How to Dispute Credit Report Errors

• 1 minute read

Your credit report contains information such as your total outstanding debt, if you repaid debt on time, where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you've been sued, arrested, or have filed for bankruptcy.

It's important to be sure everything on your credit report is accurate since it’s used to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment or renting a home. You can request your free credit report annually at AnnualCreditReport.com. If you notice any errors on your report, dispute them with the credit bureaus.

How Credit Report Disputes Work

You initiate the dispute by contacting the involved credit bureau and the lender directly. See contact information below.

If you report an error to any of the credit bureaus, they are required to investigate and respond to you within 30 days.

If you are in the process of applying for a loan, immediately notify your lender of any incorrect information in your report. Your lender will need to reorder your credit report(s) and score once the credit bureaus have made needed changes to your information.

Visit the Federal Trade Commission's website for more information on how to fix mistakes on your credit report and to see a sample letter for disputing credit report errors.