Experian is a major credit bureau that collects and reports financial, employment and demographic information about you. Its reports are used by various companies to make decisions on whether to give you a loan, credit card or other type of account. Experian may also provide reports for insurance companies to which you have applied for a policy or employers who are doing a background check before offering you a position. You can check your Experian report and dispute certain information without buying the report.
Step 1
Visit the official government website annualcreditreport.com and request a copy of your Experian credit report via the form, phone number or postal address given on the site. Experian sells reports through its own website, but you don't have to buy one. The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires the bureau to give you a copy every year if you ask for it through the government site.
Step 2
Mark any credit information you believe is wrong. The law lets you challenge any items you genuinely believe are wrong. You must provide a reason for your belief, as Experian does not have to look into disputes it deems as frivolous. Legitimate disputes can cover anything from date errors to wrong totals or account status.
Step 3
Fill out the dispute form on Experian's website, giving as much detail as possible about each disputed item. Experian says you will need to enter your credit report number to access the form, as well as your Social Security Number, state and ZIP code. Print a copy of the form for your own records after submitting it.
Step 4
Follow up with Experian if you do not receive a response after 30 days by checking the status on the bureau's website. Experian is required by law to look into your disputes and let you know the outcome. The items you challenged should be removed if their accuracy was not confirmed.
Tips and Warnings
- Dispute credit information on your Experian credit report within 90 days of getting the report. Otherwise, you will have to buy a more recent report or wait until you are due for your free yearly copy again.
- Beware of free credit report offers on any website other than annualcreditreport.com. The FTC says these offers come with strings attached, such as an obligation to buy your credit score or sign up for a membership or credit monitoring service.
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