For a U.S. credit report error, dispute the entry with every credit bureau that lists it and with the business that supplied the information. Don't just ask for "everything to be removed." Identify the account or inquiry, point to the exact field that is wrong, attach copies of supporting records, and keep proof of what you sent.

A credit bureau generally has 30 days to investigate after receiving a complete dispute. In some situations, the period can extend to 45 days, including when you provide relevant additional information during the initial investigation. Accurate negative information usually can't be removed merely because it lowers your score.

Quick steps to dispute a credit report error

1. Get your reports. The FTC's free credit report guidance explains how to reach the authorized source and when additional free reports may be available.
2. Review Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion separately. Their files may not contain the same information.
3. Identify each error. Write down the account name, partial account number, report section, and exact detail that is inaccurate.
4. Gather copies of evidence. Use statements, payment confirmations, account letters, identity documents, court records, or an identity-theft report when relevant.
5. Send separate disputes. Contact every bureau showing the error and the creditor, lender, collector, or other business that furnished the information.
6. Use a trackable method. Save online confirmations, screenshots, or proof of delivery for mailed disputes.
7. Check the result against a new report. If the error remains, send a focused follow-up that addresses the reason given for the decision.

What counts as a credit report error?

A dispute makes sense when information is inaccurate, incomplete, duplicated, outdated, or connected to the wrong person. Examples include:

• An account you never opened or one that belongs to someone with a similar name
• A payment marked late even though your records show it was made on time
• An incorrect balance, credit limit, account status, or date
• A closed account reported as open
• The same debt listed more than once
• A collection account showing an inaccurate balance or status after payment or resolution
• A hard inquiry you don't recognize or that doesn't relate to an application you made
• A bankruptcy or other public record that doesn't belong to you
• Personal information suggesting that your file may be mixed with another person's

A negative entry isn't automatically an error. A legitimate late payment, collection, balance, or account may stay on a report even when it damages your credit. Companies also aren't required to report every account to every bureau, so an account's absence from one report doesn't prove that the report is inaccurate.

The limit for reporting negative information is different from the statute of limitations for collecting a debt. Most negative information can generally be reported for up to seven years, while bankruptcies can generally be reported for up to 10 years. The calculation depends on the type of information and the relevant dates. If the problem is an incorrect date, dispute that date rather than assuming every old debt must be deleted.

Pull and review the reports themselves

Start with the reports, not only a credit-score app. A score may be calculated from one bureau's data and may not show which account caused a change.

As you review each report:

• Save a copy and note the date you accessed it.
• Check your name, addresses, employers, and other personal identifiers for signs of a mixed file or identity theft.
• Review account ownership, payment history, balances, credit limits, dates, and status.
• Look at collections, public records, and hard inquiries.
• Note which bureau reports each problem.
• Mark the error on a working copy, but keep an unmarked original for your records.

The FTC's instructions for disputing credit report errors describe the basic process and explain why you should contact both the bureau and the company that supplied the information.

Gather evidence before filing

The best evidence connects the reported entry to the fact that is wrong. Depending on the issue, useful records may include:

• Bank or credit-card statements showing a payment or balance
• Payment confirmations, receipts, canceled checks, or account correspondence
• A letter from the creditor confirming that an account was closed, paid, or corrected
• Loan, lease, or insurance documents showing the correct terms
• A government-issued ID or proof of address when the recipient requests it
• A police report or identity-theft report for fraudulent accounts
• Court documents involving a judgment, bankruptcy, or identity issue

Send copies, not originals. Include only the information needed to identify you and resolve the dispute. Follow the recipient's instructions about identity documents, and don't send sensitive information to an address supplied in an unsolicited email or text.

Put the evidence in the same order as the issues in your letter. For example, label an attachment "payment confirmation" and refer to it in the paragraph about the late payment. A short, labeled packet is easier to review than a large file with no explanation.

How to file a credit bureau dispute

Dispute each bureau separately

If all three reports contain the same error, file three disputes. A correction at one bureau doesn't automatically update the other two. If only TransUnion lists the problem, start there instead of sending unnecessary disputes to Equifax and Experian.

Use the bureau's current online instructions or mailing address. Addresses, forms, and upload requirements can change, so don't rely on an old template. Experian, for example, describes its online document-upload process and mail requirements on its official dispute instructions page.

When using an online form, make sure the submission identifies the particular account and field at issue. A short explanation pasted into a general comment box may not be enough if the form provides a place to upload a marked report page or supporting records.

Contact the furnisher

The furnisher is the business that supplied the information, such as a bank, card issuer, lender, landlord, or collection company. Tell it what the bureau is reporting, explain why that information is wrong, and include the same relevant evidence.

Use the address the business designates for credit-report disputes when it provides one. A general customer-service address may not route the dispute correctly. Keep a separate copy of the letter and attachments for each recipient.

Contacting the furnisher gives the business a chance to check its own records and creates a separate record of your challenge. For an unfamiliar account, contact both the bureau and the business behind the account or inquiry.

Describe one error at a time

For each disputed item, state:

• Which account or inquiry is involved
• Which field is inaccurate
• What the report currently says
• What the correct information should be
• How the attached evidence supports that correction
• Whether you want the information corrected or deleted

Avoid a broad request such as "remove everything that is wrong." Specific claims are easier to investigate and give you a clearer record if you need to follow up.

