How to Dispute Errors on Your Credit Report

Why Does Disputing Matter?

Credit reports can contain errors, which is why the FTC encourages you to review your reports regularly. Even small errors, such as a payment incorrectly marked 30 days late or a balance reported $500 higher than reality, can affect your score.

Disputing is free, it's your legal right under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and it is one way to correct inaccurate information on your reports. If you haven't pulled your reports yet, start here.

What Can You Dispute?

Incorrect payment status. The most impactful — a single late payment that was actually on time can weigh heavily on your score.

Accounts that aren't yours. Mixed files, identity theft, or creditor errors.

Wrong balances or credit limits. These distort your utilization ratio.

Duplicate accounts. The same debt showing up twice.

Items past the 7-year reporting window. Most negative items must be removed after seven years.

Accounts incorrectly marked as in collections. Especially common with medical bills.

How Do You File a Dispute, Step by Step?

Step 1: Identify the error and which bureau(s) it appears on. The same error may be on one, two, or all three reports.

Step 2: Gather documentation. Bank statements, payment confirmations, letters — anything that proves the information is wrong.

Step 3: File online with each bureau. Equifax: equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services. Experian: experian.com/disputes. TransUnion: transunion.com/credit-disputes.

Step 4: Also contact the original creditor. Dispute with both the bureau AND the company that furnished the data. This reduces the chance of the error reappearing.

Step 5: Wait 30 days. The bureau must investigate and respond within 30 days (45 if you submit additional info).

Step 6: Review the results. If the item is deleted or corrected, your score is recalculated the next time it is pulled. If the bureau verifies the item, you can re-dispute with additional evidence, add a consumer statement, or escalate to the CFPB.

Pro Tips for Effective Disputes

Be specific. "This account is wrong" doesn't work. "This account shows a 60-day late payment in March 2024 but my bank statement confirms payment was received on March 2nd" works.

Dispute one item at a time. Bureaus are more likely to rubber-stamp bulk disputes as "frivolous." Targeted, documented disputes are harder to dismiss.

Keep records of everything. Save confirmation numbers, screenshots, and copies of all correspondence. You may need this if you escalate.

Know the difference between a dispute and a goodwill request. Disputes are for inaccurate information. If a late payment is accurate but you want it removed anyway, that's a goodwill adjustment letter — a completely different process.

You send every dispute yourself. Score Pros can help you understand your reports and prepare your documentation, but we do not file disputes for you.