To correct an inaccurate credit-report entry, dispute that specific item with every bureau that reports it. Send a separate, matching dispute to the company that supplied the information, called the furnisher. Start by pulling all three reports, identify the exact error, include copies of records that support your position, and save proof of every submission.
A dispute is for information that's inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable. It isn't a request to remove accurate negative information just because it lowers your score. The FTC's guidance on disputing credit report errors describes the federal process.
Credit report dispute checklist
- [ ] Get current reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
- [ ] Mark each inaccurate item and write down the correction you want.
- [ ] Gather records that support each claim.
- [ ] Dispute the item with every bureau that reports it.
- [ ] Send a separate dispute to the furnisher.
- [ ] Use a focused letter or the bureau's official online portal.
- [ ] Save confirmation numbers, copies, delivery records, and responses.
- [ ] Review the investigation results and any updated reports.
- [ ] Follow up with clearer or new evidence if the item remains inaccurate.
Get the reports before you write
Request your reports through AnnualCreditReport.com, the federally authorized source for credit reports. Federal law generally provides one free report from each nationwide bureau every 12 months, and the official site explains any additional access options currently available.
A credit-score app isn't a substitute for the reports themselves. Monitoring services may show only one bureau, partial account details, or a score calculated with a different model. Save a copy of each report and note the date you obtained it.
The three reports don't have to match. If the same account or error appears on all of them, you'll generally need to file a separate dispute with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
Describe the exact error
Read the account details instead of sending a general complaint about your credit history. For each item, note:
- The bureau reporting it
- The furnisher's name
- The last four digits of the account number
- The reported balance, limit, and past-due amount
- The account status and relevant payment date
- The precise correction you want
This review can help you match an error to the right evidence:
| Report area | Errors to look for | Useful evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Personal information | Wrong name, date of birth, Social Security number, address, or employer that suggests a mixed file | Government identification, address records, and other identity documents |
| Account ownership | An account you never opened, a duplicate account, or an account incorrectly linked to you | Creditor records, identity-theft report, or account-opening documents |
| Account status | A closed account shown as open, a paid account shown as unpaid, or a delinquency reported after payment | Statements, payment confirmations, settlement letters, and account correspondence |
| Balances and limits | Incorrect balance, credit limit, past-due amount, or payment date | Recent statements, bank records, and payment histories |
| Payment history | A late payment reported for a month when you paid on time, or the same late mark repeated | Bank statement, canceled payment record, or creditor confirmation |
| Collections and public records | A paid or disputed collection reported inaccurately, a duplicate collection, or outdated information | Receipts, court records, creditor letters, and the report itself |
| Hard inquiries | An inquiry from a company where you didn't apply for credit | Application records and correspondence with the company |
An old address isn't automatically wrong if you genuinely used it. Most negative information can generally remain for about seven years, while bankruptcy information can generally remain for up to 10 years. The type of entry and the relevant dates matter, so don't dispute an item only because it's unfavorable.
Assemble a short evidence packet
For each disputed item, write down five things:
- What the report says.
- Why that information is wrong or incomplete.
- What the correct information should be.
- Which document supports your position.
- What you want the recipient to change or delete.
For example, if the report shows a 30-day late payment for June, identify the account, say that the payment posted before the due date, and point to the page of the statement or bank record that supports that claim.
Helpful enclosures may include:
- A copy of the report with the item circled or highlighted
- Identification and proof of address, if requested
- Account statements and payment confirmations
- A creditor letter confirming the correction
- Court or bankruptcy records
- An FTC identity-theft report and related records for fraudulent accounts
Send copies, not originals. Follow the recipient's identity-verification instructions, and don't include more sensitive information than necessary. If a document shows a full account number or Social Security number, ask whether you can redact part of it while leaving enough information to identify the account.
“Everything on this report is wrong” isn't a useful dispute. Give each item its own explanation and supporting record.
Dispute the item with each reporting bureau
You can usually file online or by mail. An online portal may make it easier to upload documents and check the status. Mail gives you a paper trail and may be more practical for a detailed evidence packet.
Use the bureaus' official dispute pages:
One submission can address several errors, but number them separately. Change the addressee and description for each bureau so the submission identifies only the information that bureau actually reports.
If you mail a dispute, these addresses are commonly listed in bureau and government guidance:
- Equifax Information Services LLC: P.O. Box 740256, Atlanta, GA 30374
- Experian: P.O. Box 4500, Allen, TX 75013
- TransUnion LLC Consumer Dispute Center: P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016
Addresses can change. Confirm the current mailing address on the bureau's own dispute page before sending anything. If you want delivery evidence, use a trackable mailing service and keep the letter, enclosures, receipt, and tracking record together.
Phone support can answer questions, but a written online or mailed dispute is easier to document when your claim depends on records.
Send a separate dispute to the furnisher
The furnisher is the company that supplied the information, such as a bank, card issuer, lender, debt collector, or auto finance company. Look for its dispute address on the report or the company's official website. The address for payments may not be the address for credit-report disputes.
