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Disputing Errors with Credit Reporting Companies

This article is part of a series: Repairing Your Credit After Identity Theft

If you find mistakes when you review your credit reports, send letters explaining the mistakes to the 3 credit reporting companies and the businesses involved.

What To Do
What Happens Next

What to Do

Here's how to start the process:

Write to each of the 3 credit reporting companies. Our sample letter can help.
1. Explain that you are an identity theft victim.
2. List the errors that you found.
3. Include copies of documents showing the errors.
4. Ask the credit reporting company to remove fraudulent information.
  The credit reporting company must investigate the items you send, and forward that information to the business that reported the information to the credit reporting company.
Receive response from each credit reporting company.
If your credit file changes because of the business’ investigation, the credit reporting company must send you a letter with the results. If the credit reporting company puts the information back in your file, it must send you a letter telling what it did.
Update your files.
1. Record the dates you made calls or sent letters.
2. Keep copies of letters in your files.

After the business gets notice from the credit reporting company, it has 30 days to investigate and respond to the credit reporting company. If the business finds an error, it must notify the credit reporting company so your credit file can be corrected. If your credit file changes because of the business’ investigation, the credit reporting company must send you a letter with the results. The credit reporting company can’t add the disputed information back into your file unless the business says the information is correct. If the credit reporting company puts the information back in your file, it must send you a letter telling you that.