How to Dispute Credit Report Errors

To dispute a credit report error, review your credit reports to see which ones list the error, gather evidence that proves the information you found is inaccurate, and file a dispute with the credit bureaus online, by phone, or by mail. Filing a dispute online is the fastest and easiest method.

1. Review Your Credit Reports

You can’t dispute credit report errors without finding them first, so make sure to review your credit report from each of the credit bureaus. You have access to your TransUnion report from WalletHub for free, and you can access your Experian and Equifax credit reports directly from those bureaus or through AnnualCreditReport.com. If you’ve already spotted a mistake, it might not be the only one, so it’s a good idea to start the dispute process by assessing the extent of the problem.

2. Investigate the Error(s) 

Credit reports can be confusing. They often contain a lot of information, not to mention industry codes and jargon. So, there’s a chance that what you think is a mistake might actually be accurate.

Researching, perhaps even contacting, the source(s) of the information in question (also called “data furnishers”) can help, too. At the very least, you’ll get a better idea of what’s going on, and ideally, you’ll find that an honest mistake has been made.

3. Gather Evidence

Locate and gather all the information that supports your claim that the entry in your credit report is an error. This can include things like documents, emails, and screenshots that you can either upload to the credit bureau’s website if you are filing a dispute online or print and mail to them if you are filing a dispute by mail.

4. Choose a Dispute Method 

There are three ways to file a credit report dispute: online, by phone or by mail. Which method you choose is largely a matter of personal preference, but filing online is typically the fastest and easiest way. In complex cases, it can be helpful to mail hard copies of supporting documents.

Below, you can find more detailed instructions for each option.

Filing Online

Filing online is the easiest option. In fact, you can do so directly from your TransUnion credit report on WalletHub. Just click on an account, and you’ll find “Report to TransUnion” in the bottom-right corner. You can also dispute credit report errors through AnnualCreditReport.com or the credit bureaus’ websites.

Each credit bureau’s dispute page will look different, but you’ll generally have to follow the same steps. You’ll select the option that best describes your situation, verify your identity, and enter your report number. You’ll then be able to review your report. When you find an error, there will be an option to dispute the information right on the page.

Once you start the dispute process, you’ll be able to choose the reason for your dispute from a drop-down menu, provide a short explanation for why you think the info is inaccurate, and upload supporting documents to prove your case. If you don’t want to upload your supporting documents online, you can choose to mail them instead. You’re not required to send supporting documents, but it can help. After you submit your dispute, you’ll be redirected to a confirmation page, which you should save or print for your records.

Filing by Mail

To file a dispute by mail, you will need to send a dispute letter (plus supporting documents) to each bureau reporting the error(s). In addition to summarizing the errors, this dispute letter should include your:

• Full name
• Current address
• Social Security number
• Date of birth
• Credit report confirmation number (if accessed through AnnualCreditReport.com)
• Account numbers for credit cards, loans, etc., in question
• Reason for the dispute
• Evidence, such as photocopies of receipts, monthly credit card or loan statements, proof of residency, etc.

It’s also wise to send your dispute by certified mail and to request a return receipt. That way, you can be sure the bureaus receive it.

Filing by Phone

You can certainly call the credit bureaus to initiate a dispute, and you’ll generally supply the same information as you would online or in a letter. But unless the error is a quick fix, you might still need to send written correspondence and some documentation.

That said, it’s a good idea to call the bureaus after submitting your dispute to confirm that they’ve received it and that the process is moving forward.

5. Wait for a Response

Once a dispute begins, the credit bureau will contact the data furnisher to verify the legitimacy of your claim. The credit bureaus have up to 30 days (45 days in some cases) to investigate disputes, but the process is usually much quicker than that, according to Experian.

Below is what you can expect after a credit bureau completes their investigation:

• The bureau will contact you by mail or email regarding the outcome within five business days after completing the investigation. The correspondence will outline the bureau’s findings and the action it took or will take as a result (i.e., correcting the error or making no change).
• If the dispute results in a positive change to your credit report, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires the credit bureau(s) in question to notify anyone who has viewed your report in the past six months, if you request it.
• The bureau(s) also have to send updated copies of your report to any employer that has viewed it in the past two years, if you ask.

Finally, you will need to confirm that the error is fixed on all three of your major credit reports. Although the credit bureaus all track the same types of information, their records may not match exactly. Data furnishers are required to notify all three bureaus if they find they’ve made a mistake, but will do so only if you filed your dispute with the data furnishers instead of the credit bureaus.

6. File a Complaint With a Regulatory Agency, If Necessary

If your dispute fails, you can always try again. But nothing is likely to change unless you provide new and stronger evidence. For example, maybe you have a confirmation email for a payment that your credit report says you missed. Such evidence isn’t always available, though. There’s not much you can do to really prove it wasn’t you who opened a particular account listed under your name, for instance.

So, if you’re dissatisfied with the credit bureau’s handling of your dispute, you can escalate your case to the FTC, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or your state’s attorney general’s office. If a credit-report error is serious enough, you may want to hire an attorney who specializes in such matters.

What Can You Dispute on Your Credit Report?

You can dispute the following types of credit-report errors:

You cannot dispute accurate information just because it reflects poorly on you. More accurately, you can try, but you probably won’t win. There are strict timeframes for how long negative information stays on credit reports, and there’s nothing you can do to shorten them.

How Credit Report Disputes Affect Your Credit 

The process of filing a credit report dispute won’t affect your credit score. However, the outcome of the credit dispute could increase or decrease your credit score, or not change it at all. For instance, if you have a payment inaccurately labeled as late on your credit report, and you’re able to get it changed to on time with a dispute, you may see your credit score increase. On the other hand, if you file a dispute to get an account older than 10 years off your credit report, your credit score may decrease if that negatively affects the length of your credit history.

Errors related to personal information, such as your name being misspelled or an incorrect address, typically won’t have any effect on your credit score.

Final Thoughts

Credit-report errors are all too common. The Federal Trade Commission estimates that roughly one in five consumers has an inaccurate credit report. And it can take only one error for a lender, landlord, or other credit checker to decide you can’t be trusted to meet your financial obligations. That is why it’s important to review your credit report on a regular basis and dispute any errors. You can check your latest TransUnion credit report for free on WalletHub.

Ask the Experts: Dealing with Disputes

For a greater understanding of the credit report dispute process, we asked a panel of credit experts to weigh in on the following questions. You can meet our panel and read their responses below.

1. Do you think the average person is aware of his or her ability to dispute credit report inaccuracies?
2. By and large, do you think people tend to be overly hesitant or too eager to dispute items on their credit reports?
3. Do you think credit bureaus make mistakes at an unacceptable rate?
4. What do you think is the biggest impediment people face in filing a dispute?

Ask the Experts

Judith Popper
Clinical Professor of Law, University of Missouri - Kansas City, School of Law
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Richard D. Pomp
Alva P. Loiselle Professor of Law, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor, UConn Law School
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Matthew Bruckner
Associate Professor of Law, Howard University School of Law
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Gregory Germain
Professor of Law, Syracuse University, College of Law
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Aimee Bonneau
CPA, MSA, Assistant Professor, Department of Business, Advisor to Emmanuel College Accounting Club, Vice Chair of Faculty Senate, Emmanuel College
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Bradley W. Fralic
Lecturer in Management - Accounting and Associate Vice President & University Controller at Rice University
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