With one in five people having errors in credit reports, you can easily dispute credit report errors online. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you have the right to access your credit report and require the accuracy of the information provided.
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Easy Steps Dispute Credit Report Errors Online
Whenever you dispute a record on your credit report, the credit bureaus are required by law to start an investigation of your claim and delete information that is inaccurate or unverifiable.
Step 1: Get a copy of your credit report.
Request your free credit reports from www.AnnualCreditReport.com, the only federal law mandated website. Request one credit report at a time. And review one at a time.
Step 2: Verify the information in your credit report.
Check your name, addresses, public records, and inquiries. Check each tradeline to make sure the information creditors report is accurate. Verify financial institutions, dates established, current balances, credit limits, and payment histories.
Step 3: Initiate the dispute online.
After reviewing your credit report, you can begin the dispute process online. Provide any necessary information or documentation relating to your dispute.
Step 4: Submit disputes.
You can easily submit credit report errors online directly with the credit bureau. The credit bureaus have 30 days from receipt of the dispute to provide an answer regarding your inquiry. They will provide an answer for each of your disputes whether favorable or not. If you disagree with any of the answers you can request a reevaluation by submitting more information that supports your claim.
Dispute Credit Report Errors with the Credit Bureau
If you identify an error on your credit report, you should start by disputing that information with the credit reporting company (Experian, Equifax, and/or Transunion). You should explain in writing what you think is wrong, why, and include copies of documents that support your dispute. You can also use CFPN instructions and their template letter as a guide.
If you mail a dispute, your dispute letter should include:
- Contact information for you including complete name, address, and telephone number
- Report confirmation number, if available
- Clearly identify each mistake, such as an account number for any account you may be disputing
- Explain why you are disputing the information
- Request that the information be removed or corrected
- Enclose a copy of the portion of your credit report that contains the disputed items and circle or highlight the disputed items. Include copies (not originals) of documents that support your position.
Send your letter of dispute to credit bureaus by certified mail and ask for a return receipt so that you will have a record that your letter was received.
Easily contact the nationwide credit bureaus online, by mail, or by phone:
Equifax
Online: Equifax Dispute
By mail: Download the dispute form on the Equifax website.
Mail the dispute form with your letter to:
Equifax Information Services LLC
P.O. Box 740256
Atlanta, GA 30348
By phone: Phone number provided on credit report or (866) 349-5191
Experian
Online: Experian Dispute
By mail: Use the address provided on your credit report or mail your letter to:
Experian
P.O. Box 4500
Allen, TX 75013
By phone: Phone number provided on credit report or (888) 397-3742
TransUnion
Online: TransUnion Dispute
By mail: Download the dispute form on the TransUnion website
Mail the dispute form with your letter to:
TransUnion LLC
Consumer Dispute Center
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016
By phone: (800) 916-8800
Keep copies of your dispute letter and enclosures.
The credit bureaus have made it very easy to dispute and check up on your disputes online.
Make your life easier and use a credit monitoring app with free credit scores to help you keep track and alerted.
Dispute the Information Directly with the Furnisher
If you would like to submit a dispute regarding the information a company provided to the credit reporting company (called a furnisher), use the CFPB instructions, along with their template letter as a guide. Examples of information furnishers are your bank, your apartment landlord, or your credit card company.
What happens after you dispute credit report errors?
Credit reporting companies must investigate your dispute, forward all documents to the furnisher, and report the results back to you unless they determine your claim is frivolous.
Frivolous
If the consumer reporting company or furnisher determines that your dispute is frivolous, it can choose not to investigate the dispute so long as it sends you a notice within five days saying that it has made such a determination.
Correction
If the furnisher corrects your information after your dispute, it must notify all of the credit reporting companies it sent the inaccurate information to, so they can update their reports with the correct information.
Accurate
If the furnisher determines that the information is accurate and does not update or remove the information, you can request the credit reporting company to include a statement explaining the dispute in your credit file. This statement will be included in future reports and provided to whoever requests your credit report.
