How to dispute credit report errors by mail

• Get your reports from AnnualCreditReport.com, the federally authorized source for free credit reports.
• Read the CFPB's credit-report dispute instructions.
• Use the CFPB's free sample letters for disputes to a credit-reporting company or an information furnisher.
• Review the FTC's guide to disputing credit-report errors.
• If the problem involves identity theft, use the recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov.

A dispute is for information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete, such as an account that is not yours, an incorrect balance or payment status, a duplicate entry, or incorrect personal information. It is not a legitimate way to remove accurate negative information merely because that information hurts your credit.

Disputing an error is free. Be specific and truthful about the item, why it is wrong, and the correction you want.

Review each report separately. Send a dispute only to each credit bureau whose report contains the error. If the same error appears on two reports, prepare two separately addressed disputes; do not send one combined envelope to multiple bureaus.

The CFPB also explains how to dispute with the company that supplied the information. A furnisher dispute is a separate communication. Use the furnisher's designated dispute address shown on your report or in its current instructions.

Before mailing, confirm the bureau's current requirements and address on its official site:

• Equifax dispute center
• Experian dispute center
• TransUnion mail-dispute instructions

Addresses and document requirements can change. Do not rely on an address copied from an old letter, blog post, or template.

Follow the current instructions for the recipient. A mailed dispute commonly includes:

• your name, current address, and the identifying information the recipient requests
• the report or confirmation number, if available
• the exact account or report entry you dispute
• a short factual explanation of what is wrong
• the correction or deletion you are requesting
• a copy of the relevant report page with the item marked
• copies of relevant supporting records
• any identity and address documents required by the bureau

Send copies, not original records. Keep a complete copy of the signed letter, every enclosure, the recipient address, and the mailing record.

Certified Mail is not a general legal requirement for submitting an ordinary credit-report dispute. It can provide a mailing receipt and delivery record, which may help you document when a bureau received your packet. If you use it, retain the tracking record and any return receipt with your copy of the dispute.

The contents of the dispute matter more than the mail label: identify the error clearly and provide relevant support.

Credit-reporting companies generally must investigate a non-frivolous dispute and report the result, subject to the federal rules and exceptions described by the CFPB. Save the response and an updated report. If the error remains, review the CFPB's follow-up guidance or submit a CFPB complaint.

• CFPB: How do I dispute an error on my credit report?
• CFPB: Sample letters to dispute credit-report information
• FTC: Disputing errors on your credit reports
• AnnualCreditReport.com