An error on a credit report can affect a person’s ability to obtain a credit card, car loan, mortgage, apartment, insurance policy or even certain jobs.
Common mistakes include accounts belonging to another person, payments incorrectly marked late, duplicate debts, inaccurate balances and fraudulent accounts created through identity theft.
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, consumers have the right to dispute information they believe is inaccurate or incomplete. The dispute process is free, and both the credit-reporting company and the business that supplied the information have responsibilities for investigating valid disputes.
Step 1: Get Your Credit Reports
Start by reviewing your reports from the three nationwide credit-reporting companies:
- Equifax
- Experian
- TransUnion
The reports may not contain exactly the same information because a lender or other business may report an account to one company but not the others.
Free weekly online credit reports are currently available from all three companies through AnnualCreditReport.com, the federally authorized website for requesting these reports.
Consumers may also request their reports by telephone or mail through the official Annual Credit Report service.
Be careful with websites that use similar names. Some may advertise a free report but attempt to sell credit monitoring or another subscription. The FTC identifies AnnualCreditReport.com as the official website authorized to provide the free reports available under federal law.
Step 2: Review Every Section Carefully
Do not check only the credit score or account balances. Review the complete report from top to bottom.
Important sections can include:
- Personal information
- Current and previous addresses
- Employment information
- Open accounts
- Closed accounts
- Payment history
- Account balances
- Credit limits
- Collection accounts
- Public-record information
- Recent credit inquiries
Personal-information errors may appear harmless, but an unfamiliar name or address could indicate that another person’s information has been mixed with yours.
Compare each account with your own statements and records.
Common Credit-Report Errors
Errors can take several forms.
Accounts that do not belong to you
An unfamiliar account may belong to someone with a similar name, a relative or an identity thief.
Before disputing it, check whether the account appears under the name of the bank that issued a store credit card. A retail card may be listed under the issuing bank’s name rather than the store’s name.
Payments incorrectly marked late
A payment may appear 30, 60 or 90 days late even though it was made on time.
Bank statements, payment confirmations and account histories can help demonstrate when the payment was submitted.
Incorrect account balances
A report might display an outdated balance, an incorrect credit limit or a debt that was already paid.
Remember that balances may not update immediately after each payment. Check the date on which the account information was last reported before assuming it is incorrect.
Duplicate accounts
The same debt may appear more than once, especially after an account is transferred or sold to a collection company.
The appearance of both the original creditor and a collection account is not automatically an error. However, the balances and account statuses should accurately show what happened.
Closed accounts listed as open
An account that you closed may still appear as active, or an account closed by a lender may incorrectly state that you requested the closure.
Someone else’s information
A report may contain an address, account or personal detail belonging to another person with a similar name or Social Security number.
Outdated negative information
Most negative information generally cannot remain on a standard credit report forever. However, different reporting periods can apply depending on the type of information and circumstances.
Do not assume an item is outdated simply because the account is several years old. Confirm the relevant reporting period before disputing it.
Identity-theft accounts
An account, loan or collection you never opened may be the result of identity theft. Identity-theft cases can require additional steps beyond an ordinary credit-report dispute.
Step 3: Mark Every Error
Create a working copy of each report and clearly mark every disputed item.
For each error, write down:
- The name of the credit-reporting company
- The creditor or company reporting the information
- The account number shown on the report
- The exact information that is incorrect
- Why it is incorrect
- What correction you are requesting
- Which documents support your position
Handle each error separately. A statement such as “my report is wrong” may not provide enough information for a proper investigation.
A clear dispute might say:
The report lists the May 2026 payment as 30 days late. The payment was made on May 3, 2026, before the due date. Please correct the payment history to show that the account was paid on time.
Specific explanations make it easier for the investigator to understand the problem.
Step 4: Gather Supporting Documents
Collect documents that support each dispute.
Depending on the error, useful records may include:
- Bank statements
- Canceled checks
- Payment confirmations
- Account statements
- Loan documents
- Settlement letters
- Court orders
- Identity-theft reports
- Police reports
- Correspondence with the creditor
- Proof that an account was closed
- Proof of your identity and address
- A copy of the credit report with the error highlighted
Send copies, not original documents. Keep the originals in a safe place.
