Reporting a Listing Discrepancy

A listing discrepancy is any conflict between the information displayed in a directory profile and the verified facts about the entity that profile represents. This page explains what qualifies as a reportable discrepancy on the Authority Industries directory, how the review process functions, which scenarios trigger different handling procedures, and where the boundaries of editorial responsibility lie. Accurate listings are foundational to the directory's function — a single incorrect credential, address, or classification can misdirect end users and undermine the trust framework the network is built on.

Definition and scope

A listing discrepancy is a documented mismatch between a published directory entry and independently verifiable source data. The scope of what constitutes a reportable discrepancy is defined by the Authority Industries data accuracy policy, which distinguishes between factual errors (wrong license number, incorrect address, lapsed credential status) and matters of editorial judgment (category placement, ranking position, or profile emphasis).

Discrepancies fall into two broad classes:

• Factual discrepancies — verifiable errors in structured data fields such as business name, license number, credential expiration date, physical address, phone number, or sector classification.
• Representational discrepancies — claims within a profile's descriptive text that cannot be substantiated through a named public source, including overstated scope of practice, geographic service claims that exceed licensed jurisdiction, or affiliation claims that contradict official records.

Factual discrepancies carry higher editorial priority because they create direct risk of harm — a user relying on a wrong license number or expired certification may make consequential decisions on false premises. Representational discrepancies are reviewed under the Authority Industries quality benchmarks framework, which applies a structured evidence standard before any change is applied.

Reports submitted about ranking order, star ratings, or comparative placement are outside the discrepancy scope. Those matters are governed separately by the how listings are ranked and ordered methodology documentation.

How it works

The discrepancy reporting process follows a structured 4-stage workflow:

1. Submission — A report is submitted through the designated reporting channel, identifying the specific listing by name and unique directory identifier, the field or claim in dispute, and the contradicting source (e.g., a state licensing board record, a federal registry entry, or official entity filings).
2. Triage — Editorial staff classify the report as factual or representational and assign a priority tier. Factual discrepancies involving active credential status or licensed jurisdiction are flagged as high priority.
3. Verification — The reported claim is cross-checked against at least one named primary source — typically a state licensing authority, federal agency database, or the entity's official registered filings. Secondary confirmation from a second independent source is required for any change to credential-related fields.
4. Resolution — If the discrepancy is confirmed, the listing is updated and the submitter receives a notification of action taken. If the report is not substantiated, a brief explanation is returned. The Authority Industries update and maintenance cycle governs the maximum elapsed time between submission and resolution for each priority class.

Third-party reports — meaning reports submitted by someone other than the listed entity — are accepted and weighted equally to self-reports, provided the submitter can supply a primary source reference. Anonymous submissions without source documentation are logged but do not trigger the verification workflow unless editorial staff independently locate corroborating evidence.

Common scenarios

The following scenarios represent the most frequently reported discrepancy types across the directory:

• Expired or revoked license displayed as active — The most consequential factual discrepancy. Verification is performed against the issuing state licensing board's public lookup tool or a federal registry such as the SAM.gov exclusion database for federally regulated entities.
• Incorrect sector classification — An entity listed under the wrong industry vertical or sub-category per the Authority Industries sector classifications taxonomy. Common when businesses operate across adjacent verticals.
• Outdated contact or location data — Address or phone number reflecting a prior business location. Verified against state secretary of state filings or USPS address validation records.
• Unsupported credential or affiliation claim — A profile asserts membership in a professional body or possession of a certification that the issuing organization's public member directory does not confirm.
• Entity name mismatch — The listed trade name or DBA conflicts with the legally registered entity name on file with the relevant state agency.

Decision boundaries

Not every submitted report results in a listing change, and the editorial framework defines clear thresholds.

A confirmed factual discrepancy — one where the submitted evidence directly contradicts a structured data field, sourced from a public primary record — results in an automatic update to the affected field. No further editorial discretion applies.

A contested representational claim follows a higher evidence bar. The claim must be shown to be materially misleading, not merely imprecise or incomplete. The approved authority vetting standards document specifies the evidence criteria that distinguish a reportable misrepresentation from acceptable professional framing.

Reports alleging subjective overstatement — such as a business describing itself as a leader in a field — do not meet the discrepancy threshold unless a specific factual anchor (e.g., an award claim, a certification badge, a stated metric) can be independently falsified.

Competing claims between parties — for example, two entities disputing which has rights to a listed name — are not resolved through the discrepancy process. Those situations are referred to the directory listing submission process for formal adjudication under the eligibility and identity verification framework.

Entities that believe their own listing contains errors introduced through a data update process may reference the Authority Industries provider profiles explained documentation to understand what fields are auto-populated from third-party sources versus manually maintained.

References

• SAM.gov — System for Award Management (GSA)
• USPS Address Information APIs — United States Postal Service
• National Uniform Licensing Technology (NULТ) — CSBS
• FTC — Business Guidance on Endorsements and Testimonials
• USA.gov — State Business Licensing Resources