How to Make Credit Report Disputes

You can make credit report disputes if after receiving your credit report, you noticed any type of error. Perhaps there was an outdated listing or a listing you are unfamiliar with. Make sure that for each listing on your credit report, you check the personal identification information. Experian Free Credit Report explains a listing that is not yours can end up on your report because it seems to match up with your details. You must dispute these types of errors right away to help keep your credit report accurate and to prevent more of these mistakes from happening.

After you have made sure that each of the incorrect personal detail listings has been accounted for, make sure to identify any other damaging details on your credit report. List each detail from the most to least damaging. A bankruptcy file, for example, is far more damaging than a late payment or credit rejection on your credit report and needs to be dealt with first.

You can begin writing letters of dispute as soon as you have identified all of the disputable listings. Each listing must be written and mailed in a separate letter except for incorrect personal data disputes. Disputing several items at once may actually cause the agency to reject your claim on the grounds of it being irrelevant. Be prepared because the credit reporting agencies may become hostile or threaten you claiming that your requests are frivolous or illegal. Credit reporting agencies, however, are required by law to investigate every dispute and accept it as legitimate unless they have evidence to prove it is not.

When you send a letter of dispute, address it to each of the three credit reporting agencies, even if these disputable listings only appear in one or two of the reports, so that these items do not appear on your other credit reports.

Also consider handwriting the letters instead of typing them. Use strong, clear language so the credit reporting agencies know the mentioned listing is being disputed. Use terms such as erroneous, outdated, misleading or unverifiable. Avoid explanations as they are not useful to credit reporting agencies. Credit reporting agencies only need to know the listing you are disputing so that they can investigate it.

It will take up to four weeks to receive a reply from the credit reporting agency. The reply will state your letter has been received and your dispute is being investigated. After two to four more weeks, you will receive a new credit report to confirm that the item has been removed from you report. Once you have received your updated credit report, you can then send out your next dispute letter until all of the incorrect listings have been disputed. Credit reporting agencies can be slow to respond, some may not respond at all. If the credit reporting agency has not replied to you, send another letter to them to remind them that they are obliged by law to address your dispute.

There are of course legal services available that will help you dispute the items for a fee if you do not fell that you can dispute the items yourself. Remember that credit reporting agencies are required by law to investigate all credit report disputes no matter how many you have.