How to Dispute Negative Credit Hits

When potential creditors---and other companies from which you're applying for credit---request or "pull" your credit report, this is known as a "hard" credit inquiry or hit. Credit inquiries get listed near the bottom of your credit report and stay on your report for two years. Too many "hard" credit inquiries can result in denials of legitimate credit applications. You may have "hard" credit inquiries listed on your credit report which you did not authorize. Since the Fair Credit Reporting Act stipulates that you must give written authorization to any company wanting to review your credit, you can dispute inquiries which you did not authorize and get them removed from your report.

Instructions

1

Go to annualcreditreport.com and order all three of your free, annual credit reports from Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. Alternately, mail a copy of the written proof that you have been denied credit to the credit bureau and ask the bureau to mail your credit report to you.

2

Review the inquiries listed at the bottom of your credit report. Ignore the "soft" credit inquiries listed, which get listed when you, the credit bureau or existing creditors pull your credit report.

3

Make a list of "hard" credit inquiries listed on each report form from each bureau. Write down the names, and addresses if listed, of the companies who have performed those credit inquiries. Write down only the inquiries for which you did not give permission to the company to look at your credit report or for those which you don't remember. Call the credit bureau and ask for the address of the company if it is not listed on the credit report.

4

Type a business letter to the company with which you want to dispute the negative credit hit. Explain to the company that you found the company's name listed in the inquiry section of your credit report. Give the name of the credit bureau on which the inquiry appears. Tell the company that you do not remember giving authorizing to review your credit and request that the company send you written proof that you initiated or requested the company to review your credit. Tell the company that if it does not send you proof of the authorization---or that if it does not keep records of such requests and cannot provide verification---then you would like it to remove the credit inquiry from your credit report immediately. You can also ask them to send you written confirmation of the removal.

5

Make a copy of the letter and store it for your records in a safe place.

6

Send the letter to the company via certified mail or return receipt-requested so that you can have confirmation that the company received your correspondence.

7

Wait for an answer from the company with which you're disputing the negative credit hit. Call the company or creditor if you have not received a formal reply within a sufficient amount of time---such as 30 to 45 days---and demand that the company remove the credit inquiry from your report.