How to Type a Letter to Dispute Negative Items on Your Credit

If an inaccurate or incomplete item is documented on your credit report, your credit report and score can greatly suffer, especially if an incorrect judgment or credit account is left unresolved for an extended period of time. Correct your credit report as soon as possible by typing a formal, professional letter of dispute. Type the letter and send it via certified mail to guarantee delivery. Once your letter is received, the Fair Credit Reporting Act ensures that it will be investigated and resolved.

Instructions

1

Obtain one free copy of your TransUnion, Experian and Equifax credit reports from Annual Credit Report's website (see Resources). Review your reports for negative items you wish to dispute. The same item may not appear on each credit report so only dispute inaccurate or negative items that actually appear on your report. Creditors sometimes report to different bureaus on different schedules.

2

Type the date at the top left-hand corner of your letter. Identify yourself with your full legal name on the next line. Skip down one more line and type your current address, city, state and ZIP code.

3

Address the letter to the "complaint department." Skip down one line and type the name of the consumer reporting agency. Type the company's address over two lines, starting with the street address and then the city, state and ZIP code.

4

Add a form salutary line such as "Dear Sir or Madam."

5

Type your dispute. Be specific and list the facts of your complaint. List each item in dispute one by one and describe what you believe is inaccurate or incomplete about them. Name the item as a credit account, judgment or personal information and note where it is documented on your credit report. Include the name of the information provider and account number in your letter.

6

Note that you have provided supporting documents including receipts, payment records and court documents, along with the credit report containing the items in dispute. Be sure to circle or highlight the items in dispute on your credit report.

7

Request an immediate investigation, and ask that each disputed item is corrected and updated on your credit report in a timely manner. Request a corrected credit report, and ask that written notification be given to each person or company that viewed your credit report in the last six months.

8

Sign and print your full name.

9

Close your letter with a list of any attached documents.