PHILADELPHIA -- A case of mistaken identity caused big problems in a consumer's credit report.

"I am actually looking to purchase a home, so I applied for a pre-approval for a mortgage," said Jennifer Anderson.

Anderson's first clue there might be a mistake on her credit report came when a mortgage company checked her credit.

"Mortgage, home, car loan, Best Buy, 15 student loan accounts, Macy's card items that are not linked to me (were on the report)," Anderson said.

When Anderson's credit was pulled, the history of another Jennifer Anderson was mixed in with her information.

A recent study reported more than one out of four credit reports contains serious mistakes -- serious enough to cause consumers to be denied credit.

"The biggest problem for me was I was trying to apply for a new home and it just stalled the process quite a bit," Anderson said.

Anderson said that she is still frustrated trying to clear her good name with the three reporting agencies.

Credit reporting company Experian told WCAU-TV In Philadelphia, "Credit reporting agencies, such as Experian, are constantly on guard to prevent mixed credit files. These result when the files of different consumers with the same names are inadvertently mixed together."

The Federal Trade Commission advises consumers to check your credit report at least once a year. The FTC says that if an error is found, consumers should contact the appropriate company in writing and send it "return receipt requested."

Also, consumers should keep all original documents, receipts, sales slips and billing statements. Those documents will be needed to dispute a credit bill or report.