Credit report errors are common enough that reviewing your reports periodically is worth the time. When you find one, the Fair Credit Reporting Act gives you a defined process, and it costs nothing to use.

What counts as a disputable error

  • Accounts that are not yours
  • Payments marked late that were made on time
  • Incorrect balances, credit limits or account statuses
  • Accounts shown as open that were closed, or the reverse
  • The same debt reported twice, typically by the original creditor and a collector
  • Negative information past its reporting period
  • Hard inquiries you did not authorize
  • Personal information that is wrong, including addresses you have never used

You cannot dispute accurate negative information. A late payment you actually made late will not be removed through this process, and no service can lawfully remove it either.

Filing the dispute

Dispute with the credit bureau reporting the error. Online is fastest and produces a tracking record. Mail is slower but creates a stronger paper trail, which matters if the dispute becomes contested.

Include:

  1. Your full name, current address and date of birth.
  2. The specific item you are disputing, identified by account name and number as shown on the report.
  3. Why it is wrong, stated plainly and briefly.
  4. Supporting documents — statements, payment confirmations, letters. Send copies, never originals.
  5. A copy of the report with the item circled, if disputing by mail.
  6. What you want done: correction or removal.

What happens next

The bureau generally has 30 days to investigate, extendable to 45 if you submit additional information during the period. It must forward your dispute to the furnisher, which is required to investigate and report back.

If the information cannot be verified, it must be removed. If it is corrected, the bureau must send you the results in writing along with a free copy of your updated report.

If the change is significant, you can request that the bureau notify anyone who received your report in the last six months, and any employer who received it in the last two years.

If the dispute is rejected

You have several options, and they escalate:

  • Refile with better documentation. Many rejections come down to insufficient evidence rather than a decision on the merits.
  • Add a statement of dispute to your file. It does not remove the item but it appears alongside it.
  • Submit a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which forwards it to the company and requires a response.
  • Consult an attorney. The FCRA provides for private legal action in certain circumstances.

Keep your records

Save copies of everything you send, note the dates, and keep confirmation numbers. If an item is removed and later reappears — which does happen — your documentation is what resolves it quickly. Furnishers are generally required to notify you before reinserting previously deleted information.