Each year, you are entitled under the Fair Credit Reporting Act to receive a free copy of your credit report. Your credit report contains the balanced owed on loans and lines of credit, your payment history, judgments and any liens made against you. While checking your free credit report, you may notice an incorrect item. Although you can dispute the credit report item by mail, you can also notify the credit reporting agency of the incorrect item online.
Step 1
Print out a copy of your free credit report. Having your report handy can streamline the process of letting the credit reporting agency know of the dispute. On the Annual Credit Report website, you can access your report from Experian, TransUnion and Equifax.
Step 2
Go to the website of the credit reporting agency that has the incorrect item on your report. On the website, you will find a link to dispute your credit report.
Step 3
Enter your report number, name and Social Security number. The credit reporting agency will use this information to access your report.
Step 4
Fill out the dispute form and describe the nature of the inaccuracy on your credit report. Your narrative should include the name of the creditor and the reason the item listed is not correct. You may need to fax or mail in documentation to back up your claim. Submit the information through the agency's secure network.
Step 5
Wait to hear a response from the credit reporting agency. The agency will launch an investigation and let you know whether the information you have provided has been validated. The item in question will then be removed from your credit report.
Step 6
Let the creditor know about the dispute. After filing an online complaint, contact the creditor online or by phone. Make him aware of the incorrect item as well, so that he can stop from reporting again to the agency.
Tips and Warnings
- If the incorrect item is found on multiple credit reports, you will have to contact each agency individually to dispute it.
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