How to Remove Lines of Credit From a Report

Removing items from your credit report is difficult and takes perseverance. It is important to make sure your credit report is accurate, since its contents can have a great impact on your life. Lines of credit often appear on your credit report as fully funded, even if they are not. Also, if you've refinanced your line of credit, it might appear as numerous debts when it is one and the same debt. While accurate credit cannot be removed form your credit report, consider a few steps to take to request the removal of duplicate or incorrectly reported lines of credit.

Instructions

1

Order an all-in-one credit report from all three credit reporting agencies online at AnnualCreditReport.com, or write to each credit bureau. Provide a copy of your identification, along with your name, addresses and employer information for the past five years, Social Security number and birth date.

Equifax Inc.
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374
(888) 685-1111
equifax.com

TransUnion
2 Baldwin Place
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19022
(800) 888-4213
transunion.com

Experian
P.O. Box 9595
Allen, TX 75013
(888) 397-3742
experian.com

2

Examine all three credit reports for repeat entries or incorrect accounts. Make sure your line of credit is not being reported as a fully funded loan if you haven't drawn the balance to the maximum. Also, if your line of credit has been refinanced, check to ensure that it is not being reported as separate accounts. This could reduce your credit score.

3

Report disputes using the online dispute process from each credit-reporting agency. Disputes will trigger an investigation of your account, and credit bureaus have a window of 30 days to make contact with your creditor and validate your claim. If the 30 days pass without a resolution or verification, the account must be removed from your credit report. If changes have been made to your credit report, you will receive a free, updated report.

4

Ask your lender to cease reporting your line of credit to all three credit bureaus. If you have handled your account responsibly, your line has been paid in full, or your account has been reported incorrectly, your lender may consider your request.