How to Dispute a Negative Credit Report
Get contact information for the appropriate credit bureau., Gather evidence., Draft your dispute letter., Finalize your letter., Mail your letter to the credit bureau., Wait for a response., Follow up to make sure the information is corrected.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Get contact information for the appropriate credit bureau.
Typically the address or phone number you must use to dispute an item will be on your credit report or on the credit bureau's website.The credit bureau also may provide a way for you to dispute an item online.
There are some benefits to this, including the convenience and the ability to check your account for status updates rather than waiting for a letter in the mail.You also can find contact information on each credit bureau's website.
The websites of the three major credit bureaus are www.experian.com, www.transunion.com, and www.equifax.com.
These websites include other information about filing a dispute including the information required to correctly identify yourself and the item you want to dispute. -
Step 2: Gather evidence.
You will need documents or information to prove to the credit bureau that the listing is inaccurate.You may want to include a copy of the credit report where you found the inaccurate item.
Make a copy to include with your dispute letter, and mark the inaccurate item by highlighting or circling it.
To prove the inaccuracy of the information, compile any relevant statements, receipts, or cancelled checks and make copies.
For example, if a creditor is reporting on your credit report that you have an account past due, but you paid the account in full and closed it, you could use a copy of your last statement from the creditor showing a zero balance as well as any letters you received confirming the account was paid in full and closed.
In addition to accounts listed on your credit report, you also typically can dispute other information such as an incorrect name or address.
Evidence to support this sort of dispute would include a copy of government-issued identification or your birth certificate. , You must notify the credit bureau in writing that you dispute an item on your report.Generally, you want to type your letter using standard business-letter format.
Most word processing applications have a template for this format.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has a sample letter that you can adapt to your own situation.
Go to http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0384-sample-letter-disputing-errors-your-credit-report and copy the sample letter into your word processing application.
Make sure you change the bracketed words to reflect the correct information. , Proofread your letter for typos or other errors before you print and sign it.After you've signed your letter, make a copy of it for your records before you mail it off.
Along with your letter, include copies of any of the documents you gathered to support your claim that the information is incorrect.
Make sure you're sending copies and not originals – particularly for identification documents that may be difficult to replace. , Notifying one credit bureau typically is sufficient.
If an error is found, it must notify the other major bureaus of the problem.You might want to mail your letter using certified mail with returned receipt requested, so you'll receive a notification when your letter is received by the credit bureau's complaints department. , The credit bureau must investigate and report on your dispute, typically within 30 days.When it receives your dispute, it must forward all information to the individual or business that originally reported the information.
The information provider will review the information and report back to the credit bureau regarding its accuracy.
The credit bureau must send you the results of this investigation in writing.
If the investigation resulted in a change to your credit report, it must include a free copy of your credit report for you to confirm the changes made.
Keep in mind that if an item is incorrect in one report, it also may show up on your other two reports.
While you're waiting for a response, you may want to check these reports and verify their accuracy.
You are entitled to a free credit report once a year.
If you haven't already taken advantage of this, you can get one of the other reports for free by visiting https://www.annualcreditreport.com.
This site was created by the three major credit bureaus and is the only place approved by the federal government for requesting the free report you're guaranteed each year by law.
If you've already received your free report, you will have to pay for additional reports.
The credit bureaus are prohibited by law from charging you more than $12 for a copy of your credit report., Even if the credit bureau agreed to remove the item from your report, you must continue to monitor your report to make sure it doesn't return.Unfortunately, if the disputed information shows up on your report again, you'll have to go through the same dispute process to have it removed.
However, once an item is changed or removed, the credit bureau can't put it back in your report unless the information provider verifies its accuracy.
If the investigation doesn't resolve your dispute, you can ask the credit bureau to include a copy of your dispute with your report, so anyone who checks your report will know which items you've disputed.
The credit bureau also may provide information regarding the dispute to anyone who's checked your credit report in the past six months.
Keep in mind you may be charged a fee for this service. -
Step 3: Draft your dispute letter.
