up, she needs a more reliable car.

But she's worried what she spotted on her free annual credit report will hurt her chances at financing it.

"I'm overwhelmed," she said.

Her TransUnion report shows she had a high balance on her Citibank Visa of $10,221 between March and June of this year making it appear she went over her $10,000 credit limit.

But she has statements proving her highest balance was just more than $1221.

"It's a gut-wrenching headache to try to unwind something that I didn't even do," Inks said.

She tried to get it fixed with Citibank and with each of the three credit bureaus, but no one would remove it, or explain how it got there.

"It's like carved in stone and you can't get it off," she said.

"That does not affect her credit score at all," said Jeff Sipes of Blue Water Credit.

Sipes helps people fix mistakes on their credit.

If what's on her report is wrong, it should be removed.

But he says creditors generally ignore the high balance, only paying attention to a current balance.

"They look at what percentage of that limit you're using," he said.

Once we reached out to Citibank, they confirmed Inks never went over her limit.

That high balance was actually from 1999 when her card had a $20,000 limit.

And what did she buy way back then? The same Nissan van she's now hoping to replace.

"Know anybody that wants to buy a car that has issues?" she said, smiling.

She plans to start shopping for a new car -- thrilled her credit is still intact.

"I'm just grateful," she said.

We've learned while negative marks on your credit report go away in seven years, marks like "high balance" stay as long as you keep the card.

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