If a U.S. credit report contains an account, balance, late payment, collection, inquiry, or personal detail that isn't accurate, you can dispute it for free. Send a dispute to each credit bureau reporting the error and to the company that supplied the information.

Short answer: Get current reports, mark the exact error, gather documents that support your position, file focused disputes, save proof of submission, and check the written results. Bureau investigations generally take up to 30 days, although certain cases can take up to 45 days. A correction may improve your credit profile, but it doesn't guarantee a particular score increase.

These steps apply to U.S. credit reporting. Other countries have different agencies and rules.

Seven-step checklist for disputing credit report errors

  1. Get all three reports. Request reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion through AnnualCreditReport.com.
  2. Check the details. Review accounts, balances, payment statuses, dates, collections, inquiries, and personal information.
  3. Save the reports. Download or print each one and record the date you accessed it.
  4. Collect relevant proof. Use statements, payment records, account-closure letters, identity-theft reports, or other documents tied to the specific error.
  5. File separate disputes. Dispute the item with every bureau that reports it. Also send a direct dispute to the furnisher, such as a lender, card issuer, or collection agency.
  6. Keep records. Save copies of letters, uploads, confirmation numbers, delivery records, and screenshots.
  7. Review the outcome. If the error remains, compare the explanation with your evidence, submit new relevant information, dispute with the furnisher, or escalate through the CFPB.

What counts as a credit report error?

A report error can be inaccurate, incomplete, duplicated, outdated, or associated with someone else. Examples include:

Not every negative entry is an error. An accurately reported late payment, collection, or high balance generally can't be removed just because it hurts your score. Reports can also differ because furnishers update them on different dates. For example, one bureau may show a newer balance than another without either report being wrong.

The FTC's guidance on credit report disputes distinguishes between correcting inaccurate information and objecting to information that is accurate but unfavorable.

Step 1: Get and preserve all three credit reports

Use the authorized AnnualCreditReport.com service to request a report from each nationwide credit bureau. Federal law provides free reports in specified circumstances, including the standard annual access process. Check the site for its current availability and any eligibility conditions.

Requesting all three reports together makes comparison easier, but you can also review them at different times. In either case, save each report before filing a dispute. Your copy shows:

A credit-monitoring app's score isn't a substitute for the underlying report. Dispute the account information in the report, not simply a score you don't recognize.

Step 2: Review each report line by line

Use this audit list:

Report section What to check
Personal information Names, addresses, employers, and identifying details that don't belong to you
Accounts Unfamiliar or duplicate accounts, incorrect ownership, or a closed account shown as open
Balances and limits Current balance, past-due amount, credit limit, and payment amount
Payment history Payment status, delinquency level, and the month reported
Dates Date opened, date closed, date of last payment, and dates connected with a collection
Collections Creditor, balance, account status, ownership, and duplication
Inquiries Hard inquiries you don't recognize or that may be connected to identity theft

Mark the precise field you want corrected. "This account is wrong" gives the reviewer little to investigate. A stronger explanation identifies the entry, the disputed field, the correct information, and the document that supports it:

The report shows a balance of [amount]. The attached statement dated [date] shows a zero balance.

Step 3: Build an evidence packet

Choose documents that support the correction you are requesting. Depending on the error, useful records may include:

When dates are disputed, make a short timeline. List the due date, payment date, posting date, and date shown on the report. This can make a payment-history dispute easier to follow.

Send copies, not originals. Protect sensitive information by redacting unrelated bank-account numbers and all but the last four digits of your Social Security number, unless a secure process specifically requires more. For an online dispute, follow the bureau's instructions for secure uploads.

If an account or inquiry may be the result of identity theft, report the suspected theft through IdentityTheft.gov, contact the affected company, and include the resulting documentation with your disputes.

Step 4: File with each affected bureau and the furnisher

A dispute sent to Experian doesn't automatically reach Equifax or TransUnion. File separately with every bureau that displays the error.

You can start with these official pages and mailing addresses:

Bureau Online starting point Commonly listed dispute-mail address
Equifax Equifax dispute page Equifax Information Services LLC, P.O. Box 740256, Atlanta, GA 30374
Experian Experian dispute instructions Experian, P.O. Box 4500, Allen, TX 75013
TransUnion TransUnion dispute page TransUnion Consumer Solutions, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016

Addresses and online workflows can change. Verify the current address on the bureau's live instructions or on your report before mailing anything. Use an address designated for credit-report disputes, not a general customer-service address.

