You are entitled to free copies of your TransUnion, Experian and Equifax credit reports every year under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The law also allows you to dispute any information that you believe is incorrect. The bureaus have online dispute forms, but the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends that you mail a certified letter to initiate a dispute with a credit bureau. You should include several specific pieces of information in your dispute letter to make sure it is taken seriously and to increase the chance that negative items will be removed from your report.
Step 1
Find as many reasons as possible to dispute each negative item. You will only include one reason in your initial letter, but if your dispute is denied, you can write a follow-up letter that cites another reason. You can dispute an item as many times as you'd like as long as you have legitimate grounds for each challenge.
Step 2
Include identifying information in the letter so the credit bureau will be confident you are who you say you are. Give your full name, address, telephone number, date of birth and Social Security number right at the beginning of the letter. Include your previous address(es) if you have lived at your current address for less than three years. The Credit Infocenter website recommends including a copy of your driver's license as additional proof of identity.
Step 3
State the purpose of the letter simply and directly. The Credit Infocenter website recommends beginning by saying that you have reviewed your credit report and noticed an inaccurate item. You can say you found several mistakes if you are disputing more than one item in the same letter.
Step 4
List each error in a separate paragraph, including the account name and number, the information shown on your credit report and the reason it is wrong. For example, you might say, "For my First National Bank Mastercard, account number XXX, my payments are listed as being 60 days late. I have never made any late payments on this account."
Step 5
State the specific actions you seek by writing your letter. The Debt-N-Credit Letters website recommends asking for the items to be taken off your credit report and for corrected reports to be sent to anyone who ordered a copy within the previous six months. You should also ask for copies for yourself. Mention that you know that credit bureaus are required to remove errors under the Fair Credit Reporting Act to show that you know your consumer rights.
Step 6
Make copies of any proof you have that supports your disputes. For example, if you are challenging late payments, make copies of your credit card statements, payment checks or anything else that shows you paid on time. Enclose this information with your letter when you send it.
Step 7
Sign the letter, photocopy it and send it to the credit bureau via certified mail with a return receipt requested. Keep the copy for your records. The FTC says you should get a response within a month. Make sure your dispute letter was received by checking the receipt if you don't hear anything after 30 days. If it was received, follow up with the credit bureau by sending a new inquiry with a copy of the original letter via certified mail.
Tips and Warnings
- The Credit Infocenter website advises that you wait at least 60 days before writing a new dispute letter on an item that you have already challenged. The credit bureaus may flag your disputes as frivolous if you send a letter immediately after the denial. Challenge the item again after two months have elapsed.
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