How to Dispute Credit Report Errors Step by Step

Start by identifying a specific error

Credit disputes work best when they are specific. Review each credit report and identify exactly what appears to be inaccurate or incomplete.

Examples may include:

• An account that does not belong to you.
• An incorrect balance or payment status.
• A duplicate account.
• Incorrect identifying information.
• An account that should show a different status after a payment or settlement.
• Information connected to identity theft.

Accurate negative information generally cannot be removed simply because it hurts your credit. The purpose of a dispute is to correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete.

Step 1: Gather supporting documents

Before filing, collect copies of documents that support your position. Depending on the issue, that might include account statements, payment confirmations, settlement letters, identity-theft records, court documents, or correspondence with the creditor.

Keep the originals. Send or upload copies when documentation is required.

It is also useful to save a copy of the credit report with the disputed item identified so you can compare the result later.

Step 2: Dispute with the credit bureau

The Federal Trade Commission advises consumers to dispute inaccurate information with each credit bureau that is reporting the error.

Your dispute should clearly state:

• Your identifying information.
• The account or item being disputed.
• What is inaccurate or incomplete.
• Why you believe it is wrong.
• What correction you are requesting.
• Which documents support your position.

Credit bureaus accept disputes through their available online, phone, or mail processes. If you use mail, keep proof of delivery and copies of everything sent.

Step 3: Contact the company that supplied the information

The FTC also recommends contacting the business that furnished the disputed information to the credit bureau.

That might be a lender, credit card company, debt collector, utility provider, or another company reporting account information.

Give the furnisher the same clear explanation and supporting evidence. If it determines the information is inaccurate or incomplete, it generally must report the correction to the credit bureau.

Step 4: Track the investigation

According to current FTC guidance, a credit bureau generally has 30 days to investigate a dispute, although specific circumstances can affect the process.

The bureau sends the information you provided to the business that reported the disputed item. That business investigates and reports its findings back.

Keep a simple dispute file containing:

• Date submitted.
• Bureau or furnisher contacted.
• Confirmation or tracking number.
• Documents submitted.
• Response deadline.
• Final result.

Step 5: Review the result carefully

When the investigation is complete, compare the response with the original report.

If the dispute results in a correction, verify that the updated information appears correctly. If the error appeared with more than one bureau, check each report rather than assuming one correction automatically resolved every file.

If the dispute is not resolved, review the explanation and determine whether additional documentation would materially support your position.

What if the information is accurate but negative?

A dispute is not a legal shortcut for deleting accurate negative information. The FTC warns that credit repair companies cannot legally remove accurate, current negative information simply because it lowers a score.

Be cautious with any service promising guaranteed deletions, a guaranteed score increase, or a "new credit identity."

When identity theft is involved

Identity-theft errors can require a different recovery process. The FTC directs identity-theft victims to IdentityTheft.gov for a personalized recovery plan and supporting documentation.

Do not treat identity theft as a routine billing dispute if accounts were opened or used fraudulently in your name.

Common dispute mistakes

• Disputing a vague category instead of identifying the exact item.
• Sending no supporting documentation when documents exist.
• Sending original records instead of copies.
• Filing repetitive disputes without new information.
• Paying a company to do something you can do yourself for free without first understanding the service.
• Assuming a dispute guarantees deletion.

Sources and verification

This guide was reviewed against the FTC's current guidance on disputing errors on credit reports, its sample dispute letter, and its consumer guidance on credit repair scams.

Next steps

Review the broader Credit Repair comparison page, then use the Credit Utilization Planner for planning that is separate from correcting inaccurate report information.