If you’ve spotted an error on one of your credit reports, you should take immediate action to correct the inaccuracy.
An error on one or more your credit reports could lower your credit scores and make it harder to qualify for new credit or loans. If you spot an inaccuracy, you can take steps to request the credit bureaus remove it by disputing the error.
- How to contact the credit bureaus to dispute an error
- When to dispute credit report errors directly with the furnisher
- How long it takes for the credit bureau or furnisher to investigate and respond
- What happens after you dispute a credit report error
- When do credit reports update after a successful dispute?
- How does Credit Karma Direct Dispute work?
- Next steps: What to do when you disagree with the outcome of your dispute
- FAQs about credit report disputes
How to contact the credit bureaus to dispute an error
If you’re not sure if there are mistakes on your credit reports, remember that you’re entitled to a free credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus once a week by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com.
If you identify an error on your credit reports, contact the credit bureaus that show the erroneous reports. Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — the three major credit bureaus — let you dispute inaccuracies online, over the phone or by mail. Contact the bureau and explain the error and why it’s wrong. Be sure to include supporting documentation — such as a copy of an email verifying the status of the account that’s reported incorrectly — and keep copies of any letters or documentation you send or receive.
Where to submit a dispute to the three major credit bureaus
| Equifax | TransUnion | Experian | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online | How to dispute | Manage a dispute | Dispute online |
| Phone | 1-888-378-4329 | 1-800-916-8800 | 1-888-397-3742 |
| Equifax PO Box 740256 Atlanta, GA 30348 | TransUnion LLC Consumer Dispute Center PO Box 2000 Chester, PA 19016 | Experian PO Box 4500 Allen, TX 75013 |
Common credit report errors
- Identity-related errors such as a misspelled name, wrong phone number or address
- Your information incorrectly merged with another person’s credit record
- Incorrectly reported accounts, such as a closed account reported as open or vice versa
- An account wrongly reported as delinquent
- Account balance and credit limit errors
- Reinsertion of inaccurate information after it’s corrected
When to dispute credit report errors directly with the furnisher
Companies that provide information to credit bureaus (like credit card issuers, banks and lenders) are called furnishers. If you have clear evidence of an error that only a specific furnisher can verify or correct — such as a payment that wasn’t recognized, an incorrect credit limit or another account detail — consider disputing the error directly with that furnisher.
The furnisher must conduct a reasonable investigation into disputes including disagreements about your financial liability (including identity theft and fraud), account terms (such as balances and credit limits), your account activity (payment status and due dates) and any other information you believe is hindering your chances of getting credit.
How long it takes for the credit bureau or furnisher to investigate and respond
Credit bureaus generally have 30 days after receiving your dispute to investigate and verify information with the furnisher. The credit bureaus must then report the results to you within five days of completing the investigation.
If you dispute the error directly with the furnisher, that company must also report the results of its investigation to you. It also typically has 30 days to investigate. But if the furnisher stands by the accuracy of the information it reported, it won’t update or remove the error.
When your dispute may be deemed frivolous
The credit bureau or furnisher may decide your dispute is “frivolous.” This generally happens when you’ve submitted incorrect or incomplete information regarding the dispute, but it can also occur if you’ve tried to contest the same item multiple times without any new information.
Credit bureaus don’t need to investigate disputes deemed frivolous if they communicate that to you within five days. If your original dispute was deemed frivolous, you can try to resubmit a dispute with updated materials.
What happens after you dispute a credit report error
When you dispute an error on your credit report, the credit bureau must provide the results of its investigation in writing. The credit bureau must also provide you with the name, address and phone number of the furnisher that supplied the incorrect information.
If the investigation confirms the information on your credit report is indeed an error, the furnisher must notify the credit bureaus to which it sent the incorrect information so the bureaus can correct their records. If the furnisher maintains the disputed information is accurate, you can still request the credit bureau include a statement in your credit file explaining the dispute.
When do credit reports update after a successful dispute?
Updates to your affected credit reports may take some time to appear. The timing depends on the specific credit bureau’s update cycle and when the furnisher sends the new information to the credit bureau.
Since not all lenders necessarily report to all three credit bureaus, their information and your score may vary across them. If an expected update isn’t reflected on your reports within several months, contact both the credit bureaus and the furnisher to verify accurate reporting.
How does Credit Karma Direct Dispute work?
Credit Karma is not a credit bureau, but it does provide your VantageScore 3.0 credit scores from two of them: TransUnion and Equifax. Credit Karma’s Direct Dispute feature lets you dispute errors on your TransUnion credit report right from the Credit Karma app. Here’s how to use the tool.
If you review your TransUnion credit report in the app and find an error, you’ll see an option to go to the Dispute Center. From there, you can select the account with the error and choose whether you’re disputing ownership or accuracy. Select the reason for the dispute that best fits your situation and send it directly to TransUnion.
You can also start the process of disputing an error on your Equifax credit report through Credit Karma, but you won’t be able to submit it directly within the app. Instead, Credit Karma provides a link that takes you to the official Equifax website where you can submit your dispute.
Next steps: What to do when you disagree with the outcome of your dispute
If your credit report dispute doesn’t lead to the credit bureau changing your information, you can file another dispute. But, if you simply submit the same information, you’ll likely get a similar result.
When filing the same dispute, make sure to add supplemental information that will help support your claim. You can also add a statement to your credit report that explains that you disagree with some of the information on your credit report. That way, when someone pulls your credit, they have additional context on the dispute.
Regularly monitoring your credit can help you spot potential errors before they linger on your credit reports.
FAQs about credit report disputes
The main reason to dispute an item on your credit reports is to eliminate inaccuracies. Incorrect information on your credit report can lead to significant financial ramifications and credit scores that don’t align with your financial situation.
Examples of such inaccuracies include accounts that don’t belong to you, incorrect balances, inaccurate payment histories and debts listed more than once. The most effective disputes are those based on documented proof of factual errors.
Credit disputes are worthwhile if you believe there’s inaccurate information on your credit reports, as errors can negatively impact your credit scores and ability to obtain favorable credit or loan terms. Most investigations are resolved within 30 days, and if the information is incorrect, it must be corrected or removed.
To remove collections from your credit report, you can first check your credit reports for errors related to the collection account. If the collection is inaccurate, you can file a dispute with the credit bureaus, providing any supporting proof and documentation. If the collection account is valid, it will generally remain on your report for seven years from the date of the original delinquency.
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you’re allowed to dispute information that appears on your credit reports. Disputing your credit report doesn’t hurt your credit score. If the information on your credit reports change because of a dispute, however, your credit scores may change.