How to Dispute Items on Your Credit Report

If you have recently received a copy of your credit report and noticed some errors, you may not be sure about how to remove the mistakes from your record. It is very important that you take steps to remove any errors on your credit report that negatively affect your rating on the credit score scale (an account that does not belong to you, for example). Knowing who to contact and what information to provide is half the battle, so following is some information to get you started.

Contact the reporting credit agency in writing and explain the error. Provide copies (not originals) of any supporting documentation you may have. If you have more than one item in dispute, you may want to provide a copy of the page(s) of the report showing the error, with each error circled and numbered (#1, #2…) and number the corresponding support to match. Make a copy of your letter for your records (hold with your original documentation) and send it via certified mail (return receipt requested). You can visit the FTC’s website to view a sample letter here –

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre21.shtm

You should also contact the merchant/creditor to dispute the item and again, include copies of your support to prove your case. Check your last bill, or call them to find out where to send your dispute letter, since the address is usually different from where you would send payments. Make sure you include your full name, address, telephone number and account number in the letter. Don’t send a copy of any page of the credit report.

Once the credit agency has finished investigating your claim, they should respond in writing – usually within 30 days. If the result is in your favor, you should also receive another free copy of your report (which doesn’t count against your free yearly report). In addition, they must also report the inaccuracy(ies) to the other national credit agencies.

If you haven’t seen a copy of your credit report lately, you should! Everyone is entitled to one free report per year. To get your copy via the web, go to annualcreditreport.com, or you may call 1-877-322-8228. You can also get a form and mail it to the Annual Credit Report Request Service, visit www.ftc.gov/credit to find out more.