How to Dispute a Credit Claim

Your credit report and credit score are extremely important to your financial reputation. Whenever you apply for a loan or a credit card, banks and financial firms will see this information. They check your record to determine an interest rate and whether or not you should be approved for the loan. Potential landlords and employers also request credit reports as part of their background checks; a bad report can cost you a rental home or a job. Therefore, you need the information on your credit report to be fair and accurate. Mistakes are not uncommon, so it's important to check your credit report often and dispute credit claims that are inaccurate.

Instructions

1

Access your free credit report via the AnnualCreditReport.com website. There you can view your credit report for free at least once a year from three separate reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Don't view all three at the same time. Spread them out and view one every three or four months. This is the best way to keep an eye on your credit reports year round.

2

Carefully review each item listed on your credit report. If you see several negative items or a score that is lower than average, it is worth your time to investigate and make sure the information contained within your report is correct.

3

Click on the necessary button to dispute a credit claim you've determined is false. The credit bureaus are busy, so follow-up with necessary forms, letters, and phone calls to the necessary agency in question. This will ensure a timely response.

4

Contact the creditor directly and request that the disputed item be taken off the credit report. Call and speak to a manager before sending in a letter to document that names of people you talked to and action items to resolve the matter.

5

Do this yourself rather than paying a company to dispute credit claims for you. Any legitimate errors are usually resolved within 30 days.