When you notice something incorrect or negative on your credit report that you need to fix, writing a formal letter, sending it and waiting for a decision from the credit reporting agencies can seem tedious. Luckily, all three major credit reporting agencies, Experian, TransUnion and Equifax, offer online dispute forms, so that you can submit your dispute online for free and get a faster turnaround on the decision.
Step 1
Order your free credit report. The Federal Trade Commission allows for every individual to have one free credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agency. See the Resources section for the government website for obtaining your free credit report.
Step 2
Read through the credit report and note the errors or negative items that are affecting your credit score and those that you'd like to dispute with the credit reporting agencies.
Step 3
Note the identification number located on the bottom of each page of the report from each reporting agency. This number will help you to identify your case and allow the reporting agency to pull your credit score while making a decision on your case.
Step 4
Go to each of the credit reporting agencies' websites. Experian.com, TransUnion.com and Equifax.com all have online dispute pages. Navigate to the dispute page. Remember that if you find a mistake or negative item you want to dispute, you must do so with each reporting agency to get it fixed.
Step 5
Enter your identification number to open your case file, and enter your personal information. Write in detail about which items you want to fix, and supply supporting documents for the reporting agencies, to help them come to a decision on your case.
Step 6
Check in periodically to find out the status of your decision after you've submitted the information. Keep in mind that the credit reporting agencies have 30 to 45 days to make a decision, and you can check the status of those decisions by signing in online for updates.
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