The CFPB and FTC recommend clearly identifying each error, explaining why it is disputed and including copies of relevant supporting documents.
Step 5: Dispute the Error With the Credit-Reporting Company
Submit the dispute to every credit-reporting company displaying the incorrect information.
For example, when an error appears on Equifax and TransUnion but not Experian, send disputes to Equifax and TransUnion.
Consumers can generally submit disputes online, by telephone or by mail. A written dispute can be particularly useful when the issue is complicated or requires several supporting documents.
A mailed dispute should include:
- Your complete name
- Your current address
- Your telephone number
- The credit-report confirmation number, when available
- The creditor’s name
- The account number shown on the report
- A description of each error
- An explanation of why the information is wrong
- A request for correction or deletion
- A copy of the report with the item marked
- Copies of supporting evidence
The CFPB suggests using certified mail with a return receipt when mailing a dispute so the consumer has evidence that it was received.
Sample Credit-Report Dispute Letter
Date
Your full name
Your address
City, state and ZIP code
Credit-reporting company name
Dispute address
To whom it may concern:
I am writing to dispute inaccurate information appearing on my credit report.
The disputed item is associated with [creditor or company name] and account number [account number as displayed on the report].
The report currently states [describe the incorrect information]. This information is inaccurate because [briefly explain why it is wrong].
I am requesting that the item be [corrected or removed]. I have enclosed a copy of the relevant section of my credit report and copies of documents supporting my dispute.
Please investigate this matter and send me the results in writing.
Sincerely,
Your name
Enclosures:
[List the enclosed documents]
Use a separate section for each disputed account when submitting several errors in one letter.
Step 6: Dispute the Information With the Furnisher
Do not contact only the credit bureau.
You should also dispute the information directly with the company that supplied it. This company is often called the information furnisher.
A furnisher may be:
- A bank
- A credit-card issuer
- A mortgage company
- An auto lender
- A student-loan servicer
- A landlord
- A utility company
- A debt collector
The furnisher’s dispute address may appear on the credit report or the company’s website.
Explain the error and provide copies of supporting records. The CFPB recommends sending direct disputes to furnishers in writing and retaining proof of delivery. Furnishers generally must investigate qualifying direct disputes and respond within the applicable investigation period.
When the furnisher determines that information was inaccurate or cannot be verified, it must update or remove the information and notify the credit-reporting companies to which it supplied the data.
Step 7: Keep a Complete Dispute File
Create a folder containing everything related to the dispute.
Keep:
- The original credit reports
- Copies of dispute letters
- Supporting documents
- Postal receipts
- Return receipts
- Online confirmation pages
- Dispute identification numbers
- Emails
- Investigation results
- Updated credit reports
- Notes from telephone conversations
Record the date each dispute was submitted and received.
This timeline will help you determine when a response should arrive and whether further action may be necessary.
How Long Does an Investigation Take?
A credit-reporting company generally must investigate a dispute within 30 days after receiving it.
In some situations, the investigation may take up to 45 days. For example, additional time may apply when the consumer submits relevant new information during the initial investigation period or when the dispute follows a request for a free annual credit report.
After completing the investigation, the company generally has five business days to notify the consumer of the results.
The notification should explain whether the disputed information was:
- Verified as accurate
- Corrected
- Deleted
- Updated in another way
Read the results carefully. A message saying that an investigation is “complete” does not necessarily mean the item was removed.
Can a Credit Bureau Reject a Dispute?
A credit-reporting company is not required to investigate a dispute it reasonably determines is frivolous or irrelevant.
That may happen when a dispute:
- Does not identify the disputed information
- Does not explain what is wrong
- Does not provide enough information to investigate
- Repeats a previous dispute without providing new information
- Makes a broad request to remove all negative information without identifying an actual error
When a company determines that a dispute is frivolous or irrelevant, it must generally notify the consumer within five business days and explain its decision.
Avoid using generic dispute templates that make claims unrelated to your actual records. Provide a factual explanation and relevant evidence.
Step 8: Review the Investigation Results
When the results arrive, compare them with the original report.
Check whether:
- The incorrect balance was changed.
- The late-payment notation was corrected.
