Your Credit: Disputing Inaccurate Information In Your Credit Report

Disputing Inaccurate Information In Your Credit Report

You have the right to request a free credit report once a year from each of the three major credit reporting agencies (CRAs): Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You can use this form to request a credit report by mail.

[Photo] If you find an error in your credit report, you have the right to dispute the information with the appropriate credit reporting agency (CRA) and the creditor that is reporting the inaccurate information. CRAs are required to remove or correct inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information within 30 days. Things to keep an eye out for include:

Problems due to identity theft. Identity theft is the most common cause of complaints filed with the Federal Trade Commission. If you have been the victim of identity theft, you should immediately place a fraud alert on your credit reports to prevent the identity thief from opening any more accounts in your name. To place a fraud alert, contact any of the three CRAs using the phone numbers or Web site links provided below. The company you call is required to contact the other two, which will place an alert on their versions of your report, too.
- Equifax: 1-877-576-5734; www.alerts.equifax.com
- Experian: 1-888-397-3742; www.experian.com/fraud
- TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com
Problems due to mistaken identity. It’s not uncommon for CRAs to mix up the accounts of two people, especially in the case of people with similar names, addresses, and/or Social Security numbers. If the other person has bad credit, this can cause negative information to appear on your report.
Obsolete entries.In most cases, a consumer reporting agency may not report negative information that is more than seven years old, or bankruptcies that are more than 10 years old.
Inaccurate information following a bankruptcy discharge. After you receive a bankruptcy discharge, your credit report should reflect this fact, and your balances should be listed as zero. If this information is not recorded accurately, it can make it difficult for you to begin rebuilding your credit.

If you find an error you need to dispute, our self-help tools can help get you started on the process.

Credit Reporting Agency Addresses

Equifax
P.O. Box 740256
Atlanta, Georgia 30374

Experian
P.O. Box 9532
Allen, Texas 75013

TransUnion
P.O. Box 6790
Fullerton, CA 92834