Credit-report dispute letter by mail

Prepare one separately addressed dispute for each bureau whose report contains the error. Identify the exact item, explain why it is wrong, state the correction you want, and include copies of relevant supporting documents. Follow that bureau's current identity, address, and document requirements.

The CFPB provides free sample letters for a credit-reporting company and for the company that furnished the information.

Do not rely on a mailing address saved from an old article or form. Confirm the address and required documents immediately before sending:

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

If the error appears on only one report, do not automatically mail all three bureaus. If it appears on more than one, create a complete, bureau-specific packet for each affected report.

Use the recipient's current instructions as the controlling checklist. A typical packet includes:

• a signed dispute letter or the bureau's current form
• your name, address, and requested identifying information
• the report or confirmation number, if available
• the exact company, partial account number, or personal-information item at issue
• a factual explanation of the error
• the specific correction or deletion requested
• a marked copy of the relevant report section
• copies of supporting evidence
• copies of identity and address documents the bureau requests

Keep originals. Save an exact copy of the letter and all enclosures sent to each recipient.

Use the CFPB's official sample letter when possible. If you draft your own, a clear structure is:

[Your name]

[Your current address]

[Date]

To: [Credit-reporting company and current dispute address]

I am disputing the following information in my credit report because I believe it is inaccurate or incomplete:

• Item: [Company name and partial account number or report section]
• What is wrong: [Short factual explanation]
• Requested result: [Specific correction or deletion]
• Supporting copies: [List the enclosed documents]

Please investigate the disputed information and send me the result and an updated report as provided by applicable law.

Sincerely,

[Signature]

[Printed name]

Do not include unnecessary sensitive information. Follow the bureau's current instructions for identity verification rather than copying personal data from an unofficial template.

Certified Mail is optional for an ordinary credit-report dispute; it is not what makes the dispute legally valid. It can provide a mailing receipt and tracking history. A return receipt can provide additional delivery evidence.

If you mail a dispute, retain:

• the final signed letter and enclosures
• the address used and the official source you checked
• the mailing receipt and tracking number
• delivery or attempted-delivery evidence
• the bureau's acknowledgment and investigation result
• an updated credit report

Proof of mailing does not guarantee a correction. It documents the process.

The CFPB explains that you can also dispute inaccurate information with the business that furnished it, such as a lender, servicer, or collector. That is a separate dispute. Use the furnisher's designated dispute address shown on the report or in its official instructions, and do not substitute a furnisher letter for any bureau dispute that is needed.

The CFPB explains the general investigation period, possible extensions, and what to do if you disagree with the result. Keep each recipient's timeline separate. If the problem remains, review the official follow-up options or submit a CFPB complaint.

For accounts caused by identity theft, use IdentityTheft.gov and follow each bureau's identity-theft process.

• 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