How to Delete Negatives From My Credit Report

Your credit report contains information about how you have handled your debt payments in the past, such as your credit cards, mortgages, car loans and student loans. Having a good credit report is important because the credit bureaus calculate your credit score using the information in your credit report. Negative information such as late payments or defaults will lower your credit score. If the information in your credit report is correct, you cannot delete negatives from your credit report. However, if the information is errant, you can dispute any errors you find by reporting the misinformation to the credit bureau .

Instructions

1

Request a copy of your credit report. Federal law entitles you to one free report from each of the three major credit bureaus--Experian, Equifax and TransUnion--once per year, which you can request through the Free Annual Credit Report website (see resources).

2

Look up the account information of any errors that you find so that you can make sure that you dispute the exact information that is incorrect.

3

Decide whether to appeal online or through the mail. If the error is on the Experian credit report, your only option is to appeal online. Equifax and TransUnion accept appeals through the mail. Usually, you should appeal through the mail because you can submit documents supporting your claim. If you choose to appeal through the mail, skip to Step 5.

4

Appeal the credit errors online by going to the credit bureau website for disputes (see Resources). You will need your personal information, credit report number and the credit report error that you are disputing.

5

Make a copy of evidence to support your dispute, such as bank statements or notices from the creditor that payment was received. The Federal Trade Commission warns that you should never send originals.

6

Mail your evidence along with a letter stating your dispute and a copy of your credit report with the error circled or highlighted to the credit bureau that is reporting the errant information. The mailing address for disputes for Equifax is, P.O. Box 740256, Atlanta, GA, 30374-0241 and the mailing address for TransUnion is 2 Baldwin Place, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19022. The Federal Trade Commission recommends sending the letter via certified mail so that you can document that it was received by the credit bureau.