Fixing a Mistake on Your Credit Report, Step by Step
A wrong late payment, an account you never opened, or a debt listed twice can raise what you pay for a loan, a rental or even a phone plan. Fixing it is free and you can do it yourself. Here's the order to do it in, what to send, and what to do if the answer comes back wrong.
AT A GLANCE
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Step 1: Get your reports and read them line by line
Each of the three nationwide bureaus keeps its own file on you. Creditors don't have to report to all of them, so a mistake may show up on one report and not the others. Pull all three from AnnualCreditReport.com, the only site authorized by federal law to give out the free reports. You can order online, or by phone at 1-877-322-8228; reports by phone or mail usually arrive within 15 days. You'll need your full legal name, Social Security number, date of birth and current address, plus your previous address if you've lived at the current one less than 2 years. Checking your own report doesn't affect your credit scores.
Here's what the CFPB tells people to look for:
Type of error | Examples |
|---|---|
Identity errors | Wrong name, phone number or address; another person's accounts in your file (a "mixed file"); accounts opened by an identity thief |
Account status errors | Closed accounts shown as open; listed as the owner when you're only an authorized user; payments wrongly marked late; wrong date opened, last payment date or first delinquency date |
Duplicate debts | The same debt listed more than once, sometimes under different names |
Data errors | Wrong current balance or wrong credit limit |
Also check whether collection accounts were updated after you settled and paid them. The CFPB says that's a common thing to look for.
Know what can and can't be removed
You can dispute anything that's wrong, incomplete, not about you, or caused by identity theft. Accurate negative information is different. The CFPB says you generally can't get it removed, and most of it stays for seven years. Some types stay longer. If someone promises to erase late payments that really happened, the CFPB says it's probably a credit repair scam.
If the error came from identity theft, start at IdentityTheft.gov. That process gives you extra tools.
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Step 2: Dispute with the credit bureau
Start with the bureau that's showing the mistake. If more than one bureau has it, dispute with each one. You can dispute online, by phone or by mail. A written dispute gives you the best paper trail.
The CFPB says a mailed dispute letter should include:
Your full name, address and phone number
The report's confirmation number, if it has one
Each error, with the account number for any disputed account
A clear explanation of why each item is wrong
A request to correct or remove it
A copy of the part of the report with the errors circled or highlighted
Copies, not originals, of documents that back you up
Certified mail with a return receipt gives you proof the bureau got your letter. Keep a copy of everything you send.
Where to send it
Bureau | Online | Phone |
|---|---|---|
Equifax | equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-dispute | (866) 349-5191, or the number on your report |
Experian | experian.com/disputes/main.html | (888) 397-3742, or the number on your report |
TransUnion | dispute.transunion.com | (800) 916-8800 |
For mailing addresses, Equifax lists its current address at equifax.com/personal/contact-us. TransUnion's mail and phone instructions are on its credit-disputes page, and Experian's are on its dispute page.
What the bureau has to do
The bureau must investigate, send your dispute and documents to the furnisher, and report the results back to you. It can skip disputes it reasonably decides are "frivolous or irrelevant," such as one that doesn't say what's wrong. If it does that, it has to tell you why within five business days of deciding.
The fastest way to get a dispute thrown out is to be vague. Name the account, say exactly what's wrong, and attach proof.
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Step 3: Dispute with the company that reported it
Bureaus get their data from furnishers, like your bank, credit card company or landlord. The CFPB recommends disputing with both the bureau and the furnisher.
Under Regulation V (12 CFR 1022.43), a furnisher must investigate a direct dispute about things like:
Whether you're responsible for the account, including identity theft or fraud, joint versus individual liability, or authorized-user status
The account terms, such as balance, payment amount or credit limit
Your payment history, such as payment status, payment dates and amounts, and dates opened or closed
To count, your notice has to go to the right address. That's the furnisher's address shown on your credit report, or an address the furnisher gave you for disputes. If it hasn't named one, any business address works. Your notice needs:
Enough information to identify the account, such as the account number, your name, address and phone number
The specific item you're disputing and why
Supporting documents, such as the relevant part of your report, account statements, a court order, a police report or an identity theft report
The furnisher has to finish its investigation within the same window a bureau would have. If the information was wrong, it must correct it with every bureau it reported to. If it decides the dispute is frivolous, it has to tell you within five business days and say what information it needs.
Two traps to avoid
Disputes about your name, birth date, address, employers or credit inquiries go to the bureau, not the furnisher. Furnishers don't have to investigate those.
Credit repair forms: A furnisher doesn't have to investigate a dispute it reasonably believes came from a credit repair company or uses that company's form. Writing it yourself is free.
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Step 4: Check the results and follow up
When the investigation ends, look at the result and pull a fresh report to confirm the change. If the furnisher finds the data was wrong or can't verify it, the furnisher must fix or delete it and notify the bureaus. The bureaus then have to update your reports.
If the answer comes back "verified" and you still think it's wrong, you have options:
Option | What it does |
|---|---|
Add a statement to your file | A short explanation of the dispute that's included or summarized in future reports. This works only for disputes you filed with a bureau. |
Dispute again with new evidence | A repeat dispute with no new information can be rejected as a duplicate. New documents make it a new dispute. |
File a CFPB complaint | The CFPB forwards it to the company and tracks the response. Online, or call (855) 411-2372. |
Contact your state attorney general | Your state may have extra protections. |
Talk to a lawyer | Bureaus that break the law can owe damages and attorney fees. Deadlines apply, and legal aid may help for free. |
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Before you mail anything
☐ Copies of all three reports, with errors circled
☐ One letter per bureau and one per furnisher
☐ Account numbers and a one-line reason for each item
☐ Copies of proof, such as statements, payoff letters, court papers or an identity theft report
☐ Certified mail receipts or online confirmation numbers saved in one folder
☐ A calendar reminder for 30 days out
WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK
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More help
Related guides
Official sources
Last checked: October 30, 2026. Dispute steps, bureau contacts and options for unresolved disputes come from CFPB pages reviewed Sept. 2, 2026 and earlier. Furnisher duties come from 12 CFR 1022.43.
Bureau web addresses and phone numbers can change. Use the contact details printed on your own report if they're different.
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