The information included on your credit report may be inaccurate, Perhaps you got married and have changed your name, or the information of someone with a similar name as yours may be mixed with yours. Identity theft may also lead to a credit report error.
So, what can you do when you realize this?
Contact the respective credit bureau
If you notice inaccurate information on your credit report, contact the respective bureau. This can be straightforward since the three nationwide credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) have online dispute forms that you can fill out and submit.
If you don’t want to use the online route, all the bureaus accept disputes by mail. However, ensure you follow their instructions. For example, Experian does not send back documents sent by mail. Thus, you should not send original documents – only include copies of the requested documents.
The bureau will then send your documents to the business that supplied the disputed information for an investigation. Once the investigation is complete, which usually takes 30 days, the business will provide the bureau with the results. The bureau will send you the results in writing.
If the investigation proves the information on your report is inaccurate, the business will notify all bureaus to make the necessary changes.
Contact the business
You can also contact the business that reported the inaccurate information on your report. The company will investigate your case and send you the results directly. If changes need to be made to your credit report, it will notify the credit bureaus.
Correcting a credit report error can be challenging. Your request may be denied, or you may be asked to send additional evidence to support your request. Consider legal guidance to make the process more manageable.
