Accurate bad reports cannot be eliminated from your credit reports, and Equifax, Experian and TransUnion do not have to investigate disputes if they appear frivolous. However the credit bureaus do have to look into legitimate complaints as bad reports often contain mistaken information. The item itself might be right, but the creditor may have provided an incorrect date or account number, or the bureaus might have made the mistake themselves. Some bad reports are totally incorrect, like accounts that do not belong to you. These can be eliminated from your credit reports through the dispute process.
Step 1
Find a mistake in as many of the bad reports on your credit reports as possible. CreditInfocenter.com suggests looking for anything, from incorrect balances and credit limits to wrong status or account numbers. Even one incorrect date or a misspelled creditor name will give you a legitimate dispute reason and potentially make it possible to eliminate the bad report.
Step 2
Write dispute letters to each of the three credit bureaus pointing out the mistakes in the bad reports. Equifax, Experian and TransUnion do not share dispute information, and the information on their credit reports often differs, so you must write to each one separately. Provide as much detail as possible about what is wrong with each bad report, and state that you expect an answer to your dispute within 30 days as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires. Explain that you expect the bad reports to be eliminated within that time frame. The bureaus must do this if the creditors don't provide validation.
Step 3
Send as much proof as possible for each report you are disputing. Copy or scan bank statements, billing statements, payment receipts, contracts and other paperwork that shows there is a mistake. Make separate copies for each bureau and enclose them with your letters.
Step 4
Mail each letter to the appropriate credit bureau using the current address listed on its website. The Federal Trade Commission recommends doing this through certified mail and asking for a return receipt, which shows you the date each bureau received the correspondence. This gives you grounds to demand elimination of the bad reports if the bureaus do not respond within the required 30-day period.
Step 5
Follow up with any credit bureau that does not give you a reply within 30 days, stating that you want the bad reports eliminated because it was unable to verify the information within the FCRA-required time frame. You will not have to do this if the bureaus handle your disputes properly. You will most likely get a letter from each one telling you whether it was able to verify the disputed information or whether it is eliminating the bad report due to lack of verification.
Tips and Warnings
- Some bad reports can be eliminated from your credit reports even if the information is accurate. There is a certain allowable reporting period for most items, and they must be eliminated after that period. Creditinfocenter.com explains that most items can only stay on your credit reports for seven years. You can demand their elimination at the end of that time if they do not disappear automatically.
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