Make sure that for each listing on your credit report, you check the personal identification information. Often, a listing that is not yours can end up on your report because it seems to match up with your details. If you dispute these types of errors first, other mistakes on your credit report will no longer match your file. Resource: Experian Free Credit Report
Make A List Of Items To Dispute
Once you have made sure that each of the incorrect personal detail listings are accounted for, it is time to look at all of the other damaging details on your credit report. List these from most damaging right down to neutral. For instance, a bankruptcy listing is far more harmful than a late payment or credit rejection.
Once you have all of the necessary disputable listings set out in front of you, begin writing your first letter of dispute. Each of the three credit reporting agencies should be addressed, even if these disputable listings only appear in one or two of the reports. If the three reporting agencies are addressed with a letter of dispute for each questionable listing, it will ensure that, later on, these items do not appear on your other credit reports.
Send Each Dispute Seperately
All listings, apart from incorrect personal data disputes, must be written out and sent separately. If you try to dispute several items at once it is likely that the agency will reject your claim on the grounds of it being irrelevant. At this point, you should be prepared for the credit reporting agencies to complain or even threaten that your request for a dispute on the items are frivolous or even illegal. This is untrue, credit reporting agencies are required by law to investigate and accept that all disputes are legitimate unless they have evidence to prove otherwise. So don't give up.
Personalize Your Letters
When writing the letters of dispute, you should consider handwriting them rather than typing them out. Make sure you use strong words that will make it clear to the credit reporting agencies that the mentioned listing is being disputed. Examples of these words are erroneous, outdated, misleading or unverifiable. Do not spend time explaining things in your letter of dispute, explanations are not considered useful. When the reporting agency receives your letter, they are then required to investigate the listing you have disputed.
If you are unsure of the format of dispute letters, samples can be copied or downloaded online by simply doing a search on your favorite search engine. These samples give you a good idea on how a dispute letter should be formatted and what details should be completed to get the maximum effect
It will take between 2 weeks to a month to receive a reply from the credit-reporting agency letting you know that your letter has been received and your dispute is being investigated. After a further 2-4 weeks, a new credit report should be received from the reporting agency to confirm that the item has been removed from you report.
Once the updated credit report has been received, you can then address the next dispute that you have until you have had all of the disputed.
?Sometimes, credit reporting agencies are slow to respond or choose not to respond at all. If this is the case, you will need to send another letter to them to remind them that they are obliged by law to address your dispute.
? Disputing items on your credit report is no easy task, you will need a great deal of patience and you will also need to be persistent and not give up. Remember that the credit reporting agencies are required by law to investigate your disputes, so don't let them bully you into thinking that it is not possible to have things removed from you credit report.
? For those who don't have the time or are having difficulties with the credit reporting agencies, there are legal services available that will dispute the items for you at a small fee.
Credit Dispute Letter Templates
Poor credit translates into high interest rates on credit cards, vehicles and other major purchases. Such high interest rates inevitably devastate your financial well being forcing you into financial ruin. Don't let an unhealthy credit score continue to ruin you life, a healthy credit score can be your key to financial freedom.
You can say good-bye to Foreclosures, Bankruptcies, late payments and other derogatory items that are lowering your credit score. All you have to do is formulate the right letter! A unique letter that works!
Following are some tricks and things to keep in mind when doing so, over the years I have used them to formulate many successful letters that have removed all items mentioned above.
* Credit bureaus are bound by the FTC to validate a debt within a 30-day time frame and if they can't, it has to be removed.
* Credit bureaus are afraid to be sued and would rather remove a debt than be dragged into small claims court.
* Credit bureaus are bound by the FCRA.
* Credit bureaus receive thousands if not millions of dispute letters each day.
* Ask the credit bureaus to validate the debt to it's entirety.
* Be specific in what you want the credit bureaus to do with the debt if they can't validate it, such as: Remove or Update The Info
* Be original in your letter and what ever you do don't use a form letter off the Internet.
* Let them know that you are prepared to take legal action under if they don't correct the info.
* Address each letter individually to each credit bureau.
* Send the letters certified mail, return receipt requested.
* Include a color copy of both your social security card and drivers license
OK so with these tips in mind an effective dispute letter might look something like this:
Date
To: Bureau Name and address
Re: Update or Delete Info
Date of Birth:
From:
Your Name
Your Address
Attention: Consumer Fraud Department, "Thank You for your Prompt Actions"
Reference #
Date Report was issued: From bureau
As indicated above my information may have changed in your files since my last confirmation dispute, please apply all changes to the information above.
I am disputing several items on my credit report due to fraudulent activity. Some items on my disputes still reflect on my credit file and I ask that you investigate each account to its full entirety. I am listing the accounts I wish to dispute below.
NAME OF CREDITOR/COURT ACCT # OR DOCKET # Opened date:
"This account does not belong to Me, Possible Fraudulent account using my name & SSN to establish credit" DELETE this from my credit file per Section 4752 & Stated by Section 1785.11 & S-623 (a) Paragraph (4) California New Legislation signed by governor on 2/24/2006, Chapter 10 A.B. 424. Inaccurate I am a JR.
DISCLAIMER
The following inquiries listed below I've never applied for either in Writing, Verbal or Initialed. Please delete from my credit file immediately!
LIST ALL INQUIRIES THAT ADVERSELY EFFECT YOUR FICO
DISCLAIMER
The following names listed below I've never used to obtain credit and was placed incorrectly on my credit file. Please delete from my credit file immediately!
LIST ALL NAMES NOT BELONGING TO YOU
Please note that I am aware of such information which reflects on my credit file may vary different, however are similar. I will pursue legal action if my request has not been fulfilled in the manner in which it has been requested. I have fully investigated my rights in this matter. Under the doctrine of estoppels by silence, Engelhard vs. Graven (Mo) 281 SW 715, 719, I may presume that no proof of the alleged debt, nor therefore any such debt, in fact exists.
I appreciate your professional cooperation in advance; I am looking forward to a prompt response from your fraud department.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Cc: Experian, Equifax, Trans Union, F.T.C.
(The above letter is an actual letter I use all the time to get negative items removed and is one of the most successful.)
OK so now that you formulated a well written and thought out letter you can proceed to send the letter. You will receive an answer back within 30-45 days. Remember that when you launch a credit scrubbing campaign on your own to keep in mind that it can be a long and tedious process.
You will have to keep track of all letters and respond back to each you receive from the bureaus in order to be successful. If you are not in it for the long haul and not ready to see it through to the end you might want to reconsider doing it yourself. Even though the above letter is successful, you will have to formulate one particular to your individual case, make sure and be original to every response you receive from the bureaus also. Good Luck!
Both Liz N. Roberts & Jay Delgado are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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