Key Takeaway: You can use Credit Karma Direct Dispute™ to dispute errors on your TransUnion credit report by logging into your Credit Karma account and starting a claim in the Dispute Center. If you found an error on your Equifax credit report, the Dispute Center can also redirect you to the Equifax website to file a dispute.
Credit Karma’s Direct Dispute™ tool helps you dispute potential errors on your TransUnion credit report directly with the credit bureau through the app’s Dispute Center. It also helps redirect you to Equifax’s website to dispute an error with that bureau.
Credit reporting errors can lower your credit scores and limit your financial opportunities. For example, erroneous late payments on your reports may make lenders more hesitant to approve you for a loan or credit card — and if you do get approved, your terms and rates likely won’t be as competitive.
Start by regularly reviewing your credit reports. Credit Karma provides free credit reports, along with free VantageScore 3.0 credit scores, from TransUnion and Equifax. You can also check your credit reports from all three credit bureaus for free on annualcreditreport.com.
- What kinds of errors can you dispute on your credit report?
- How does Credit Karma’s Direct Dispute™ work?
- How to dispute an error on your credit report
- What’s next? Monitoring your credit reports
- FAQs about Credit Karma Direct Dispute™
What kinds of errors can you dispute on your credit report?
You can dispute many kinds of errors that appear on your credit reports from the three main credit bureaus, including incorrect personal information, account information and public records. If a derogatory mark should have fallen off your reports already but hasn’t yet, you can dispute that, too.
Here are some common examples of items you may be able to dispute:
- Personal information: A misspelled name, incorrect phone number, incorrect address, or information from another person’s credit record that has been merged with yours
- Account information: An account incorrectly reported as closed or open, or as delinquent or late
- Public records: Bankruptcies or foreclosures that haven’t been removed after being on your reports for the mandated number of years
Keep in mind that Credit Karma Direct Dispute™ can only be used to dispute information related to your accounts, not personal information like your address or date of birth.
How does Credit Karma’s Direct Dispute™ work?
Credit Karma’s Direct Dispute™ works by sending information about your credit dispute, including the type of error and which account it’s tied to, directly to TransUnion. If the error is on your Equifax credit report, you’ll have to submit your dispute on the Equifax website, instead.
To use Direct Dispute™ for an error on your TransUnion credit report, follow these steps:
- Log into Credit Karma and review your free TransUnion credit report.
- Locate the account with the error and select the + icon to expand the account details.
- Scroll to the bottom of your account details and select “go to Dispute Center.”
- Start a dispute and choose the account with the error. If there’s more than one error, you can choose more than one account.
- Choose your dispute type and select a reason. Choosing “ownership” means the error is related to whether you’re responsible for the account. Choosing “accuracy” means you are responsible for the account, but there’s information about the account that’s wrong.
- Submit the dispute. It’s sent directly to TransUnion.
- Wait for a resolution. TransUnion will investigate your claim, typically within 30 days, and Credit Karma will surface the results in your account.
Can you use Direct Dispute™ for your Equifax credit report?
No, Direct Dispute™ only works for TransUnion credit reports. However, the Dispute Center can still help you navigate to the right place. If you go to the Dispute Center and select “I need to dispute with Equifax,” then you’ll be redirected to the Equifax website. From there, you can submit your dispute.
What information do you need before you start Direct Dispute™?
Before you start a dispute using Credit Karma Direct Dispute™, you’ll need to know the account in question and your reason for disputing it. Other than that, you don’t typically need any additional information. The tool doesn’t allow you to send supporting documentation, and your identity will be verified with your Credit Karma account.
If you need to submit a dispute that requires supporting documentation, you’ll want to go directly to TransUnion’s site.
If you’re starting a dispute directly with a credit bureau and not on Credit Karma, you may be required to provide proof of identity and supporting evidence of your claim. Some items that might help include your:
- Driver’s license
- Birth certificate
- Social Security number
- Utility bill verifying your address
- Bank statements or payment records
What happens after you submit a Direct Dispute™?
