The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law intended to promote accuracy and privacy of consumer information. The reporting company and the the person, company or organization that provided information about you to a reporting company are obligated under the FCRA to correct inaccurate or incomplete information in your report. The law also requires each of the reporting companies to provide one free credit report per year.

Credit Disputes

Once you notice an error on your credit report, the first step is to contact the reporting agency that provided the report. Usually this is done by sending a typed letter that includes your name, address, the disputed items and a clear explanation of your reason for disputing them. Enclosed with the letter, you should include copies of documents supporting your dispute. Send the letter by certified mail, return receipt requested. Each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian and Transunion, also now accept credit report disputes online through their websites. The process involves creating an online account and submitting information about your dispute electronically. The advantage of making your dispute online is faster service and the ability to monitor the progress of your dispute. Alternatively, you can also submit a dispute by toll-free telephone number. You can also contact the information provider about the dispute. To do this, send a typed letter as you would to the reporting agency and include copies of your supporting documentation. The provider is required to notify the reporting companies it reports to of the dispute, though this does not obligate the reporting companies to investigate the dispute. If the inaccuracy is an honest mistake, the information provider can instruct the reporting company to withdraw the information from your credit report. The reporting agency has 30 days from receipt to investigate and resolve your dispute. If the agency determines your dispute is correct and the report is inaccurate, it must send notification to the provider of the inaccurate information and provide you with a free copy of your update credit report. The company must also provide the name and address of the provider of the inaccurate information, and the provider is not allowed to report the information again once it has been found to be inaccurate.

Source:

Federal Trade Commission: How to Dispute Credit Report Errors

More Information:

Experian: How to Dispute Credit Reports Online

Transunion: Credit Disputes

Equifax: Online Dispute