DUNS Number Lookup Showing Wrong Information

Wrong Name or Address Displayed

This is the single most frequent version of this problem, and it's almost always because a change was made to the business — a rename, a move — without ever being reported to D&B, or because a submitted update simply hasn't finished processing yet.

• D&B doesn't automatically detect changes to your business — it relies on you (or your vendors' reported data) to keep the profile current.
• If you recently submitted an update, give it time to process before assuming it failed — most updates take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks.
• If you never submitted an update at all, the record isn't "wrong" from D&B's perspective — it's simply reflecting the last information it had.

✔ THE FIX

Submit an official update directly with D&B using your current legal documents. See our full Update Name/Address guide for the exact steps and documents required.

Wrong Industry Classification (SIC/NAICS)

D&B assigns an industry classification code based on the business activity described at registration, or inferred from available data — and it can become outdated if your business pivoted, expanded, or changed its core activity since then.

• An incorrect industry code can occasionally affect how lenders or partners categorize your business, even though it doesn't affect your PAYDEX score or D&B Rating directly.
• This is one of the easier corrections to request, since it's a factual classification rather than a legal identity change.
• Have a clear, current description of your primary business activity ready when requesting the correction.

✔ THE FIX

Contact D&B directly to request a classification review, describing your business's current primary activity clearly and concisely.

Duplicate or "Ghost" Listings

Sometimes a lookup turns up what looks like two versions of your business — often with slightly different names, addresses, or even two separate DUNS numbers. This typically happens when a business was profiled independently by D&B at different points in time, or when a rename/move created what looks like a new entity instead of an update to the existing one.

• This is different from the simple duplicate-application rejection covered in our Application Rejected guide — here, both records may already be live and visible in lookups.
• Having two active records for the same legal entity can fragment your payment history and credit data across both, which can look inconsistent to anyone reviewing your profile.
• This situation generally can't be fixed by simply updating one record — it usually requires D&B to merge the two.

✔ THE FIX

Contact D&B support directly, provide both DUNS numbers if you have them, and request that the records be reviewed and merged into a single, accurate profile.

How to Get It Corrected — Step by Step

1. Confirm you're looking at D&B's own record. Check the source directly rather than assuming — see the comparison above if you're not sure.
2. If it's a third-party site, check D&B's own record first. If D&B's own data is already correct, the issue is simply a stale copy elsewhere, and no correction request is needed on your end.
3. If D&B's own record is wrong, identify exactly what's incorrect. Name, address, industry code, and duplicate listings are corrected through different channels — don't submit a vague "everything's wrong" request.
4. Gather supporting documentation. Official proof of your correct legal name, address, or business activity speeds up the correction significantly.
5. Submit the correction directly with D&B. Reference your existing DUNS number so the request is tied to the correct profile.
6. Give it time, then re-check D&B's own source — not a third-party copy — to confirm the fix. Checking a third-party site too soon can make it look like nothing changed, even after D&B's own record is already corrected.