How do I correct an error?

FCRA requires that both the credit reporting company and the information provider (person, company, or organization that provided the information about you) are responsible for correcting inaccurate or incomplete information in your report. To take advantage of all your rights under this law, you will need to contact the credit reporting company and the information provider.

First, you must report the error to the credit reporting agency in writing. You will need to include copies of the documents that support your claim. Do not send the originals. Your letter should clearly identify each item in your credit report that you are disputing. Clearly state the face, explain why you dispute the information, and request that the inaccurate information be removed or corrected. You will need to send the letter certified mail with a return receipt requested to put with your paperwork. Be sure to take copies of the letter and any other documents you mailed.

Credit reporting companies must investigate any errors in question and will do so usually within 30 days. They are required to forward any documents relevant to the error to the organization that provided the information to them. After the information provider receives your complaint, they must investigate the claim and report the results back to the credit reporting agency. If you are cleared of the error, the information company must notify all three of the nationwide credit reporting companies so that the information is corrected in your file.

When the investigation is complete, the credit reporting company must sent you the results in writing and include a free copy of your report with the disputed results changed. If an item has been changed or deleted, the credit reporting company cannot put this information back in your file unless the information provider verifies that is it accurate.

Upon request from you, the credit reporting company must send notices of the correction to anyone who requested your credit information in the past six months. You can also request that a report be sent to anyone who would have received a copy of your report for employment consideration during the past two years.

What if this does not clear up the error?

You can request that a statement of the dispute be added to your file and included in any future reports. You can also ask that the credit company provide this statement to anyone who received a copy of your credit report . However, you can expect to pay a fee for this service.