Ways To Resolve A Credit Report Dispute
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act the reporting company and
the information provider are responsible for correcting any
credit report disputes. However, they must first be made aware
that you have credit report disputes. A person can report and
correct errors in their credit report by following two easy
steps.
Step one is to report your error to the consumer reporting
company in writing and make them aware that you have a credit
report dispute. Make sure you include all your personal
information like your name, address, and a list of each credit
report dispute that have. Remember to send your letter by
certified mail to prove that you have initiated a credit report
dispute. The consumer reporting company will then investigate
your credit report disputes and respond in 30 days. If they find
there is an error and the credit report dispute can be resolved
by correcting it then they will forward the information to the
other credit bureaus and your credit report will be revised.
After reviewing your credit report dispute the consumer
reporting company may decide that they disagree with the items
raised in your credit report dispute and decline to pursue the
matter any further. They will send you all of the evidence that
they have and the reasons for not pursuing your credit report
dispute, along with a copy of your credit report.
Another way to handle a credit report dispute is to contact the
particular creditor directly. Again, send the creditor a list of
your credit report disputes in writing. Be sure to call your
creditor and ask for the specific address of where credit report
dispute issues need to be sent to ensure that there is no
unnecessary delay in the credit report dispute being
investigated. Many companies have a separate address for
handling credit report disputes and it can take time for it to
be forwarded to the correct address if you do not send it there
initially. If you are correct in your credit report dispute and
there is an error they will report the error to the credit
bureaus and send you notification of the change.
Below is a sample credit report dispute letter :
Date Your Name Your Address, City, State, Zip Code Complaint
Department
Name of Company Address City, State, Zip Code
Dear Sir or Madam: I am writing to dispute the following
information in my file. I have circled the items I dispute on
the attached copy of the report I received.
This item (identify item(s) disputed by name of source, such as
creditors or tax court, and identify type of item, such as
credit account, judgment, etc.) is (inaccurate or incomplete)
because (describe what is inaccurate or incomplete and why). I
am requesting that the item be removed (or request another
specific change) to correct the information.
Enclosed are copies of (use this sentence if applicable and
describe any enclosed documentation, such as payment records,
court documents) supporting my position. Please reinvestigate
this (these) matter(s) and (delete or correct) the disputed
item(s) as soon as possible.
Sincerely, Your name
Enclosures: (List what you are enclosing.)