Sample credit report dispute letter

[Your name]
[Your address]
[Date]

Re: Dispute of inaccurate information, account ending [1234]

I am disputing information on my credit report supplied by [company name]. The report says [describe the reported information]. This is inaccurate because [explain the correct facts]. Please investigate this item and correct the report. If the information cannot be verified as accurate and complete, please delete it.

I have enclosed a copy of the relevant report page with the item marked, along with copies of [list evidence]. Please send me the investigation results and an updated report if the information is changed.

Sincerely,
[Your name]

There's no need to fill the letter with legal threats. Don't claim that a specific law was violated unless the facts support that claim. A precise description and well-matched evidence usually do more work.

Online versus mail disputes

Online filing doesn't guarantee a correction. Download or screenshot the confirmation, submitted text, attachments, and claim number. For a mailed dispute, send copies and consider certified mail or another delivery service that provides a receipt. Delivery proof shows when the recipient received the package; it doesn't prove that the claim is correct.

How long does a dispute take?

The clock usually starts when the bureau receives a complete dispute, not when you write the letter.

Use this as a working timeline:

• Day 1: The bureau receives the dispute and supporting documents.
• During the investigation: The bureau reviews the claim and generally contacts the furnisher for a response.
• By about day 30: The bureau generally completes the investigation.
• Up to day 45 in some cases: An extension may apply when you provide relevant additional information during the initial 30-day period.
• After the investigation: The bureau sends the result and updates the report if it determines that a change is required.

Keep the mailing receipt, online confirmation, attachments, and response letters together. If the bureau asks for more information, answer promptly and save that submission too.

A bureau may treat a dispute as frivolous or irrelevant when it lacks enough detail, repeats an earlier claim without new information, or doesn't identify a specific item. If it does so, it should explain the reason. A dispute that simply says "not accurate" without naming the account or field gives the recipient little to investigate.

Special cases

Identity theft or an account that isn't yours

If an account resulted from identity theft, report it through IdentityTheft.gov and follow its recovery steps. You may also want a fraud alert or a security freeze. A fraud alert warns businesses reviewing your file about possible fraud; a freeze restricts access to your reports. A freeze request generally must be made with each bureau separately.

In the dispute, list every fraudulent account, state that you didn't open or authorize it, and include the identity-theft report and identification documents requested by the bureau. Ask the bureau to block or remove information that resulted from the theft. Notify the furnisher directly as well.

If the account belongs to someone with a similar name rather than resulting from theft, describe the mixed-file problem and provide records that distinguish you from the other person. A simple "not mine" statement may not be enough when the bureau needs documents to verify your identity or the source of the fraud.

Incorrect dates or old collections

Compare the date of first delinquency when shown, any collection or charge-off dates, and the account's current status. An incorrect date can make an entry appear newer than it is. Send records showing the correct date and ask for a specific correction.

Don't dispute an accurate debt only because it's negative or old. If you believe it is too old to report, compare the dates carefully and ask the bureau to investigate the date that appears wrong. The period for credit reporting and the period for collecting a debt are separate issues.

A legitimate account with a payment problem

If the information is accurate but you want the creditor to make an exception, a goodwill request is different from a credit-report dispute. Send that request to the creditor, not the bureau, and don't claim that a payment was on time if your records don't support it.

What to do if the dispute is denied

A result saying that information was "verified" doesn't necessarily answer every concern. The furnisher may have confirmed its records, the bureau may not have understood the claim, or the documents may not have established the correction.

1. Read the result and identify the reason for the decision.
2. Compare the response with the current report and your evidence.
3. If the response is unclear, ask for a description of the procedure used to determine the information's accuracy and completeness.
4. Send a new, focused dispute only if you have evidence that addresses the stated reason.
5. Dispute directly with the furnisher if you haven't already.
6. Ask whether you can add a brief statement of dispute to your file. Federal law generally limits that statement to 100 words.
7. Keep a timeline of the error, your submissions, responses, and any documented harm, such as a denied application or higher rate.

After you've tried to resolve the issue with the bureau or furnisher, check the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's complaint portal and read its current intake instructions. The portal may not accept every credit-report issue, and a complaint doesn't replace the formal dispute process or guarantee deletion. If it accepts your complaint, include the exact account, disputed field, correspondence, delivery proof, and response.

If inaccurate reporting continues and you have documented financial harm, consider speaking with a qualified consumer-law attorney or legal-aid organization. Bring the reports and complete correspondence rather than relying on a summary.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Sending one generic letter to all three bureaus
• Failing to identify the exact account and inaccurate field
• Sending evidence to only one of several bureaus reporting the item
• Mailing original documents
• Using an old or unverified address
• Failing to save online confirmation or delivery records
• Assuming one bureau's correction will reach the others
• Claiming identity theft or disputing information you know is accurate
• Expecting a fixed number of credit-score points after a correction
• Treating a dispute as a way to stop collection activity or erase a valid debt

Before you send anything, compare the marked report page with each attachment, confirm the recipient's current instructions, save the submission proof, and calendar the expected response date. When the response arrives, check the report itself - not just your score - to see what changed.