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Finding a mistake on your credit report can be stressful, especially because the solution isn’t immediately obvious. The last thing you want is a clerical error to lower your credit score.
To fix the mistake on your credit report, you can dispute the information by writing a letter to the credit reporting agency and asking them to correct the error. Legally, credit agencies can take 30–45 days to respond to a credit dispute letter. The formal process of a credit dispute may seem like more trouble than it’s worth, but it's important to remember that having incorrect items removed can have an impact on your credit score.
If you have information on your credit report that's inaccurate or false, you have a legal right to dispute the data. To begin the process, you must write a credit dispute letter to the credit reporting agency (Experian®, Equifax® or TransUnion®) asking that they investigate the information because you believe it to be false.
It's advised you send a letter rather than make a phone call so you have a written record of your request. The letter should also be sent “return receipt requested” so you know when the bureau has received the letter and the 30–45 day timeframe for the investigation has started.
After the 30–45 day timeframe, you’ll be notified if your dispute has been approved and the information deleted from your credit report or if the data has been shown to be accurate and will stay on the report.
Follow the steps below to avoid having your dispute rejected for incorrect formatting or insufficient evidence, and to give you the best chance of getting the error removed.
Start by first finding the wrong information on your report. Be careful to comb through your entire report since it can contain more than one mistake, and be sure to examine whether or not it's actually a mistake. Below is a list of common errors that appear on credit reports to get you started.
Common credit errors:
The next step is to gather evidence that confirms the correction you’re asking the credit bureau to make is accurate.
For example, if there’s an error in your address, you should make copies of recent utility bills or your driver’s license to confirm your correct address. If your report lists a closed account as open, you should include any balance statements and confirmation closure notices from your credit card company in your dispute. The more information you can find that supports your claim of wrong information, the better.
You should also print a copy of the credit report that has the error, circle the mistake and include it along with other documentation in your dispute.
Once you’ve gathered documentation, you need to draft a credit dispute letter (or use a sample template) and send it to the credit reporting agency that issued the report.
A credit dispute letter should include:
It's important to note that each dispute will be sent to only one credit reporting agency since each bureau issues reports independently, and therefore different errors may appear on each. This means that you'll need a separate letter of dispute for each individual credit bureau.
Experts recommend sending credit dispute letters via Certified Return Receipt Requested (or CRRR), a service offered by the US Postal Service that notifies the sender when the letter has been delivered. This provides proof that the credit agency received the dispute letter.
Legally, the credit agency has 30–45 days to respond to your dispute. When the investigation has ended, you will receive written notice of the credit agency’s conclusion. If your credit report has been corrected, you will also receive a free copy of your new report.
However, if you haven’t heard from the credit reporting agency within 30 days, you can follow up over the phone to inquire about the status of your investigation. You can also file a formal complaint against the credit reporting agency with the Federal Trade Commission, if needed.
If your credit report was corrected as a result of your dispute, you can request that the bureau notify all parties that have received a copy of your credit report over the past six months of the corrected error.
If you find out the debt listed on your credit report is valid or won't be taken off, you might consider writing a pay-for-delete letter. A pay-for-delete letter is a negotiation tool you can use with your lender. You contact the lender you have an outstanding balance with and offer to pay the debt, in return asking that they remove the negative item from your credit report.
When writing a pay-for-delete letter, make sure to include:
A pay-for-delete letter has its positives as well as some drawbacks. First, it's not guaranteed that the lender will accept the proposal, so you should be aware of this before beginning the process. Additionally, you'll need to keep copies of everything. You don't want to end up in a situation where you pay off your debt and the lender doesn't contact the credit reporting agency to remove the negative item from your report.
Still, if you have the funds available, a pay-for-delete letter may be a worthwhile attempt to boost your credit quickly. It doesn't cost anything to send the letter and see if your lender is open to the proposal. Additionally, you can sometimes get away with paying less than the total outstanding amount. Remember that this is a negotiation, so you may want to try an initial offer that's less than the total balance owed.
Writing a credit report dispute letter can be stressful if you don't know what you're doing. Below, we've outlined the steps to take when writing a letter of dispute to a credit bureau, as well as some pointers to keep in mind when drafting your letter to make it as effective as possible.
Personal information: A dispute letter should begin with the sender’s information listed at the top:
Credit reporting agency information: The letter must also include the credit reporting agency’s name and address. The three reporting agency addresses are listed below.
Account number: Each person has an account number with each individual credit bureau that’s listed on the credit report. This account number should be included in the dispute letter.
Type of error being disputed: In the letter, note what type of mistake is being disputed. Errors can range from basic typos to duplicate or out-of-date information, or even potentially fraudulent credit inquiries.
Description of error being disputed: Explain exactly where the mistake was made. If you know where the inaccurate information came from—a mistake made by your credit card company, loan issuer, etc.—you should state that here as well.
Description of correction: Here you should articulate exactly what should be reflected in the report—a different address, a corrected payment record, etc.
Explanation of evidence: You have to provide documentation that proves that the correction you’re asking them to make is accurate. Summarize what documents you’ve included and how they relate to your dispute.
Location of error on report: Finally, you should note where on the report the error is located. You should also note that you’ve enclosed a copy of your report with the error circled.
Closing: Close the letter formally with your printed name and signature.
The Federal Trade Commission suggests that individuals list all errors in one dispute letter. However, some lawyers claim that sending a different letter for each error increases the likelihood that each dispute will be handled completely and correctly.
As of when this article is written, certified mail costs $3.55 per item (or $0.80 for an emailed return receipt), so if you have many errors to dispute on the same report, it may make sense to combine them into one letter for ease of cost and effort.
Disputing an item on your credit report has absolutely no impact on your credit score. If your dispute is successful and your credit history is corrected, you may see a positive change in your credit score. All the more reason why you should always try to have inaccurate items removed.
You can’t have accurate information removed from your credit report unless the information is more than seven years old, in which case the Fair Credit Reporting Act dictates the credit reporting company must expunge it from your credit history. Bankruptcies can remain on your report for 10 years.
It is strongly recommended that any disputes are sent in writing via mail. Mailing your dispute establishes a paper trail in case the investigation does not conclude in your favor, and written disputes are also considered to be more effective than other methods.
If you would like to dispute your credit report online or over the phone, you can do so using the contact information below:
You'll need to file a dispute separately with each individual credit bureau, as each bureau has different methods of assembling your credit report and could list different errors.
You can dispute a charge-off, but it’s very difficult. Generally, charge-off disputes are only successful when the borrower can prove that the creditor lacks sufficient evidence that the debt was unpaid.
A charge-off is a debt that has remained unpaid for so long (typically 120 to 180 days) that the creditor will write it off as a bad debt. This does not mean the borrower no longer owes the money, it just means the debt will be transferred to a collections agency and will go on the borrower’s report as a negative mark.
If you believe the errors on your report are the result of identity fraud, you should definitely send a dispute letter. You should also take additional steps to protect yourself in case the investigation confirms your identity has been stolen.
