How to Dispute Something on Your Credit Report

How to Dispute Credit Report Errors

Credit report errors are not uncommon. To ensure your credit reports are displaying accurate information to anyone who accesses them, you’ll want to check your report at each of the three credit reporting bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
Under federal law, AnnualCreditReport.com is authorized to provide free, once-yearly credit report access to any U.S. citizen with a Social Security number.¹ You do not need to pay to access your credit report—so don’t.

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1. Review your credit report from each credit reporting bureau.

Read each of your credit reports thoroughly to check for accuracy. Some people like to check all three bureaus’ reports at the same time every year, others prefer to check one report every four months. Either approach works; each report can include different information and each error must be disputed with each bureau that includes the error in your report.

Errors may appear anywhere on your credit report, but here are common areas in which your data may be incorrect:²

• Account status. This can include an open account reported as closed (or vice versa); incorrect dates for payment, opening, or closing; inaccurate delinquency status; or you listed as an account owner when you’re merely an authorized user (on a credit card, for example).
• Balances. The wrong balance due or the wrong credit limit (when it comes to revolving credit lines, like credit cards).
• Identifying information. Your name, address, and phone number, of course, but also accounts that don’t belong to you that have ended up on one of your reports because it belongs to someone of a similar name—or due to identity theft.
• Other data. Duplicate accounts, the reappearance of previously removed items, etc.

2. Collect documentation.

You’ll have to provide proof that the supposed error is, in fact, an error. This might include any or all of the following:

• Account statements and/or bills for credit cards, loans, utilities, etc.
• Bank statements
• Legal documentation of birth, death, divorce, bankruptcy, etc.
• Police reports for identity theft, if applicable.

You’ll also need to provide identifying information:

• Proof of identity, such as state-issued ID or passport
• Proof of current and past addresses
• Social Security number
• Utility bills listing your name and current address

3. Submit your credit report dispute to the credit reporting bureaus—and the entity who reported it.

Reporting the error to the business or entity who originally reported it is a good belt-and-suspenders approach to ensuring the error is rectified and is recommended by the FTC.³ There are different steps for each, as well as different responsibilities for the recipients.

Disputing an error with a bureau.

• Draft a letter outlining the error(s), what needs to be fixed and why, your name and current address. There are lots of credit report error dispute letter samples online, including from the FTC.⁴
• Make and provide copies of all your supporting documentation.
• Fill out and include any forms the bureau may require.
• Make and keep copies of every dispute packet you create.
• Make your dispute to each credit bureau that includes it in your credit report. Each bureau allows disputes to be made online or by mail. If you make your dispute by mail, send your packet via certified mail, and request a “return receipt.”

To ensure you’ve included everything required of each credit bureau’s dispute process, check each bureau’s dispute process:

• Equifax
• Experian
• TransUnion

Disputing an error with the entity who reported it.

The process for this kind of dispute is not as well documented as that of contacting the credit bureaus, but there are some preliminary steps to take:

• Draft a letter outlining the error on your credit report(s) that originated with them. You can modify the same FTC-provided sample letter for this purpose.
• Make and provide copies of your supporting documentation.
• Make and keep copies of all your documentation.
• Send your dispute documents to the business in question. Check your credit reports to see if contact information is included; if not, reach out to the business by phone or online to find out where to send your error dispute.

After Filing Your Credit Report Error Dispute

When you dispute a credit report error with one of the credit bureaus, they have 30 days to respond—regardless of whether you submitted that dispute online or via mail. If your dispute has merit (which it will if you packaged all appropriate documentation), it’ll be forwarded to the entity who reported the item (yes, even if you’ve already lodged a dispute with them yourself). The status of your dispute will be shared with you in writing.

Removing Negative Items from Your Credit Report

Negative items on your credit report are not the same as errors. If the information is unflattering but accurate—late payments, for example—it’ll stay on your credit report. Luckily, it won’t stay forever. According to FTC guidelines, most negative items will only appear on a report for a maximum of seven years; bankruptcy-related items can stay for up to 10 years.³

Checking your credit report of errors is a great step toward ensuring your creditworthiness appears accurately to anyone who needs to check—from home loan servicers to landlords to potential employers.