Common Credit Reporting Problems

However, the CRAs frequently make mistakes. They may report inaccurate information about you, like a late payment your bank agreed to excuse or a balance that you had paid off years ago. They could release your sensitive financial information to the wrong individuals, exposing you to identity theft and other types of fraud. Sometimes, the CRAs will confuse you for someone with a similar name and mix their derogatory credit information into your consumer reports. This list is only partial—there are many more ways that CRAs can incorrectly report your credit information.[3] These errors are not rare: they are common problems affecting hundreds of thousands of people every year.[4]

The good news is that you can protect yourself from many of these problems by regularly checking your credit reports and taking steps to correct problems. Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), you are entitled to receive a free credit report from each CRA once every year.[5] You may order your report by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com or calling 1-877-322-8228.[6] If you spot something that doesn’t look right, you can dispute the report with the CRA that provided it by going online to the CRA’s website, mailing the CRA a letter containing your dispute, or calling the CRA’s dispute telephone number. Mail is generally the best option, as you can easily keep record of the information you send. If using mail, it is always advisable to use certified mail and to ask for a return receipt, so that you can be sure your letter was received.[7]

In your dispute, it is important to include all the information that might help the CRA correct the error. This will often include your contact information, the report number, the specific item you are disputing, the reason you are disputing it, and copies of any supporting documents or information that may provide further support for your claims.[8] You should also send a dispute to the creditor that provided the information to the CRA—although disputing with the CRA that made the incorrect report takes priority.

The website and physical addresses for disputes for each CRAs are listed here:

Equifax

Online: www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-dispute/ 

Mailing Address:

Equifax Information Services LLC
P.O. Box 740256
Atlanta, GA 30348

By phone: Phone number provided on credit report or (866) 349-5191

Experian

Online: www.experian.com/disputes/main.html

Mailing Address:

Experian
P.O. Box 4500
Allen, TX 75013

By phone: Phone number provided on credit report or (888) 397-3742

TransUnion

Online: https://dispute.transunion.com 

Mailing Address:

TransUnion LLC
Consumer Dispute Center
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016

By phone: (800) 916-8800

     Credit reporting agencies are legally obligated by the FCRA to investigate your dispute once they receive it.[9] But while a dispute may fix some of the errors you find on your reports, it will not always result in correction. If you dispute incorrect information on your report and the CRA fails to correct it, you may want to talk to an attorney about your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Schedule Your Free Consultation!

[2] Id. at 10.

[3] Consumer Fin. Prot. Bureau, How do I dispute an error on my credit report? (Oct. 2021), https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-do-i-dispute-an-error-on-my-credit-report-en-314/.

[4] See above note 1 at 29-30.

[5] See 15 U.S.C. § 1681j.

[6] Fed. Trade Comm’n, Free Credit Reports, https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/free-credit-reports.

[7] Consumer Fin. Prot. Bureau, How do I dispute an error on my credit report? (Oct. 2021), https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-do-i-dispute-an-error-on-my-credit-report-en-314/.

[8] Id.

[9] See 15 U.S.C. § 1681i.