Errors on Credit Reports - How to Dispute Them

By Rebecca Johnson

Based on the FCRA, anyone has the right to dispute errors in their credit report. Because of this people will get protected against identity theft and fraud. In other cases where the report contains illegitimate charges, you can alert the credit bureaus and respective creditors about this.

Your creditors are the ones responsible for reporting your credit details to the credit bureaus and you need to understand it. It is not rare if there is an error on your report. It might be a product of inaccurate reports from your creditors. There are many instances where some people experience this kind of problem. This is the reason why everyone is encouraged to get a copy of their report at least two times a year.

What do you do if you discover some errors in your report? How can you dispute it totally?

How can You Dispute Credit Report Mistakes

When you are truly sure that your dispute is ACCURATE, you have to write a dispute letter. If you don't know how, you can always search the web for some free examples. This can guide you in writing a very effective dispute letter. Don't try to fill out the blanks of the actual sample and send that as your dispute letter. To tell you frankly, it is not efficient.

Credit Bureaus get hundreds, or even thousands of letters and some of them are just bogus ones. When you write your letter, your main goal is to get a response so that you can mend the errors. Write your dispute letter in your own words. Just use the sample as your guideline. This is a vital information.

You have to point out the items that you want to fix. This doesn't have to be formal at all. Nevertheless remember that you SHOULD still do it professionally and be courteous. When you're finished writing the letter, be sure you check and re-read your letter. Make the necessary corrections and seal it in an envelope.

To make it easier to check the mistakes, add a copy of your report and highlight the details you're complaining about. If you have a dispute about your bills, attach a copy of the particular receipts. Then, you can send it by using post mail.

Bureaus will need the time to look into the matter. That's why normally, it may take up to 30 days before you get a answer. You will know if your issue was resolved or not once you get it. They will also send you a duplicate of your latest updated report.

You won't have to pay for this one. For the changes made in your credit report, the other 2 major credit bureaus will be informed by the Bureau that handled the investigation.

Some problems are not resolved, mainly because the creditor discards or disproves the disputes. When this happens, you can discuss with your creditor about it. For the meantime, you can ask your credit bureau to make a note in your report whenever someone asks for it. Although, remember, you might have to pay for this request.

You see, you don't even have to hire somebody to make a dispute on your credit report. It easy when you know the proper way to go about it and you are well-informed about the legalities. You won't even break a sweat! - 29971

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