Dispute credit report errors by pulling your free report at AnnualCreditReport.com, identifying the specific inaccurate item, and filing a dispute online with the bureau that reported the error — bureaus must investigate within 30 days under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and correct or remove inaccurate items.
The FTC found that approximately 1 in 5 consumers has at least one error on a credit report that could affect their score. Common errors include: accounts that don't belong to you (possible identity theft or bureau mix-up), payments incorrectly marked late, accounts discharged in bankruptcy still showing active balances, duplicate collections (the same debt listed twice), and accounts with wrong balances or credit limits. Correcting a material error can produce one of the largest one-time score improvements available without any new credit activity.
AnnualCreditReport.com is the only federally authorized source for free reports from all three bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Under the FCRA (and a permanent extension from the pandemic-era policy), consumers can access free weekly reports from each bureau. The CFPB recommends reviewing all three — the same error isn't always on every bureau, and disputes must be filed with each bureau separately.
Review each section: personal information (name, address, SSN), accounts (open and closed), inquiries, and public records. For each error you find, note: the creditor name, account number, the specific incorrect information, and what the correct information should be. Gather any supporting documents — bank statements showing the payment was made, a bankruptcy discharge notice, a letter from a creditor confirming the debt is not yours.
Each bureau has an online dispute portal:
You can also file by mail (with documentation). Online is typically faster. File with each bureau that is reporting the error — even if the underlying data comes from the creditor, the bureau must investigate.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires bureaus to investigate consumer disputes within 30 days (45 days if you send additional information during the period). The bureau contacts the creditor or data furnisher, which must investigate and respond. If the item cannot be verified as accurate, it must be corrected or removed. You receive written results of the investigation and, if a correction is made, a free updated credit report. Per the CFPB, the corrected information applies to all future reports from that bureau.
If a bureau says the item was verified as accurate but you believe it's wrong: (1) dispute directly with the original creditor or data furnisher — they are separately obligated under the FCRA to investigate; (2) add a 100-word consumer statement to your credit file explaining your position — this appears whenever the report is pulled; (3) file a complaint with the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint — the CFPB routes complaints to the bureau and has enforcement authority; (4) consult a consumer law attorney, as private right of action exists under the FCRA for willful or negligent non-compliance.
Accurate, verifiable negative information cannot be removed from your credit report before the FCRA reporting period (7 years for most items, 10 years for Chapter 7 bankruptcy). Any company claiming to remove accurate negative items for a fee is violating the Credit Repair Organizations Act, per the FTC.