Your Right to Dispute

Any information on your credit report that is inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable can be disputed for free, directly with the bureau and with the company that furnished it. No paid service has more legal power here than you do.

Why it matters

Disputing is the single highest-value free action in personal credit. Studies have found errors on a large share of reports; the FTC's 2012 study found one in five consumers had a verified error on at least one report.

Key facts

• Disputes are free and can be filed online, by mail, or by phone with each bureau.
• Bureaus generally have 30 days to investigate and respond.
• The data furnisher (the bank or collector) must also investigate when you dispute with it directly.
• If the item cannot be verified, it must be deleted - not corrected, deleted.
• Frivolous or templated mass disputes can be dismissed; specific, documented disputes work.

In practice

1. For each error: identify the exact field that is wrong and attach proof (statements, letters, ID).
2. Dispute with every bureau showing the error; fixes do not propagate automatically.
3. Mail disputes certified with return receipt for a dated paper trail.
4. Calendar the 30-day response deadline for each filing.