Disputing Errors

An error on your credit history could harm your ability to qualify for a loan or a credit card. Errors may occur when data is compiled or updated or when someone fraudulently opens an account in your name. This is referred to as “identity theft”.

Contact the Credit Repositories

To dispute an error, you will need to contact the appropriate creditor. If the creditor can't fix the error, you should obtain a current credit report from each of the three credit repositories. By law, upon your request, the repositories must provide you with one free copy of your credit report once a year.  You can call, write or order your report online from the following repositories:

Equifax Credit Information Services
Web: www.equifax.com
Phone: 800-685-1111
Address: P.O. Box 74024
Atlanta, GA 30374-0241

TransUnion, LLC
Web: www.transunion.com
Phone: 800-916-8800
Address: P.O. Box 1000
Chester, PA 19022-2000

Experian Information Solutions, Inc.
Web: www.experian.com
Phone: 888-397-3742
The address to write in for your report depends on your situation. If you have been turned down for credit, insurance or employment, the address is: P.O. Box 9600, Allen, TX 75013.  If you are on welfare, unemployed but job-hunting, or believe you have been a victim of credit fraud, the address is: P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013.

Resolutions

You'll usually hear back from the credit repositories in 30 days or less. If the report was in error and was fixed with your request, you can have the credit reporting company send the corrected report to anyone who received the inaccurate report in the past six months (or two years in the case of employers).

If the disputed information is found to be accurate, only the passage of time will result in its removal. Credit repositories are permitted by law to report bankruptcies for 10 years and other negative information for seven years.

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