The furnisher is the company that supplied the information, such as a bank, credit-card issuer, lender, landlord, or debt collector. Send that company a direct dispute using the address on the report, a billing statement, or its designated dispute instructions. Identify the information it reported, explain why it is inaccurate, and state the correction you want.

Dispute letter template

Prepare one letter for each bureau or furnisher. Keep the explanation focused and attach copies of the relevant evidence.

[Your full name]
[Your current mailing address]
[City, State ZIP]
[Date]

[Credit bureau or furnisher name]
[Dispute mailing address]

Subject: Dispute of inaccurate credit-report information

I am disputing the following information in my credit file:

Furnisher: [Company name]
Account: [Last four digits or other identifying detail]
Reported information: [Describe exactly what the report says]
Why it is inaccurate: [Explain the correct facts and relevant dates]

Please investigate this information and correct or delete it if it cannot be verified as complete and accurate. Please send me written results of the investigation.

Enclosures:
- [Copy of report page with the item marked]
- [Statement, payment record, letter, or other supporting document]

My identifying information:
- Date of birth: [If requested]
- Social Security number: [Use only the last four digits unless the secure process specifically requires more]

Sincerely,

[Signature]
[Printed name]
[Phone or email, if desired]

Avoid sending a vague letter that lists every negative item on your report. Give the bureau or furnisher a specific question to investigate.

Online, mail, or phone: which method should you use?

Method Advantages Limits
Online Usually provides a confirmation number and allows document uploads The form may limit your explanation, so save each screen and attachment
Mail Gives you room for a detailed letter and creates a delivery record It takes longer; send copies and keep the complete packet
Phone Useful for questions or checking status A call may leave less evidence, so follow up in writing

If you mail a dispute, consider using a trackable service and keep the receipt. For an online dispute, download the confirmation page and save the documents exactly as submitted.

What happens after you file?

The bureau generally sends the disputed information to the furnisher for review. Under the usual FCRA timeline, the bureau has up to 30 days to investigate. In certain situations, the period can extend to 45 days, including when you submit additional relevant information during the initial investigation.

Possible results include:

Read the written result carefully. If the bureau changes an item, get a fresh report and check that the correction appears in the correct field. If the same error remains on another bureau's report, dispute it there separately.

Keep a calendar showing:

If your dispute is denied

A result marked "verified" means the information was confirmed through the bureau's or furnisher's investigation. It doesn't necessarily show that the response addressed the exact balance, date, status, or ownership problem you raised.

Work through these options:

  1. Compare the response with your evidence. Look for the specific field you challenged and note anything the response did not address.
  2. Request more detail. Ask for the procedure used to verify the information and review any furnisher details included with the result.
  3. File a new, focused dispute if you have relevant evidence. Explain what was missed and attach the new document. Repeating the same unsupported claim can lead to another refusal.
  4. Dispute directly with the furnisher. Include the bureau's result and explain why the furnisher's records are incomplete or inaccurate.
  5. Ask about adding a statement. You may be able to add a brief explanation to your credit file if the matter remains unresolved.
  6. File a CFPB complaint when appropriate. Use the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau complaint form and attach your reports, evidence, correspondence, and timeline. A complaint is an escalation route, not a promise that an accurate item will be removed.
  7. Consider qualified legal help if you suffered financial harm. A consumer attorney or legal-aid organization can review a repeated failure to investigate, an identity-theft issue, or another serious reporting problem.

Special situations

Identity theft and mixed files

An unfamiliar account isn't proof by itself that identity theft occurred. It could be a reporting mix-up or an account on which you were an authorized user. Check the account details before deciding what happened.

For suspected identity theft:

A fraud alert or credit freeze may help prevent new activity, but neither one corrects an existing credit report.

Collections and old information

Check the collection's owner, amount, payment status, and dates. A paid or settled account can still show a status history. Payment alone doesn't prove that the historical reporting is inaccurate, so dispute the particular field that is wrong.

Most negative information is generally reportable for up to seven years, but the period depends on the type of information and the dates that apply to it. If you think an item is too old, identify the dates on the report and explain the problem rather than asking generally for all negative information to be deleted.

Accurate late payments

A goodwill request is different from a factual dispute. If a late payment is accurate, you can ask the creditor to consider a voluntary goodwill adjustment, but it doesn't have to agree. Don't describe accurate information as false simply because you want it removed.

Mistakes to avoid

Official references

Start by downloading the three reports, marking each disputed field, and creating a dated evidence folder. Then file the first complete dispute through the official bureau channel and calendar the response deadline.