How to Dispute a Mark Against My Credit

Your credit history is an important part of your financial picture. It dictates your ability to make large purchases, such as a home or car. For this reason, regular checks of your credit report are important to guard against errors and information that should no longer be there. Another key reason to frequently check your credit is to determine if you need to dispute any marks against your credit that you feel should be there.

Instructions

1

Send a dispute letter to the credit reporting agency. The three major reporting agencies are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Depending on which report you pulled, draft a letter to the reporting agency stating that you are disputing a mark against your credit report. Include a copy of your credit report with the information properly highlighted and detail in your letter why you are filing the dispute. Make sure you are direct and concise in your letter.

2

Contact the company that listed the mark against your credit. If it is an error they are willing to correct, they can also submit a letter to the credit reporting agency. However, if they are disputing your claims, then the onus is on you to show proof to the contrary. For example, if it is regarding a bill you know you paid in full, providing a receipt to the company stating the account is resolved may be enough to have them remove the negative report.

3

Ask for the correct paperwork. Not only should the company provide you with a written account of your debt, but also the way in which they came to the final amount and a verification that the debt does indeed belong to you. This information must be submitted to the credit reporting agency in order for the debt to remain on your report.

4

Wait the proper amount of time for the investigation to take place. The Fair Credit Reporting Act states that the credit reporting agency has 30 days in which to investigate your claim and to here from both sides before rendering a decision. If they find in your favor, the negative mark should be subsequently removed. However, if not, then you must persuade the company reporting the negative mark to submit a letter asking for it to be removed.