Short answer. Get your free reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, list each error with proof, and dispute it with every bureau that shows it and with the company that supplied the information. Bureaus and the companies that report to them generally have 30 days to investigate. Keep copies, send by certified mail if you can, and if the item stays, ask for a statement of dispute to be added.
Step 1: Get all three reports
The CFPB says you can view your reports free once a week at AnnualCreditReport.com, or by phone at (877) 322-8228. Pull all three, because an error can show on one bureau's report and not another's.
Step 2: Mark every error
Go line by line: your name, addresses and employers; each account's status, balance, dates and payment history; and the inquiries. Circle or highlight each mistake. Common ones are an account you never opened, a payment marked late that was on time, a debt listed twice, or a closed account shown as open. Write one sentence for each saying what's wrong and what it should say.
Step 3: Gather copies of proof
Bank statements showing a payment, a letter confirming an account was paid or closed, an identity theft report: copies only, never originals. If you don't have proof for an item, you can still dispute it and explain why it's wrong.
Step 4: Dispute with each bureau that shows the error
The FTC says to dispute with every bureau that has the mistake. You can do it online, by phone or by mail. The CFPB lists what to include: your name, address and phone number; the report confirmation number if there is one; each error with its account number; your explanation and request to correct or remove it; a copy of the report section with the items marked; and your supporting copies. The FTC has a sample letter for the bureaus.
Mail gives you a paper trail. The CFPB suggests certified mail with a return receipt and keeping copies of everything you send.
Step 5: Dispute with the company that reported it
The company that sent the information to the bureau is called the furnisher: a bank, card company, landlord, collector. The CFPB says to write to the address on your report or the address the company gives for credit disputes. The FTC has a sample letter for furnishers too. Doing both means the source of the error hears about it directly.
Step 6: Track the clock and read the results
- The FTC says the bureau has 30 days to investigate, and the CFPB says furnishers generally must investigate and respond within 30 days of getting your dispute.
- If a bureau decides a dispute is frivolous or irrelevant, for example because it doesn't say what's wrong, the CFPB says it must tell you why within five business days.
- You get the results in writing. If your report changed, the FTC says you get a free copy that doesn't count as your free annual report.
- You can ask the bureau to send the correction to anyone who got your report in the past six months, or in the past two years for employment.
- If the furnisher finds an error or can't verify the item, it must correct or remove it and tell all the bureaus.
Step 7: If the item stays
You can ask the bureau to add a statement of your dispute to your file and future reports. You can also submit a complaint to the CFPB. Keep in mind the dispute process is for mistakes; the FTC says correct negative information can generally stay for seven years, and bankruptcies for ten.
Example dispute tracker (hypothetical dates)
One way to keep track, with invented dates:
- March 3: Mailed disputes to Experian and TransUnion (Equifax didn't show the error) and to the card company. Certified mail receipts stapled to copies.
- March 5: Return receipts show delivery. Wrote "30 days: about April 4" next to each.
- April 4: If no written result has arrived, call or write each one, referring to the date the dispute was delivered.
Count from the day each one received it, not the day you mailed it.
Sources
- CFPB: How do I get a free copy of my credit reports? (reviewed Oct. 15, 2026)
- CFPB: How do I dispute an error on my credit report? (reviewed Sept. 2, 2026)
- FTC: Disputing errors on your credit reports
- FTC: Sample letter to the credit bureaus
- FTC: Sample letter to the business that supplied the information
- CFPB: Submit a complaint
Common questions
Do I need to dispute with all three bureaus?
Only with each bureau whose report shows the mistake. The FTC says to dispute with each credit bureau that has it. Check all three reports first.
Is it better to dispute online or by mail?
Both are accepted. Online can be faster. Mail with a return receipt gives you proof of what you sent and when, which helps if you need to follow up or complain.
How long does a credit report dispute take?
The FTC says the bureau has 30 days to investigate, and the CFPB says furnishers generally must respond within 30 days of getting your dispute. You'll get the results in writing.
What if the bureau calls my dispute frivolous?
The CFPB says it must send you a notice within five business days explaining why. Usually it means the dispute didn't say clearly what's wrong, so send it again with specifics and copies of proof.
Will fixing an error raise my credit score?
No one can promise that. A correction changes what's on the report; how any score responds depends on the scoring model and the rest of your file.
Related guides
- Credit freeze or fraud alert: which one, and how to place it
- How to send a debt validation letter, and what to expect back
- A debt collector called: your first five steps
This guide is general information, checked November 2026 against the official pages listed in Sources. It is not legal or financial advice, and MCC Solutions is not a law firm or a government agency. For advice about your own debt or a lawsuit, talk to a lawyer or a legal aid office.