Action guide · Credit disputes
How to Dispute a Credit Report Error
If you can identify information on your credit report that you believe is inaccurate or incomplete, use this step-by-step process to document the problem and submit a focused dispute.
Before you begin
A dispute should identify a specific reporting problem. Do not dispute an item solely because it is negative. The CFPB says accurate negative information generally cannot simply be removed through the dispute process, while consumers have the right to dispute inaccurate or incomplete information for free.
1. Identify the exact report and error
Note which credit reporting company shows the information. Record the report or confirmation number if available, the company furnishing the information, the account identifier, and the exact field you believe is wrong. If the same problem appears on more than one bureau's report, treat each report deliberately rather than assuming one submission automatically fixes every file.
2. Write down what it says and what should change
Be specific. For example: identify the payment month reported late, the balance you believe is incorrect, the account that does not belong to you, or the status that conflicts with your records. State the correction or removal you are requesting and why.
3. Gather supporting documents
Use documents that directly support your position: statements, payment records, correspondence, account-closing documents, identity-theft records, or other relevant evidence. The CFPB recommends including copies rather than originals. A copy of the report with the disputed item marked can also make the issue easier to locate.
4. Prepare the dispute for the credit reporting company
CFPB guidance for a mailed dispute says to include your contact information, report confirmation number if available, each error and relevant account number, a clear explanation of why the information is disputed, the correction or removal requested, the relevant report section, and copies of supporting documents.
You may dispute through methods the credit reporting company makes available, including online, mail, or phone. If you mail the dispute, CFPB notes that certified mail with a return receipt can create a record that it was received.
5. Dispute with the furnisher too
The furnisher is the company that supplied the information to the credit reporting company - for example, a bank, lender, landlord, or other company. CFPB and FTC guidance recommends contacting both the credit reporting company and the business that supplied the disputed information. Keep your explanation focused on the same specific inaccuracy and retain copies of what you send.
6. Keep a dispute file
Save the report you reviewed, your dispute text or letter, supporting documents, submission confirmations, postal receipts if applicable, and every response. Record the dates. This gives you a clean history if you need to understand the result or follow up later.
7. Track the investigation period
A credit reporting company generally must investigate within 30 days. In some circumstances the period can extend to 45 days. CFPB says the company generally has five business days after completing the investigation to notify you of the results.
8. Read the result before deciding what to do next
Compare the result and updated report with the exact correction you requested. If information changed, verify that the change actually addresses the error. If it did not change, read the explanation and determine whether you have new relevant evidence or whether another remedy is appropriate.
9. Know when a CFPB complaint fits
If your complaint concerns inaccurate or incomplete information at a credit reporting agency, CFPB's current complaint instructions say you generally must first dispute the information directly with that agency. CFPB also instructs consumers not to submit that complaint while the dispute is still pending or before the applicable waiting period has passed.
DIY dispute checklist
- I can state exactly what information I believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
- I know which credit report contains the problem.
- I can explain what the information currently says and what correction I am requesting.
- I gathered copies of relevant supporting records.
- I am keeping copies and dates for everything I submit and receive.
- I understand that a dispute is not a promise that accurate negative information will be removed.
Prefer a letter format?
The CFPB publishes sample dispute letters for credit reporting companies and information furnishers.