How to Dispute Credit Report Errors Yourself

Step 1: Get all three reports

Download your free reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion at AnnualCreditReport.com — the official site under FCRA § 612. Each bureau’s file can be different, so review all three.

Step 2: Review every line

Use our Credit Report Error Checklist. Circle anything inaccurate, incomplete, outdated or that you don’t recognize. Gather proof — statements, payment confirmations, letters, court records, your Identity Theft Report.

Step 3: Write a clear, specific dispute

• Your full name, address, date of birth, and a copy of your ID and proof of address
• Each item you dispute, with the account name and the partial account number shown on the report
• What is wrong and why — for example, “This account shows 60 days late in March 2025. My bank statement shows the payment posted March 3.”
• What you want — correction or deletion
• Copies (never originals) of your supporting documents

Specific disputes work better than vague ones. Avoid form letters that don’t explain what is actually wrong, and never make untrue statements — a dispute must be honest.

Step 4: Send it so you can prove it

Mail disputes by certified mail with return receipt, or use the bureau’s online dispute system and save screenshots and confirmation numbers. The bureau generally has 30 days from receipt to investigate (FCRA § 611). Our deadline calculator shows your date.

Step 5: Dispute with the furnisher too

You may also send a direct dispute to the company reporting the information. Furnishers have their own duty to investigate disputes (FCRA § 623).

Step 6: Review the results

The bureau must send you results within 5 business days after finishing. If an item was “verified,” you can ask how it was verified, send new evidence, add a brief statement to your file, or file a complaint with the CFPB.