After you submit a dispute using Direct Dispute™, TransUnion will begin its investigation, which generally takes about 30 days. Once the investigation ends, Credit Karma will update you on the status of your dispute through the app or your online account.
Filing with Direct Dispute™ doesn’t guarantee that TransUnion will change your credit report. TransUnion could decide to resolve your dispute in one of three ways:
- The disputed information is confirmed to be inaccurate. The error will then be removed or corrected on your credit report.
- The disputed information is confirmed to be accurate. If the bureau finds that the information is accurate, then it will not remove or change anything on your credit report. You will, however, have the option to add a 100-word statement to your credit report for future lenders to read.
- The dispute is deemed frivolous. A frivolous dispute means that the credit bureau does not have to investigate. This can be because the dispute was incomplete, or because the same information was submitted too many times. If your dispute is deemed frivolous, try resubmitting directly on the TransUnion website and including supporting documentation.
How to dispute an error on your credit report
To dispute an error on your credit report without using Direct Dispute™, you’ll have to file a dispute directly with the credit bureau attached to the report. TransUnion, Equifax and Experian all allow consumers to dispute errors online, over the phone and by mail. Here are the basic steps for each method:
- Online: Create an account with the credit bureau and navigate to the website’s dispute center. From there, you can start your claim and upload any supporting documentation.
- By phone: The bureau may have a dedicated dispute hotline, but if not, you can simply call customer service. Be prepared to verify your identity with the representative or submit additional documentation at their request.
- By mail: Check the credit bureau website for any forms you need to print. The website will also tell you where to send your dispute. Write a dispute letter that includes details about the error and your reason for the dispute, then mail it and copies of supporting documentation via certified mail.
Credit bureaus typically have 30 days after receiving your dispute to investigate and verify the information. The credit bureaus must then report the results to you within five days of completing the investigation.
What’s next? Monitoring your credit reports
After resolving a credit dispute, be sure to check your credit reports and make sure the error was removed or changed properly. To help you catch future errors quickly, consider signing up for credit monitoring.
In addition to providing free TransUnion and Equifax credit reports, Credit Karma offers free credit monitoring services for those bureaus. With credit monitoring services, you’ll be alerted if Credit Karma notices key changes on your credit report, such as a new hard inquiry, allowing you to take immediate action if you see anything suspicious.
FAQs about Credit Karma Direct Dispute™
Yes, Credit Karma Direct Dispute™ is free to use. Filing a credit report dispute is always free, whether you’re filing through Direct Dispute™ or through a credit bureau directly.
No, you can’t use Direct Dispute™ to file a claim for Equifax. Direct Dispute™ only works for TransUnion. However, Credit Karma can show you your Equifax credit report and help you navigate to the Equifax website to submit your claim.
The entire Direct Dispute™ process typically takes about a month from the date you submit the dispute. By law, the credit bureaus must generally investigate the dispute within 30 days of receiving it, unless the dispute is deemed frivolous or you submitted additional information after filing your dispute. Once the investigation is complete, Credit Karma will notify you in the app or through your online account.
To file a dispute through Credit Karma Direct Dispute™, you’ll need to know which account has the error and the reason for your dispute. You won’t need to submit any supporting documentation because the Direct Dispute™ tool doesn’t allow documentation uploads, and you won’t need to verify your identity because your identity is verified through your Credit Karma account.
No. Filing a dispute won’t hurt your credit scores, whether it’s through Direct Dispute™ or the credit bureau directly. If your dispute is resolved successfully and the error is removed from your credit report, your credit scores may be affected at that point. For example, your scores may increase if a mistaken late payment was corrected to show you paid on time.
The steps for how to dispute an error on your credit report are simple: gather your evidence, contact the credit bureau and explain the reason behind the dispute. The three major credit bureaus all allow you to dispute errors with them online, over the phone or by mail. Once you submit your dispute, the credit bureau will typically have 30 days to investigate.
You can dispute errors on your TransUnion credit report by using the TransUnion Service Center to contact the bureau online, over the phone or by mail. As a Credit Karma member, you can use the Direct Dispute™ feature built into your account to dispute potential errors on TransUnion credit reports.