How to Contact Credit Bureaus to Correct a Credit Report

When you review your personal credit reports from the three major credit reporting agencies, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, you might encounter errors. It is your obligation to correct these errors if you want to have them changed. Maintaining accurate credit reports is an important element to improving credit scores and having the best chance at a low-interest rate for loans. The credit bureaus are making it easier to contact them to correct errors on credit reports.

Instructions

1

Draft a dispute letter for the credit report error you want corrected. At the top of the letter, type the date you draft the letter followed by your name, address and phone number along with the name of the credit bureau you are writing and its address. Say that you are writing to correct an error on your credit report. Then, write specific information about the mistake you want corrected, including what the credit report currently says and what it should or should not say. Say that you are attaching a copy of your credit report with the mistake circled, and in the body of your letter provide a phone number where you can be reached if someone from the credit bureau needs additional information. Then, thank the bureau representative for his time and sign the letter. Be sure to attach the page of your credit report with the mistake circled if you contact the credit bureau via mail.

2

Mail your dispute letters to the credit bureaus using the dispute addresses for Experian, TransUnion and Equifax (see Resources). According to Bankrate, a separate dispute letter should be written for each issue that needs to be corrected with each credit bureau, because each issue needs to be investigated separately. Each dispute letter should be sealed in a separate envelope. Send each letter by certified mail, return receipt requested, to have a record of the credit bureau's reception of your dispute letters.

3

Telephone the credit bureaus to speak to a live person about your needed corrections (see Resources). Provide the credit bureau representative with your Social Security Number, updated address and phone number along with details about the correction you require.

4

Fill out a form online with the credit bureaus to report your needed corrections (see Resources). On the forms, you will be asked personal information like your Social Security Number, date of birth, phone number and mailing address. You also will be asked about which specific part of your credit report needs correcting and detailed information about why you are seeking a correction. When you are finished filling out the form, click Submit to register your requests.

5

Follow up with the credit reporting agencies about your correction requests, if you don't hear back from them within 30 days. Follow up using the same format you utilized to submit your initial request and ask them again to fix the errors.