Credit Dispute Letter
You are planning to get a new loan. So you decide to get a copy of your credit report to keep track of your credit. But after checking, you see something’s wrong. Is there a credit dispute letter you can use to fix it?
There are no error-free credit reports. That’s why you need to check it regularly since a single mistake might hurt your credit score. Once you spot an error or errors, it’s better to resolve it right away. The best way to do so is by sending a credit dispute letter to the credit reporting agency.
What Is A Credit Dispute Letter?
It is a letter you send to the credit bureau stating the wrong items you found on your credit report and requesting the removal of such errors. You just need to explain in the letter why you think there are incorrect items on your account. And why you would like to remove them.
You also need to supply supporting documents on your claim for further proof. It helps resolve the dispute in your favor.
What Can You Dispute On Your Credit Report?
There are many things you can dispute on your credit report. Some of the common issues you can dispute are:
- A new account opened using your name because of identity theft
- Late payment even though you have records of paying on time
- Bankruptcy even if you have never filed for it or if it remains after seven to 10 years
- Unremoved foreclosures after seven years
You might also have wrong information about your identification, such as your name or address, which you can dispute. Even if it doesn’t affect your credit score, you must request it be corrected for the accuracy of your record.
But there are some issues you can’t change or dispute unless you have documents as proof.
Things To Include In Your Dispute Letter
Now that you have decided to send a credit dispute letter. You need to identify your credit report to the credit bureau first. After that, you can provide your information on the error and explain why you want to dispute them. And then, you can finally request to remove the incorrect item from your credit report.
To help you out, here are the things you should include in your credit dispute letter:
- Current date
- Personal information (name, current address, birth date, and contact details)
- Credit bureau’s contact details
- Brief description about the wrong information on your credit report
- Supporting documents you have attached with the letter to further your claim (payment records, court documents, etc.)
- Your request of what you want the credit bureau to do regarding the error (e.g., request for them to make an investigation and then remove the wrong item/s)
- Attached copy of the credit report highlighting the error
- Scanned copy of a government-issued ID for address verification
Sample Credit Dispute Letter
[Your Name]
[Your Street Address]
[Your City, State, and Zip Code]
[Current Date]
[Company Name]
[Company’s Street Address]
[City, State, and Zip Code]
Dear Sir or Madam:
I am writing to dispute the following information in my credit report. The items are highlighted in the attached copy of the report.
This/these item/s [write the item/s you want to dispute, identify the item type if it is a credit account, judgment, etc.] is/are [inaccurate or incomplete] because [explain further why the items are incorrect or incomplete].
I would like to request the following item/s to be removed and correct the information on my credit report.
Attached with this letter are the copies of my [mentioned the applicable documents you have attached with the letter, such as payment records, court documents, etc.] to support my claim. Please process reinvestigation of this/these matter/s and correct/delete the disputed item/s as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
For additional reference, here are the three primary credit bureaus’ addresses where you can send your credit dispute letter.
Equifax
PO Box 740256
Atlanta, GA 30374-0256
Experian
PO Box 9701
Allen, TX 75013
TransUnion
PO Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016
Please make sure you keep copies of the records you send to the credit bureaus for proper documentation. Feel free to use our guide whenever you need to send a credit dispute letter to correct or remove incorrect items on your credit report.
What To Do Next?
You have to wait for the credit bureaus to process your dispute. Usually, it takes 30 days for them to do the investigation needed upon receiving your dispute letter. And within 90 days, they should have wrapped up the investigation and notified you of the result.
In some cases, the process takes longer. They might ask you for additional information to proceed with the investigation. In the worst case, they might reject your claim if they see no valid reason to remove or correct the items you think are incorrect.
You can try to send another request, especially if you think you are right with your claim. Just edit your letter and send it again. Even if you got rejected the first time, there are still chances to resolve your dispute on your second or third attempt.
The whole dispute process takes a lot of time and effort. So if you need help, 007 Credit Agent is here to assist you. Please contact us if you need help with removing the negative items on your credit report. Our credit repair specialists will dispute them for you.