The first step is to contact both the credit reporting company, as well as the company that provided the information to them and let them know. It’s highly recommended to do so in writing via certified mail so you can document that they received your dispute letter. In addition to your name, address, and phone number, the dispute letter should also include the specific items in your report that you dispute, with a short factual explanation as to why you are disputing the information, as well as a clear request that the information be removed or corrected. They have 30 days to investigate the matter, and if it’s determined that the reported information was inaccurate, then it must be corrected on your file.
The credit reporting companies must give you a response in writing as soon as the investigation is complete. Additionally, if it’s determined that there was an error on your report, you can request that the credit reporting company send notices of any corrections to anyone who has requested your credit report in the past six months (or up to two years it was for employment purposes). Unfortunately, even if your credit report has been corrected, the incorrect information may be put on there again, so make sure to check your credit report on a regular basis.
