Sample Dispute Letter to Credit Bureau

When reviewing your credit report, remember than the credit bureau (credit reporting agency, or CRA, in other words), have a responsibility under the Fair Credit Reporting Act to have accurate information about you.

 

If you find inaccurate information, you are entitled to have it fixed, and to do so normally just means that you need to write a letter to each CRA that is storing inaccurate information. Each CRA will have a different file on you, so you need to write each one separately, after reviewing each report separately.

 

First, tell the CRA in writing what information you believe is inaccurate. Include copies (NOT originals) of documents that support your position. In addition to providing your complete name and address, your letter should clearly identify each item in your report you dispute, state the facts and explain why you dispute the information, and request deletion or correction. You may want to enclose a copy of your report with the items in question circled. A sample letter is shown at the end of this section.

 

Upon receipt of your letter, the CRA must reinvestigate the items in question—usually within 30 days—unless they consider your dispute frivolous. They also must forward all relevant data you provide about the dispute to the information provider (normally the credit card company, or other lender). After the information provider receives notice of a dispute from the CRA, it must investigate, review all relevant information provided by the CRA, and report the results back to the CRA. If the information provider finds the disputed information to be inaccurate, it must notify all nationwide CRAs so they can correct this information in your file.

 

Disputed information that cannot be verified must be deleted from your file.

 

If your report contains erroneous information, the CRA must correct it.

 

If an item is incomplete, the CRA must complete it. For example, if your file showed that you were late making payments, but failed to show that you were no longer delinquent, the CRA must show that you’re current.

 

If your file shows an account that belongs only to another person, the CRA must delete it.

 

When the reinvestigation is complete, the CRA must give you the written results and a free copy of your report if the dispute results in a change. If an item is changed or removed, the CRA cannot put the disputed information back in your file unless the information provider verifies its accuracy and completeness, and the CRA gives you a written notice that includes the name, address, and phone number of the provider.

 

Also, if you request, the CRA must send notices of corrections to anyone who received your report in the past six months. Job applicants can have a corrected copy of their report sent to anyone who received a copy during the past two years for employment purposes. If a reinvestigation does not resolve your dispute, ask the CRA to include your statement of the dispute in your file and in future reports.