The credit bureaus can be notoriously hard to contact -- Experian is famous for constantly changing its mailing address and phone number, according to the BCS Alliance. You usually do not have to call anyone to update your credit report. In some cases, you might have to contact a creditor or credit bureau.
The Creditor
Normally, creditors update their accounts every month, so you do not need to call them as a reminder. The only time you might want to call the creditor to update your report is when you find an error on one of your loan accounts. Since lenders are the source of information for the credit bureaus, they can correct mistakes by sending in new data.
The Credit Agency
Technically, consumers should contact the credit bureaus to correct a mistake or update a report, because they have the power to report to other lenders. Sometimes, however, calling a credit agency takes longer than contacting a lender because the bureaus receive thousands of disputes each day. On the other hand, there are some errors that only the agencies can correct, such as a judgment that does not belong to you or a false employment history.
Considerations
You probably do not even want to call a creditor or credit agency to update your credit report in a dispute case. Sending a certified letter gives you proof that the agency received your claim and you can include evidence to hasten the process. If you do have phone contact with the agencies, log all details of the call, including the name, supervisor and department of the employee and ask for a certified letter summarizing the interaction, suggests Bankrate.
Tip
In a worst case scenario where a creditor nor a credit agency will update your report and you feel you have enough evidence to prove a negative item is erroneous, you may need a lawyer. Some credit experts, such as Holden Lewis of Bankrate, even suggests calling a reporter to publicize your case.
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