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Fix Your Credit Report
One-third of credit reports have errors. Given how important your credit report is to your financial well-being, that number is unacceptable. The credit reporting agencies are not going to look for errors on your behalf, you must do it yourself.
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To check for errors, pull your credit from each of the three major credit reporting agencies, TransUnion, Experian and Equifax. You can get free credit reports from
https://www.annualcreditreport.com.
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Check each item that appears on your credit report. No mistake is too small. Some errors may not affect your credit score but you do not want to take any chances. Dispute everything that is inaccurate to give you the best opportunity to improve your score. If there are errors, dispute the errors one at a time. What I mean is do not dispute several items in one letter. Use separate letters and keep copies of your letters. I recommend to not use the online dispute forms. The online dispute may disappear and may need the letters for evidence later.
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If you are uncomfortable disputing the errors yourself, we do have attorneys that will dispute up to two items for free. If the inaccurate items items are not removed from your credit report, we have attorneys that will file a law suit to remove those items and you could possibly recover monetary damages. There are no out-of-pocket costs for this service. The attorneys will collect fees when and if the case is resolved.
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Items to check on your credit report
1. Is your name correct?
2. Is your Social Security number correct?
3. Is your current address correct? Is your current phone number correct?
4. Are the previous addresses they have listed for you correct?
5. Is your marital status listed correctly?
6. Is the employment history they have listed for you accurate?
7. Is everything listed in the personal information section correct?
8. Is there anything listed in the public record information?
9. Are the accounts on the list still open? Review each item under the credit account (trade account) section.
10. Are all of the current balances correct?
11. Are accounts where you are an authorized user or joint owner listed?
12. Are zero balances recorded for debts discharged in bankruptcy? For debts paid in full? 13. Are you listed as a co-signer on a loan? Is this correct?
14. Are accounts that you closed listed as “closed by the consumer”?
15. Is negative information reported on each credit account correct? Look for late payments and missed payments. Highlight those items you think are not correct.
16. Are any accounts listed more than once? Check to make sure the same account is not listed multiple times in the collections section.
17. Is old negative information still being reported? If yes, highlight the information that has exceeded the negative information reporting limit, which is usually seven years.
18. Do you suspect that you have been the victim of identity theft after reviewing your credit reports?
If you find anything that is incorrect, use the dispute forms below. Dispute each inaccurate item in a separate letter. As mentioned previously, we have attorneys that will dispute up to two items for free.
Sample Dispute Letters With Addresses
Equifax Information Services LLC
P.O. Box 740256 Atlanta, GA 30374
Use the address provided on
your credit report or mail your letter to: Experian P.O. Box 4500 Allen, TX 75013
TransUnion LLC Consumer Dispute Center P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016