How to Dispute an Error on Your Credit Report (Step by Step, for Free)

An error on your credit report can lower your score and get you denied for a loan — or charged a higher rate. The good news: in the United States you have the right to dispute inaccurate information, it’s free, and you can do it yourself without paying anyone.

The most common credit report errors

• Accounts that aren’t yours (mixed up with someone else, or from identity theft).
• Late payments you actually made on time.
• Paid-off debts still showing a balance.
• The same debt reported twice.
• Mistakes in your name, address or ID number.
• Negative information that’s too old and should already be gone.

First: get your free reports

Download your reports from all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) at AnnualCreditReport.com, the official site. Check all three — each bureau can have different information.

How to dispute an error, step by step

1. Gather your proof

Statements, payment receipts, letters from the lender, ID, or a police report in the case of identity theft. Always send copies, never originals.

2. File a dispute with the credit bureau

File with every bureau that shows the error. You can do it:

• online, on each bureau’s website (the fastest option);
• by mail, with a letter explaining what’s wrong and why, plus your proof (send it with tracking);
• by phone.

Be specific: identify the account, explain the error and say what correction you want.

3. Contact the company that reported it, too

That’s the bank, card issuer or collection agency that supplied the information (the “furnisher”). If they fix it at the source, it gets fixed at every bureau.

4. Wait for the investigation

By law, the bureau generally must investigate within about 30 days (it can be extended in some cases) and send you the results in writing. If the information changes, you’ll get an updated copy of your report.

5. Review the outcome

• If it’s fixed: check that the change appears on all three reports.
• If it isn’t: you can ask the bureau to add a statement of dispute to your file, send new evidence, or file a complaint with the CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau) at consumerfinance.gov.

What if it’s identity theft?

Act quickly:

1. Report it at IdentityTheft.gov (run by the FTC), which helps you build a recovery plan.
2. Place a free fraud alert: contact one bureau, and it will notify the other two.
3. Consider a free credit freeze at all three bureaus so no one can open accounts in your name.
4. Dispute each fraudulent account using the steps above.

What can’t be removed

Negative but accurate information can’t be removed early. In general:

• late payments and collection accounts can stay up to 7 years;
• a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, up to 10 years.

Be wary of “credit repair” companies that promise to erase accurate information for an upfront fee. Anything they can legally do, you can do yourself for free.

Live in Canada or the UK?

• Canada: dispute errors directly with Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada.
• United Kingdom: ask Experian, Equifax and TransUnion to correct the error and, if they won’t, add a notice of correction to your file.

FAQ

Will disputing an error lower my score? No. Filing a dispute doesn’t affect your score. If the error is corrected, your score may go up.

How much does it cost to dispute? Nothing. Disputes with the credit bureaus are free.

How often should I check my report? At least once a year, and always before applying for a big loan like a mortgage or car loan.

If you’re building your history from zero, also read how to build credit in the U.S. from scratch.

This article is for educational purposes only and is not legal or financial advice. Timelines and procedures can change; check official sources from the CFPB and each bureau. Read our Disclaimer.