How to Get Wrong Information Removed From Your Credit

A credit reporting agency like Experian, Transunion and Equifax receive credit account information provided by the company managing the account. The companies can sometimes put incorrect information on your reports, or you may end up in a situation where someone has stolen your identity and opened many accounts. You can dispute the wrong information through each reporting agency in order to clean up your credit report.

Instructions

Experian

1

Navigate to the Experian online dispute webpage (see Resources).

2

Get the credit report number from an Experian credit report given within the last 90 days or request a credit report from Experian. You can get a free credit report if you are denied credit within 90 days or through annualcreditreport.com if you have not requested your free report for the year. Experian also offers credit monitoring services that provide credit reports or a $10 credit report.

3

Click "Yes, I Have a Credit Report Number." Put that number in the first field and follow up with your personal information. Click "Submit."

4

Look through your credit accounts using the links along the top of the web page. You can jump between various types of accounts, positive information and negative information. Click "Dispute This Item" when you find an account with the wrong information. Provide a reason from the list provided or enter your own to explain why you are disputing the account. Click "Submit Your Dispute."

Equifax

5

Browse to Equifax's online credit dispute web page (see Resources).

6

Input an Equifax credit report number if you have one. Unlike Experian, you do not need a number to dispute an item on your credit report, so skip this field if you haven't pulled your report recently. Fill in the rest of the personal information fields and click "Submit." Click the answer to each of the personal identification questions presented on the next page and click "Submit."

7

Choose "Start a New Dispute" to begin Equifax's dispute process. Navigate through your credit report by using the navigation links on the side of the report. Click the linked name of the account that contains the wrong information. Click "Dispute This Item" to mark that account for investigation. Use the list of dispute reasons to explain why you are disputing the account or type your own in the text box below the options. Click "Add Dispute."

Transunion

8

Go to Transunion's dispute center on its webpage (see Resources).

9

Click "First Time? Click Here" if you have never registered for an online account. Fill in the required information to create the account then return to this page. Log in to your Transunion account.

10

Click the tab labeled "Credit Report" at the top of the page. Click "Report Inaccuracy" immediately underneath that tab. Choose "Submit Dispute." Examine the list of accounts provided and click "Request Investigation" when you find one with wrong information. Pick the dispute reasons from the list that appears underneath the account and click "Submit."