How to Check and Dispute Errors on Your Credit Report
Check your credit reports for free, spot errors and dispute them in writing with the bureau and lender, using official FTC and CFPB steps and a clear timeline.
A wrong item on your credit report can lower your score and make it harder to get a loan, a card or a rental. The official process is simple. Get your reports, check every line against your own records, and dispute each error in writing with the credit reporting company. Then send a copy to the business that reported the error. Federal rules give you a free copy of your report from each nationwide bureau every 12 months, and the FTC says all three bureaus also offer free weekly reports on the official website.
The steps below follow guidance from the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. They explain the process, not a promise of any result. This guide covers the United States. Other countries have their own credit reference rules, so check the rules where you live.
Get your reports for free
Federal law requires each of the three nationwide bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, to give you a free copy of your report once every 12 months if you ask for it. The FTC says all three also have a program to let you check each report once a week for free. The FTC names only one website as authorized to fill these orders: AnnualCreditReport.com. The FTC also advises against contacting the three bureaus one by one to order your reports.
Review each report line by line
Check your personal details first, then each account. Look at balances, credit limits, payment history, the dates accounts were opened or closed, and any collection or public record entries. Look for accounts you do not recognize. Compare each entry with your own statements, letters and receipts.
Write each error on a list. For each one, record the name of the account, the bureau that shows it, what the report says, and what the correct information is.
Gather proof
The FTC says to send copies of supporting documents, not originals. Useful proof can include a payment receipt, a bank statement, a letter showing that an account was closed, or a court order. Keep a copy of everything you send, along with the date you sent it.
Dispute with the credit reporting company
The FTC advises telling the credit reporting company in writing what information you think is wrong, and including copies of your supporting documents. It recommends sending the letter by certified mail with a return receipt requested, so you have proof of delivery. The CFPB notes that you can also dispute by phone or online, depending on the bureau, but a written dispute gives you a record.
The CFPB handout suggests that you clearly identify each mistake separately. For each one, state the facts, explain why the information is wrong and ask for a correction or removal. Include your name, address, phone number, date of birth, today's date, the bureau's name and address, and any report confirmation number you have.
Notify the business that reported the error
The business that gave the wrong information is called the information provider, or the furnisher. The FTC says it must also correct inaccurate information. Send that business a written dispute too, using the address on your credit report. If no address is shown, ask the business for the correct one. If the item is found to be inaccurate or incomplete, the FTC notes that the information provider must tell the credit reporting company to update or delete it.
Know the timeline
The CFPB handout says the bureau generally has 30 calendar days, or 45 days in some cases, to investigate your dispute. Once it finishes, it has five business days to tell you the result. The FTC says the company usually investigates within 30 days, unless it considers the dispute frivolous.
Worked example with round numbers
Imagine a $300 late payment appears on your report from a lender, but you paid on time and have a bank receipt to prove it.
- 1 June: You check the report, mark the error and gather the receipt.
- 3 June: You send the dispute letter by certified mail to the credit reporting company, with a copy of the receipt. You send a copy to the lender's address on the report.
- About 3 July: If the 30-day rule applies, the bureau should finish its investigation around this date. If the 45-day rule applies, the date is about 18 July. Count from the day the bureau receives your letter.
- After the investigation: The bureau has five business days to tell you the result.
- If the error is removed: You receive an updated report. The CFPB says this updated report does not count as your free annual report.
- If the item stays: Send a written statement of disagreement. According to the CFPB handout, the bureau must note that the item is disputed and include your explanation on future reports.
Write each date in your calendar when you send the letter, and follow up if a deadline passes without a reply.
A checklist for disputing an error
- Get your reports from AnnualCreditReport.com.
- Check each line against your own records.
- List every error, with the account, the bureau and the correct facts.
- Gather copies of supporting documents.
- Write one dispute letter that covers each error separately.
- Send the letter to the credit reporting company by certified mail.
- Send a copy to the business that reported the error.
- Record the date you sent each letter, and set a reminder for the deadline.
- Check the updated report when it arrives.
- Keep your records for future disputes.
What to put in the dispute letter
Keep the letter short and factual. Here is a structure you can adapt, with the details in square brackets:
Sign and date the letter, and list the enclosures on the last line. Use one letter for each error, or clearly number the items if you send several in one envelope. Keep a copy of the whole package.
Keep a dispute log
A simple table keeps every dispute in one place. This is an example layout, not a real record:
| Date sent | Sent to | Account | Error | Proof enclosed | Check by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 June | Credit reporting company | Lender account ending 1234 | $300 late payment shown for March | Bank receipt | About 3 July |
| 3 June | Lender (the business that reported it) | Same account | Same late payment | Bank receipt | Follow up after 30 days |
Add a column for the reply date, the outcome and the date you checked the updated report. The log turns a stressful process into a set of dates you can manage.
Check all three bureaus
Each bureau keeps its own file, so a fix at one bureau may not appear at the others. When you get your reports, check all three. If the same error appears in more than one, dispute it with each bureau separately. After the bureau replies, pull the updated report and confirm the error has gone.
Be wary of paid promises
Be cautious of anyone who asks for an upfront fee to remove information, or who promises a guaranteed change to your score. The steps in this guide are free. Keep your own letters, and do not hand over personal documents to a company you have not checked. Your own dispute, made with proof, is the most reliable route.
Frequently asked questions
Will disputing an error lower my score?
The rules do not promise a score change in either direction. A wrong item that is removed can help your score, because scores are based on what the report shows. An accurate item stays on your report, and a dispute cannot change that.
Do I need a lawyer to dispute an error?
Usually not. The CFPB handout says you can consult a lawyer if needed, especially if the dispute is not resolved. Start with the free steps above, and keep your letters and proof in one place.
Can I dispute an error if I have already paid?
Yes. If the report shows a debt as unpaid, or shows a late payment that did not happen, dispute the item and attach proof of payment, such as a receipt or statement.
What if the bureau says the item is correct?
Send a written statement of disagreement that explains why you believe it is wrong. The CFPB handout says the bureau must note the dispute and include your explanation on future reports. You can also file a complaint with the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.
Sources
- FTC, Free credit reports (consumer.ftc.gov)
- FTC, Disputing errors on credit reports (publication dated March 2014)
- CFPB, Disputing errors on your credit report (handout, November 2018)
- CFPB, Credit reports and scores
This article is general education, not legal advice. The FTC publication is dated 2014 and the CFPB handout is dated 2018, so check each agency's current guidance before you act.
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