Credit reports sometimes contain mistakes — and errors can lower your score or cost you a loan approval. You have a federal right to dispute inaccurate information and have it corrected.
Common credit report errors:
- Accounts that are not yours.
- Incorrect balances or credit limits.
- Payments reported late that you made on time.
- Duplicate accounts.
- Old negative items that should have aged off.
- Accounts opened by identity theft.
How to dispute an error:
- Get your credit report so you can see exactly what is being reported. See how to get a free copy of your credit report.
- Identify the error and gather supporting documents (statements, payment confirmations, letters).
- File a dispute with the credit bureau reporting the error — online, by mail, or by phone. Each of the three bureaus is separate, so dispute with each one that shows the error.
- Also notify the furnisher — the lender or company that reported the information.
- Wait for the investigation. The bureau generally has about 30 days to investigate and respond.
- Review the result. If the item is corrected, request an updated report. If the dispute is denied, you can add a statement to your file or escalate.
Keep copies of everything you send and receive. If the error is the result of identity theft, also see what to do if you are a victim of identity theft.