'Zombie debt' threatens consumer credit, Sen. Charles Schumer says

Just in time for Halloween, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer is warning New Yorkers about the threat posed by 'zombie debt,' or debts that have been paid but continue to wreak havoc on a consumer's credit report.

The New York Democrat recently announced that he is urging passage of legislation that would require creditors like banks to immediately update credit reports when a consumer has paid off a debt.

In 2014, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau received more than 2,400 reports from consumers in upstate New York alone who were concerned about inaccurate credit reports.

Schumer says lingering zombie debt can hurt a person's ability to secure a mortgage, get a job or obtain other credit.