Include:
- Your name and identifying information
- The last four digits of the account number
- The exact information you believe is inaccurate
- The facts explaining why it's inaccurate
- Copies of the records supporting your claim
- A request to investigate and correct the information it reports
A bureau generally forwards relevant dispute information to the furnisher. Sending the evidence directly to the furnisher may also address the source record and gives you another paper trail, but it doesn't replace disputing the item with every bureau that reports it.
For a fraudulent account, contact the company's fraud department as well as disputing the entry.
Credit report dispute letter template
Customize the letter for the particular bureau or furnisher. Keep the dispute limited to items you can identify and support.
[Your full name]
[Street address]
[City, State, ZIP code]
[Date][Credit bureau or furnisher name]
[Dispute address]Re: Dispute of inaccurate information on my credit report
I am disputing the following information in my [bureau name] credit report dated [date]. Please investigate the item and correct or delete information that is inaccurate, incomplete, or cannot be verified.
Furnisher and account: [Company name and last four account digits]
Information reported: [Describe exactly what appears on the report]
Why it is inaccurate: [State the facts clearly]
Requested correction: [State what should be changed or deleted]
Supporting document: [Name the enclosed document and page]Please conduct the investigation required under Section 611 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Please send me the written results and an updated copy of my report if the information is changed.
Enclosures: copy of report with the item marked, identification if required, and copies of supporting records.
Sincerely,
[Your full name]
[Phone number or email]
[Last four digits of Social Security number, if requested]
For a second error, repeat the furnisher, reported information, explanation, requested correction, and supporting-document fields.
Don't put your full Social Security number in an ordinary letter unless the recipient's instructions specifically require it and you understand how the information will be handled.
How long does a dispute take?
A standard bureau investigation generally must be completed within 30 days after the bureau receives the dispute. In limited situations allowed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the period can extend to 45 days, including certain cases where you provide additional relevant information during the investigation.
Ninety days isn't the usual deadline for a standard dispute. Count from the date the bureau receives your submission, not just the date on your letter. An online confirmation timestamp or a delivery record can establish that date.
The result may be that the information is:
- Deleted because it can't be verified
- Corrected or updated
- Left unchanged after the furnisher verifies it
- Rejected as frivolous or irrelevant because the dispute lacks enough information or repeats an earlier claim without meaningful new evidence
The bureau should send the investigation result. If the entry changes, request and review an updated report. A correction doesn't promise a particular score increase; the effect depends on what changed and which scoring model is used.
A furnisher that receives a qualifying direct dispute generally must investigate and report the result through the applicable credit-reporting process. Keep the furnisher's response with the bureau's response.
If the bureau leaves the item unchanged
“Verified” means the bureau left the information on your report after investigating it. That response doesn't end the matter, but sending the same unsupported statement again probably won't change the result.
- Read the result and identify the specific item that remained unchanged.
- Compare the explanation with the documents you submitted.
- Send a focused follow-up with new or clearer evidence.
- Dispute the item directly with the furnisher if you haven't done so.
- Ask the bureau for a description of the procedure it used to determine the information's accuracy.
- Ask whether you can add a brief consumer statement explaining the dispute.
- If you've contacted both the company and the bureau and the error remains, submit a CFPB complaint with the complete paper trail.
A CFPB complaint provides an escalation channel, but it doesn't guarantee deletion. If inaccurate reporting has caused significant harm or continues despite strong evidence, a consumer attorney or legal-aid organization can evaluate whether federal or state remedies may apply.
Identity theft and fraudulent accounts
A credit freeze and a credit-report dispute do different jobs. A freeze can help prevent new creditors from opening accounts with your information, but it doesn't remove an existing fraudulent account. If identity theft is involved, consider placing a freeze with all three bureaus and reviewing your bank and card accounts.
Report the theft through IdentityTheft.gov and follow its instructions for documenting the incident. When disputing fraudulent accounts, identify each one and include the identity-theft report, proof of identity, and any other documents the bureau requests.
You can also ask each bureau about blocking information that resulted from identity theft under the FCRA identity-theft process. Contact the creditor's fraud department separately. Record account numbers, representatives, dates, and case numbers as you go.
A fraud alert isn't the same as a freeze. It asks businesses to take additional steps before opening new credit; it doesn't block access to your report in the same way.
What a credit dispute can't do
A dispute won't require removal of information that's accurate, complete, and still within the applicable reporting period. It also won't:
- Erase a legitimate debt because the creditor's name isn't familiar
- Remove a late payment only because the account is now paid
- Guarantee a higher credit score
- Stop a lender from reporting accurate information while the dispute is pending
- Replace a debt-validation request or another process that may apply to a collection account
- Update every bureau when you submit the dispute to only one
Continue making payments on legitimate accounts according to your agreement while the dispute is pending. Be cautious with credit-repair companies that promise guaranteed deletions or claim they can remove accurate negative information. The FTC's credit-fixing FAQs explains that consumers can dispute errors themselves and warns about unrealistic promises.
This checklist is for U.S. credit-report disputes and is general consumer information, not legal advice. After filing, put the expected response date on your calendar, keep every confirmation, and compare any updated report with the original entry.