Metro 2 ECOA code 1: individual
You alone are contractually responsible for the account and owe the whole balance. This is the standard code for an account opened in one person's name. No one else is legally on the hook, even if someone else used the account or helped with payments, unless they signed as a joint borrower or cosigner.
How it shows on your report
Experian, for example, shows "Responsibility: Individual." Other bureaus use similar wording.
How it affects your score
The account counts fully toward your scores, good or bad.
What to check
If you opened the account with someone else, or you're only an authorized user, an individual code is wrong. Also look for accounts you don't recognize at all, which can signal a mixed file or identity theft.
If this code is wrong on your report
- Metro 2 explained: the data format behind your credit reportHow lenders send coded data to the bureaus, and how disputes travel back to them.
- How to dispute a credit report error, step by stepA step-by-step guide to disputing credit report errors with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion: online vs. mail, what to include, and how to keep proof.
- Letter builderWrite dispute, goodwill, validation and identity theft letters. Free, printed by you, sent by you.
Sources
- ECOA codes (Genesys Latitude documentation)
- What is an ECOA code on a credit report? (Chase)
- Metro 2 ECOA Codes (Bureau Relay reference)
- Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) codes (Finvi documentation)
These explanations are ScoreTuner's plain-English summaries. The official specification is the CDIA Credit Reporting Resource Guide, which is copyrighted and not reproduced here. This is education, not legal advice.