How do I dispute a credit report error?

File a free dispute directly with the credit bureau that shows the error (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion) online, by mail, or by phone, and separately with the lender or creditor that furnished the incorrect data. By law, bureaus must investigate within 30 days.

Errors on your credit report are more common than most people realize. A 2021 Consumer Reports study found that 34% of participants had at least one error. Disputing inaccuracies is free, legally protected under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and can result in meaningful score improvements when errors are corrected.

Step 1: Pull your credit reports

Go to AnnualCreditReport.gov — the only federally authorized free report site. Pull all three bureau reports (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). An error may appear on one, two, or all three, depending on which lenders report to which bureaus.

Step 2: Identify the error type

• Identity errors: Wrong name, address, SSN, or an account that belongs to someone else (mixed files or identity theft).
• Account status errors: Account listed as open when it's closed, or as delinquent when you were current.
• Balance / limit errors: Wrong balance or credit limit reported, inflating your utilization ratio.
• Duplicate accounts: Same debt listed twice, often after a debt sale.
• Outdated negatives: Negative items still on the report past the 7-year FCRA limit (10 years for Chapter 7 bankruptcy).

Step 3: File the dispute with the bureau

1. Online: Equifax (equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/), Experian (experian.com/disputes/), TransUnion (transunion.com/credit-disputes/). Fastest route — bureaus must acknowledge within 5 business days.
2. By mail: Send a certified letter with your dispute, a copy of your report with the item highlighted, and copies (not originals) of any supporting documents. The CFPB provides a dispute letter template.
3. By phone: Each bureau has a dispute line; online or mail is preferred because it creates a paper trail.
4. Include: your full name, address, account number, a clear description of the error, and why it's wrong.

Step 4: Also dispute with the data furnisher

Under the FCRA, you can dispute directly with the lender or creditor that provided the incorrect information. Send a written dispute to the furnisher's address listed on your credit report. This is especially effective for balance and payment history errors, because the furnisher holds the original records.

Step 5: Track the investigation timeline

The FCRA requires bureaus to complete their investigation within 30 days (45 days if you send additional information during the investigation). They must notify you of the result in writing and provide a free updated report if an error is corrected. If the bureau sides with the furnisher, you can add a 100-word consumer statement to your file and escalate to the CFPB complaint portal or consult a consumer protection attorney — FCRA violations can result in damages and attorney's fees paid by the bureau.

You don't need a credit repair company

Credit repair companies charge $50–$150 per month to dispute errors on your behalf. Anything they can legally do, you can do yourself for free. The FTC warns that companies promising to remove accurate information are operating illegally — no one can legally remove accurate, timely data before the FCRA retention period expires.

Your FCRA rights

• Under the FCRA, credit bureaus must investigate disputes within 30 days (or 45 days if additional information is submitted) and correct or delete inaccurate or unverifiable information. — FTC — Fair Credit Reporting Act
• Consumers can dispute errors directly with credit bureaus free of charge; the CFPB provides sample dispute letters and an online complaint portal. — CFPB
• Most negative information must be removed from your credit report after 7 years; Chapter 7 bankruptcy stays on for 10 years. — FTC — Fair Credit Reporting Act

Key takeaways

• Pull all three bureau reports free at AnnualCreditReport.gov — errors often appear on only one.
• File disputes online, by certified mail, or by phone directly with the bureau and the data furnisher.
• Bureaus must investigate within 30 days and notify you of the result in writing.
• You don't need a credit repair company — everything they do, you can do free.
• If a bureau ignores valid disputes, escalate to the CFPB complaint portal or consult a consumer attorney.

Related

• How do you read your credit report?
• How do I remove a collection from my credit report?
• How do you dispute credit report errors?
• What affects your credit score?
• How do you improve your credit score?
• How do you check your credit score for free?

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