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Step 4: Finalize your letter.
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Step 5: Mail your letter to the credit bureau.
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Step 6: Wait for a response.
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Step 7: Follow up to make sure the information is corrected.
Detailed Guide
Typically the address or phone number you must use to dispute an item will be on your credit report or on the credit bureau's website.The credit bureau also may provide a way for you to dispute an item online.
There are some benefits to this, including the convenience and the ability to check your account for status updates rather than waiting for a letter in the mail.You also can find contact information on each credit bureau's website.
The websites of the three major credit bureaus are www.experian.com, www.transunion.com, and www.equifax.com.
These websites include other information about filing a dispute including the information required to correctly identify yourself and the item you want to dispute.
You will need documents or information to prove to the credit bureau that the listing is inaccurate.You may want to include a copy of the credit report where you found the inaccurate item.
Make a copy to include with your dispute letter, and mark the inaccurate item by highlighting or circling it.
To prove the inaccuracy of the information, compile any relevant statements, receipts, or cancelled checks and make copies.
For example, if a creditor is reporting on your credit report that you have an account past due, but you paid the account in full and closed it, you could use a copy of your last statement from the creditor showing a zero balance as well as any letters you received confirming the account was paid in full and closed.
In addition to accounts listed on your credit report, you also typically can dispute other information such as an incorrect name or address.
Evidence to support this sort of dispute would include a copy of government-issued identification or your birth certificate. , You must notify the credit bureau in writing that you dispute an item on your report.Generally, you want to type your letter using standard business-letter format.
Most word processing applications have a template for this format.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has a sample letter that you can adapt to your own situation.
Go to http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0384-sample-letter-disputing-errors-your-credit-report and copy the sample letter into your word processing application.
Make sure you change the bracketed words to reflect the correct information. , Proofread your letter for typos or other errors before you print and sign it.After you've signed your letter, make a copy of it for your records before you mail it off.
Along with your letter, include copies of any of the documents you gathered to support your claim that the information is incorrect.
Make sure you're sending copies and not originals – particularly for identification documents that may be difficult to replace. , Notifying one credit bureau typically is sufficient.
If an error is found, it must notify the other major bureaus of the problem.You might want to mail your letter using certified mail with returned receipt requested, so you'll receive a notification when your letter is received by the credit bureau's complaints department. , The credit bureau must investigate and report on your dispute, typically within 30 days.When it receives your dispute, it must forward all information to the individual or business that originally reported the information.
The information provider will review the information and report back to the credit bureau regarding its accuracy.
The credit bureau must send you the results of this investigation in writing.
If the investigation resulted in a change to your credit report, it must include a free copy of your credit report for you to confirm the changes made.
Keep in mind that if an item is incorrect in one report, it also may show up on your other two reports.
While you're waiting for a response, you may want to check these reports and verify their accuracy.
You are entitled to a free credit report once a year.
If you haven't already taken advantage of this, you can get one of the other reports for free by visiting https://www.annualcreditreport.com.
This site was created by the three major credit bureaus and is the only place approved by the federal government for requesting the free report you're guaranteed each year by law.
If you've already received your free report, you will have to pay for additional reports.
The credit bureaus are prohibited by law from charging you more than $12 for a copy of your credit report., Even if the credit bureau agreed to remove the item from your report, you must continue to monitor your report to make sure it doesn't return.Unfortunately, if the disputed information shows up on your report again, you'll have to go through the same dispute process to have it removed.
However, once an item is changed or removed, the credit bureau can't put it back in your report unless the information provider verifies its accuracy.
If the investigation doesn't resolve your dispute, you can ask the credit bureau to include a copy of your dispute with your report, so anyone who checks your report will know which items you've disputed.
The credit bureau also may provide information regarding the dispute to anyone who's checked your credit report in the past six months.
Keep in mind you may be charged a fee for this service.
About the Author
Jacqueline Carter
Enthusiastic about teaching home improvement techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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