How to Repair My Credit File

Credit bureaus maintain the credit files of every American citizen who has debt. It is impossible for everyone's information to be accurate. If you notice inaccuracies on your credit report, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives you the right to dispute those inaccuracies. Errors usually occur when a company does not have adequate information on an individual and reports to the credit bureaus using only a name. Banks and credit card companies keep meticulous records, but collection agencies do not. Because of this, almost all inaccuracies will be negative. Negative notations damage your credit score. Repair your credit file by disputing inaccurate information and having it removed.

Instructions

1

Pull a copy of your credit report from all three credit bureaus and review it for inaccuracies. Not all of your credit reports will contain the same information, so it is vital that you review all of them. If you see any negative notations you do not recognize, you have the right to dispute them with both the company furnishing the information and the credit bureau reporting it.

2

Write a letter to the company furnishing the information requesting proof of the alleged debt. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) states that a company reporting negative debt must be able to provide proof of that debt. If it cannot, the debt must be removed from your credit report. If you are certain that the debt is not yours, you may forgo requesting proof in lieu of demanding the immediate removal of the notation from your credit report. Remind the company that reporting inaccurate information is against the FCRA and that you have the right to file a lawsuit if corrections are not made.

3

Send a letter to the credit bureau reporting the inaccurate information requesting the notation's immediate removal. Make clear the fact that the account never belonged to you and that you are requesting a full investigation. Include a copy of your credit report with the inaccurate information highlighted to expedite the investigation process.

4

Wait for a response from the credit bureau. Credit bureaus must respond to your request for an investigation within 30 days. If your credit file is changed as a result of the investigation, the credit bureau will include an updated copy of your credit report and a letter outlining the changes.

5

File a lawsuit against the furnisher of the information if the inaccuracy is not deleted. A credit bureau's refusal to delete information after an investigation means that the furnisher validated information to the credit bureau after being notified by you that the information was incorrect. This is against the law. You do not need an attorney to file a lawsuit. Most furnishers of negative notations would prefer to delete the notation rather than bother with sending a representative to your area to defend the company in a lawsuit. If filing the lawsuit does not cause the removal of the notation, the FDCPA entitles you to recover court costs, financial damages resulting from damage to your credit file, and punitive damages up to $1,000.