How to Dispute Credit Report Errors

If you’ve recently discovered that that you need to dispute credit report errors, you are not alone. Research shows that 75 percent of credit reports have errors on them, and 1 in 4 credit reports include errors that actually have a negative impact on your credit score. This is no surprise considering that credit report agencies have to manage data for millions of people on a daily bases, and rely on lenders and creditors to provide accurate information.

As a consumer, however, your best interest is protected by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which mandates that if you dispute credit report errors, any information that is erroneous must be acknowledged and removed from your credit report within 30 days.

So how do you go about fixing errors on your credit report? The first thing to do is to access copy of all three of your credit reports from each reporting agency, Trans Union, Equifax and Experian. You will want to compare the information on all three reports since it is likely that some information will be included on one report but not the others.

Once you have reviewed your credit report and found the errors, you will want to contact the credit reporting agencies in writing. Highlight each of the errors on your credit report and attach a copy to your dispute letter. Keep a record of everything you send in case you need to refer to it when following up.

The credit reporting agency is then obligated to contact the credit/lender that indicated the negative information to validate your claim. If the creditor/lender is unable to come up with conclusive evidence that supports their claim, the items will be removed from your credit report and your credit score will immediately improve.