- The fraudulent account was removed or blocked.
- The duplicate account was deleted.
- The personal information was corrected.
- All affected credit bureaus updated their reports.
Request or review a fresh copy of the report to confirm that the change appears correctly.
Do not assume that correcting one report automatically corrects the others. Check every report on which the error originally appeared.
What Happens When the Information Is Corrected?
When an investigation finds that information is inaccurate, incomplete or unverifiable, the credit-reporting company must generally correct or delete it.
A furnisher that discovers it provided inaccurate information must send the correction to the credit-reporting companies that received it.
The effect on a credit score will depend on the type of correction and the rest of the consumer’s credit history.
Removing an incorrect late payment may help, while correcting an address may have little or no direct effect on a score. No particular score increase is guaranteed.
What to Do When the Dispute Is Rejected
A rejected dispute does not always mean the information is correct.
First, review the explanation and determine whether the investigator received all relevant evidence.
Possible next steps include:
- Submitting additional documents
- Clarifying the exact error
- Disputing directly with the furnisher
- Asking the creditor to review its own records
- Filing a new dispute based on meaningful new information
- Adding a statement of dispute to the credit file
- Submitting a complaint after the dispute process is complete
- Consulting a consumer-law attorney when the error is serious
Do not repeatedly send the same dispute without new information. A repeated dispute may be considered frivolous when it adds nothing that could change the investigation.
Add a Statement of Dispute
When an investigation does not resolve the issue, consumers can generally ask the credit-reporting company to add a brief statement explaining the dispute to their file.
The statement may then be included or summarized in future reports provided to lenders and other authorized users.
A statement does not remove the account, stop it from affecting credit-scoring calculations or force a lender to agree with the consumer.
Keep the statement factual and concise.
For example:
I dispute the reported late payment for May 2026. My bank records show that the payment was submitted before the due date.
When the Error Results From Identity Theft
An identity-theft account requires urgent action.
Report the theft through IdentityTheft.gov and create an FTC Identity Theft Report. The report can help consumers request that fraudulent information be blocked from their credit files.
To request a block, consumers generally send each affected credit-reporting company:
- An FTC Identity Theft Report
- Proof of identity
- A letter identifying the fraudulent information
- A copy of the credit report with the fraudulent items marked
When the required documentation is provided, the credit-reporting company generally must block qualifying identity-theft information within four business days and notify the business that supplied it.
Consumers should also:
- Contact the business where the fraudulent account was opened.
- Request copies of records connected to the account.
- Change compromised passwords.
- Review financial statements.
- Consider placing credit freezes.
- Continue checking all three reports.
A credit freeze is free and can make it more difficult for an identity thief to open another account. A freeze must be placed separately with each nationwide credit bureau.
Disputing an Error After Credit Is Denied
When a lender denies an application or offers less favorable terms because of information in a credit report, it generally must provide an adverse-action notice.
The notice should identify the credit-reporting company that supplied the report and explain the consumer’s right to request a free copy.
The consumer must request that additional free report within 60 days after receiving the adverse-action notice.
Review the report immediately and dispute any inaccurate information.
Correcting the report does not require the lender to approve the original application. Consumers may need to ask whether the lender will reconsider or submit a new application after the correction is completed.
Disputing a Credit Report Is Not the Same as Disputing a Credit-Card Charge
These are two separate processes.
A credit-report dispute challenges information appearing in a consumer report.
A billing dispute challenges a charge appearing on a credit-card statement. Different laws and deadlines apply to billing errors, including a requirement that certain written billing disputes reach the card issuer within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent.
When an unauthorized transaction also appears incorrectly on a credit report, consumers may need to complete both processes.
Accurate Negative Information Usually Cannot Be Removed Early
Consumers have the right to remove or correct information that is inaccurate, incomplete or unverifiable.
They do not have a general right to delete accurate negative information simply because it lowers their score.
A legitimate late payment, collection or other accurate negative event may remain for the period allowed by law. Companies promising to remove all accurate negative information are making a claim they generally cannot legally fulfill.
Do not file a false identity-theft report or claim that a legitimate account is fraudulent. Disputes should be truthful and supported by available evidence.
