How to dispute an item on your credit report
Notify the Consumer Reporting Company
One way to approach this is to inform the consumer reporting company
(Equifax, Experian, and/or TransUnion) in writing of the error. Send your
letter by certified mail, return receipt requested. Keep copies of what you
send. Items to include in your correspondence:
- An explanation of the information that you believe is inaccurate.
- Copies (not originals) of documents that support your claim.
- Your complete name, address and contact information.
- A clear idenfiication of each item in the report that you are disputing.
The Process of the Consumer Reporting Company
Consumer reporting companies are required by law to investigate disputed items.
This usually takes place within 30 days. They must forward all the relevant data
about the inaccuracy to the organization/company that reported the information. This
company is the one that actually gave you a loan or issued you credit. Once the company
receives notice of a dispute, it must investigateand report the results back to the
consumer reporting company. If the information provider finds the disputed information
is inaccurate, it must notify all three nationwide consumer-reporting companies so they
can correct the information in your file.
The Response from Consumer Reporting Company
When the investigation is complete, the consumer reporting company must give you
the results in writing and a free copy of your report if the dispute results in a
change. If an item is changed or deleted, the consumer reporting company cannot put
the disputed information back in your file unless the information provider verifies
that it is accurate and complete. If you request, the consumer reporting company must
send notices of any correction to anyone who received your report in the past six months.
You can have a corrected copy of your report sent to anyone who received a copy during the
past two years for employment purposes.
If the dispute is not resolved.If an investigation doesn’t resolve your dispute
with the consumer reporting company, you may ask that a statement of the dispute be included
in your file and in future reports. You also can ask the consumer reporting company to
provide your statement to anyone who received a copy of your report in the recent past.
You may pay a fee for this service.
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