How to Dispute an Item From a Collection Agency

It is important to check all three of your credit reports every year for inaccuracies. Not only could this alert you to potential identity theft and fraud, but errors on your credit report can hurt your credit score. Common errors include inaccurate balance information, accounts marked delinquent that were paid and old credit listings that were not removed from your report. If you find errors, take steps to correct them right away.

Instructions

1

View your credit reports. You are entitled to one free credit report from each agency every year. Go to annualcreditreport.com to get yours.

2

Review your credit reports and note any incorrect information.

3

Visit the credit reporting agency's website. Look for a link on the homepage that says "Correct Errors" or "Submit a Dispute." To submit a dispute, you need a credit report from that agency no older than 90 days.

4

Confirm your identity. You can only dispute your own credit report. Enter the credit report number, your Social Security number, birthday and any additional information requested to confirm that you are who you say you are.

5

Dispute the error. You will be provided with a list of items that you can dispute or you may have to hand enter the account information. Tell them why you believe the item to be inaccurate. You will receive the results of the investigation within 30 days and a new credit report will be issued.