Fix Credit Report Errors - 3 Easy Steps
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), both the company
that reported your credit information and the three National
Consumer Reporting Agencies (Equifax, TransUnion and Experian)
must correct errors or any missing information in your credit
report. The Consumer Reporting Agencies must investigate any
disputes and provide feedback within 30 days.
Take the following actions to help you remedy the situation:
1. Write a letter to one of the Consumer Reporting Agencies and
indicate which information you believe is inaccurate or missing.
Include any relevant information such as copies of documents
that will help support your case. Send the letter via certified
mail "return receipt requested" so that you have proof that the
letter was received by the credit reporting agency. The Consumer
Reporting Agency will in turn forward any relevant information
that to the organization that reported the incorrect information.
After the organization receives the notice from the Consumer
Reporting Agency, they must also investigate the claim and
provide feedback to the Reporting Agency. After the
investigation has been completed, the Consumer Reporting Agency
will send you information about the results of the investigation
and a free copy of your credit report. The Reporting Agency
cannot include the erroneous information on your report, since
it is in dispute. The Agency will also send you information
about the organization that reported the credit information such
as their name, address and phone.
2. You should also send a letter and any supporting
documentation to the organization that reported the information
indicating which information is in error.
3. In cases where the consumer reporting agency will not
correct your credit file for whatever reason, you must request
that the reporting agency include a statement of dispute in your
file. You should also ask the consumer agency to furnish the
letter whenever an inquiry is made against your credit file.
The FTC recommends a sample letter as follows:
Date
Your Name
Your Address, City, State, Zip Code
Complaint Department
Name of Company
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Dear Sir or Madam:
I am writing to dispute the following information in my file. I
have circled the items I dispute on the attached copy of the
report I received.
This item (identify item(s) disputed by name of source, such as
creditors or tax court, and identify type of item, such as
credit account, judgment, etc.) is (inaccurate or incomplete)
because (describe what is inaccurate or incomplete and why). I
am requesting that the item be removed (or request another
specific change) to correct the information.
Enclosed are copies of (use this sentence if applicable and
describe any enclosed documentation, such as payment records,
court documents) supporting my position. Please reinvestigate
this (these) matter(s) and (delete or correct) the disputed
item(s) as soon as possible. Sincerely, Your name
Enclosures: (List what you are enclosing.)