Sample Credit Dispute Letter

A credit dispute letter is a tool that you can use to get inaccurate information removed from your credit report. You can ask each of the consumer reporting agencies to delete the record or to modify it in some other way. The departments in charge of handling disputes will conduct an investigation, and either grant or deny your request. Here’s what you need to know about writing a credit dispute letter:

Sample Credit Dispute Letter

The three major components of any letter you write are:

* Your statement that the record in dispute is incomplete or inaccurate
* Explanation of the reasons why the record is not complete or correct
* A specific action request, such as to delete or change the information

The Federal Trade Commission offers a full sample credit dispute letter when contesting errors on your credit report at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre13.shtm. Here’s an excerpt from the letter which incorporates the three major components:

"This item (identify item(s) disputed by name of source, such as creditors or tax court, and identify type of item, such as credit account, judgment, etc.) is (inaccurate or incomplete) because (describe what is inaccurate or incomplete and why). I am requesting that the item be deleted (or request another specific change) to correct the information."

Things to Accompany the Letter

Investigators at the reporting agencies will pay particular attention to the reasons you've stated for why the record should be modified. It's important to provide as detailed an explanation as possible. You'll also need to include documentation to support your claims. You have many options for documentation support, including:

* Copy of your credit report with the record highlighted or encircled
* Court documents
* Records of payments
* Letters from creditors confirming the full payment of debt

It's often not enough to make your requests without some documentation if you want investigators to take the actions you've requested. Make sure that your documentation relates to the explanations you've given in your letter. If what you provide has nothing to do with your statement that the record is incomplete or not correct, then the credit dispute letter won’t be effective. To obtain a free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com.

Where to Send the Letter

You should address your credit dispute letter to the complaint department at each of the consumer reporting agencies. The addresses are as follows:
TransUnion
Complaint Department
P.O. Box 6790
Fullerton, CA 92634

Experian
Complaint Department
P.O. Box 9532
Allen, TX 75013

Equifax
Complaint Department
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374-0241

Your letter will be forwarded to investigators who will notify you that they are in receipt of your letter, and at a later date will explain the outcome of your request.

Take immediate action by sending a credit dispute letter when you discover a discrepancy on your credit report. You can order a free credit report annually or pay for a service that sends alert based on new records that appear on your credit report.