Be Careful With Credit-Repair Companies
Consumers can dispute errors themselves for free.
Warning signs of a questionable credit-repair company include:
- Promising a guaranteed score increase
- Claiming it can remove all negative information
- Telling consumers to dispute accurate accounts
- Requesting payment before providing promised services
- Advising consumers to create a new credit identity
- Telling consumers to file a false identity-theft report
- Refusing to explain what work will be performed
The FTC warns that accurate and current negative information cannot legally be removed merely because a company submits a dispute.
Paying a company does not give a consumer additional dispute rights.
When to Submit a CFPB Complaint
Consumers experiencing a continuing problem may be able to submit a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
For complaints about inaccurate or incomplete information, the consumer must first dispute the item directly with the relevant credit-reporting company. The CFPB currently instructs consumers not to submit this type of complaint while the credit bureau’s dispute remains active.
A complaint may be appropriate when:
- More than 45 days have passed without an adequate result.
- The investigation is no longer pending.
- The company did not review submitted evidence.
- Corrected information reappeared.
- The company refused to provide the report.
- The consumer believes the report was used improperly.
- A furnisher continues reporting information it knows is inaccurate.
Include the dispute confirmation, investigation results, supporting documents and a clear explanation of the requested resolution.
When to Consider Legal Help
A consumer-law attorney may be helpful when:
- A serious error remains after repeated documented disputes.
- The error causes a mortgage, housing or employment denial.
- Fraudulent information repeatedly returns.
- A credit-reporting company fails to investigate.
- A furnisher knowingly continues reporting incorrect information.
- The consumer suffers significant financial losses.
- A lawsuit or court judgment is involved.
Federal law may permit consumers to pursue damages and attorney fees in certain cases involving violations, but deadlines and legal requirements apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it cost money to dispute an error?
No. Disputing inaccurate or incomplete information with a credit-reporting company or furnisher is free.
Should I dispute with all three credit bureaus?
Dispute with every bureau displaying the error. When the information appears on only one report, a dispute with that bureau may be sufficient, but the furnisher should also be contacted.
Can I dispute online?
Yes. The nationwide credit-reporting companies accept disputes through online systems, and other methods such as mail or telephone may also be available.
Is mailing better than submitting online?
Neither method is automatically better in every situation.
Online systems may be faster and provide immediate confirmation. Mail can make it easier to submit a detailed explanation and preserve a complete paper record. Use the method that allows you to explain the issue and provide all necessary evidence.
How long does a credit-report dispute take?
A credit-reporting company generally has 30 days to investigate. Certain cases may take up to 45 days, and the company generally has five business days after completing the investigation to provide the result.
Will filing a dispute remove the account immediately?
Not usually. The item may be marked as disputed while the investigation is underway, but it is not automatically deleted merely because a dispute was filed.
Can I dispute an account that I do not recognize?
Yes, but first check whether it is listed under the legal name of a lender, debt buyer or bank that issued a retail card. When it still cannot be identified, contact the company and dispute it if appropriate.
Can I remove a legitimate late payment?
A credit-report dispute is intended to correct inaccurate or incomplete information. An accurate late payment generally cannot be removed simply because it is damaging to the consumer’s score.
What if the account was created through identity theft?
Report the identity theft through IdentityTheft.gov and use the resulting report to request that fraudulent information be blocked.
Can a corrected error return later?
It can sometimes reappear if a furnisher submits the information again. Review future reports and preserve the earlier investigation results so you can show that the item was previously corrected or removed.
Final Takeaway
Correcting a credit-report error begins with carefully reviewing all three reports and identifying the exact information that is wrong.
Dispute the error with both the credit-reporting company and the business that supplied it. Provide a clear explanation, copies of supporting evidence and a specific request for correction or deletion.
Keep complete records and review the investigation results closely. When the error remains unresolved, add new evidence, contact the furnisher again, request a statement of dispute or submit a CFPB complaint after the initial dispute process is complete.
Consumers do not need to pay a credit-repair company to exercise these rights. A detailed, truthful and well-documented dispute is usually the strongest way to correct inaccurate information.
This article provides general educational information and is not legal, financial or credit advice. Rights and procedures may depend on the facts of the dispute and applicable federal or state law.
