Jan 23, 2015
Disputing Credit Report Errors
Your credit report contains information about where you live, your payment history on your loans, whether you have been sued or arrested, and even if you have filed for bankruptcy or had some other type of credit issue. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) promotes the accuracy and privacy of information in the files of the nation’s credit reporting companies. But, it is not a perfect system!
If you notice that something is inaccurate on your credit report, you need to take care of it as soon as you can. Your credit report is your financial reputation. Take these steps to dispute an error:
1. Tell the credit bureau that generated the report about the error. The credit bureau must investigate the item(s) in question within 30 days unless they consider your dispute to be “frivolous.” To dispute any item, include the following information in a letter sent to the bureau by certified mail (“return receipt requested”) so you can document that the credit bureau received it:
- Your complete na
me and correct address - Clearly identify each item you dispute
- State the facts and explain why you dispute the information
- Request the deletion or correction of items
- Include any documentation needed to support your claim(s) (be sure to only include copies of the documentation)
me and correct address2.Write to the appropriate creditor or other information provider, explaining that you are disputing the information provided to the bureau. Again, include copies of documents that support your position in this letter and be sure to provide the address where you would like to receive returned correspondence from them. By law, if the provider again reports the same information to a bureau, it must include a notice of your dispute. You should also request that the provider copy you on any correspondence given to the bureau regarding your situation. In most instances, this process will take between 30 and 90 days to complete.
Additionally, some of the credit bureaus are now asking that you provide the written dispute online; in fact, Experian only accepts online disputes at this time. Review the information below if you need to dispute any credit report inaccuracies at this time:
Experian:
https://www.experian.com/consumer/cac/InvalidateSession.do?code=CDIRESELLER&rid=R004
Transunion:
http://www.transunion.com/personal-credit/credit-disputes/credit-disputes.page
Equifax:
1-866-238-8067
Equifax Disputes
P.O. Box 740256
Atlanta, GA 30374-0256
If you have any issues you would like to bring to TCCU’s attention or need help along the way, please do not hesitate to contact us at (940)851-4000.