What If You Find an Error in Your Credit Report?
What If You Find an Error in Your Credit Report?
If you find something wrong in your credit report, you have the right to correct it – and you must address the problem as soon as possible. Credit report errors can affect your ability to obtain a loan or affect how much you will have to pay to get a loan in the future.
Procedures exist to alert the credit reporting agencies about mistakes on your report.
If you notice an error, write to the credit reporting agency to report the problem – and keep a record of what you send.
You can also call the credit reporting agency. They will instruct you on steps to take to resolve the issue. They may require you to send copies of statements or proof of payments to prove your position. They may also ask you to send an explanation of the matter in writing.
By law, a credit reporting agency must respond to your complaint within 30 to 45 days. If the credit reporting agency agrees with you, and the item is determined to be inaccurate, your creditor must notify the other credit reporting agencies about the issue so they can correct your credit history.
If the credit reporting agency is unable to resolve your complaint, you should contact the creditor directly. And if they refuse to correct the error, you have the right to place an explanation letter in your credit file.