How to Effectively Dispute Errors on Your Credit Report

You received the free annual credit report from https://www.annualcreditreport.com and found some errors, there are several things you can do to correct them.

You can dispute inaccuracy on your credit files. The credit bureaus will have instructions on the report telling how to dispute the entries, and it can be done online. They make it easy to dispute the entries. They have to do it free of charge.

When you dispute a file in your credit report the bureaus will investigate it within a reasonable amount of time, usually within 30-45 days. If they feel that it's frivolous, they may not do it at all. Just report the inaccurate entry to them and they will contact the creditor. It is then up to the creditor to send back to the credit bureau the proof that the money is still owed, or if it is showing delinquent. If they are unable to do this, the credit bureau must remove it from the files. If the entry is incorrect, they must correct it with the correct information. The credit bureau will remove any information from your file that they can not verify. The credit bureau will update you on the final determination of the investigation.

If the credit bureaus do correct errors they must send the corrected report to any company you request that had denied credit in the past 6 months.

There are several ways to contact the credit bureaus, one is the online, fill out the requested information and it is electronically sent to them. You can call them, or send the information by certified mail to a credit bureau. If sending in the information, also send them copies of your proof of why you're disputing the accuracy. Never send the originals. Also enclose a copy of the credit report with the disputed item circled.

If you are unable to dispute an entry, you can give an explanation. All three credit bureaus, Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian allow you to add up to a 100 word explanation to any entry on the report. Each time someone requests a copy of your report then, the statement has to be attached to it.

If the information on the credit report is accurate, yet still negative, the only way to have it removed is time. Bankruptcy will stay on a report for up to 10 years. Other information will stay on for 7 years then will be removed. If you have old credit and are being called by a Zombie debt collector, read this article on how not to reopen an old entry if you make arrangements on a debt that is past the Statue of Limitations, the clock starts over again, and it will remain on your report for another 7 years.

If you have errors on the report, dispute them, if they can not be verified, they will be removed or corrected. This will raise your FICO score and get you better interest rates on future purchases.