Credit Report Disputes

Dispute Credit Report – Important Steps to Fix Credit Report

June 18, 2017 by Consumer Center

In a 2012 Federal Trade Commission Report it was discovered that on average, one in four Americans found at least one error on their credit report. When errors like this are discovered, it’s time to take action and dispute credit report. These errors may include account-related errors (late payments reported inaccurately or accounts reported as closed by the provider and not you), misrepresented errors (an account that was paid off still showing money owed), and personal information errors (wrong name listed or addresses where you have never lived).

What is the Fair Credit Reporting Act?

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law that legislates and oversees credit reporting agencies (CRA). The FCRA protects consumers from inaccurate information being used against them. It includes guidelines on how financial information is collected, the specific reasons for which this information can be released, and who this information can be released to.

Consumers are guaranteed specific rights under the FCRA. These rights include:

Access to your credit report – you may request one free report per year
Limited access to those who have a reasonable need for your credit history, such as banks, insurance companies, and landlords
Accurate reporting of your credit history
Removal of outdated information
Privacy of your medical information
Removal from unsolicited credit offers
Notification of possible errors
Right to pursue damages incurred by incorrect information
Your current credit score

Credit reporting agencies collect information regarding your credit and financial history. This information is then reported to potential employers and lenders in order to determine your financial reliability. There are three main credit reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Banks, credit unions and other agencies that report financial history are also bound by the FCRA.

Examples of FCRA Violations

These violations can be due to negligence and human error, or purposeful and willful deliberate intentions.

Negligent violations include reporting old information, reporting inaccurate information, and mistakenly combining your file with someone else who has a similar name, social security number or address, for example.

Deliberate violations include not following correct procedures for debt disputes, releasing private information to those who are not allowed access to it, and withholding notices regarding your credit information.

If these violations are not corrected or they continue to be followed, you may be able to sue for damages. These damages could be related to loss of credit opportunities, loss of employment or possible jobs, emotional distress, damage to your reputation and punitive damages.

How to Correct Your Credit Report

The following steps explain how to correct your credit report in three steps:

Step One – Obtain Your Credit Report

First, obtain a copy of your credit report. The most recent version of your credit report should help you identify any inaccuracies that show up on your report. You can get a free annual copy of your credit report from the three national credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) at Annual Credit Report.

Make sure to look for any information that seems incorrect to you and make a list of them.

Step Two – Write a Credit Report Dispute Letter

Contact the credit reporting agency in writing, informing them of the wrong or inaccurate information on your report. Clearly explain what needs to be corrected, and how it needs to be corrected (i.e. if your name is listed incorrectly, tell them your real name). Be sure to include copies of any documents that support your claim.

You may also want to include a copy of your credit report with the incorrect information circled to help the agency process your dispute letter more quickly and efficiently. Send the written letter by certified mail, and keep copies of everything you send to the credit reporting agency.

The credit reporting agency has 30 days upon receiving your letter to investigate and correct any inaccuracies that are on your credit report.

Step Three – File a Lawsuit Against the Credit Bureau

If the CRA does not respond to your letter within 30 days, you have the option to sue them to get the errors corrected. This is a complex process, and you may want to seek help from a credit report attorney to file the lawsuit for you.

We Connect Consumers to Credit Report Attorneys

A good way to keep your credit score true is to fix your credit report of any inaccurate information. It may be a good idea to seek help from an expert if it is your first time writing a dispute letter or filing a lawsuit against the credit bureau.

A credit report dispute attorney will offer helpful legal expertise regarding possible ways to fix your credit report. The attorney can also assist you in removing information that is harmful or could potentially harm your credit score.

Call us at (818) 697-4295 to be connected to a credit report attorney. The consultation is FREE!

Credit Report Dispute Lawyers in Los Angeles

May 28, 2017 by Consumer Center

Call For FREE Legal Advice: (818) 697-4295

Our network of credit report dispute lawyers can help you to dispute credit report errors and fix your credit score. Under federal laws, you can file a lawsuit against credit report agencies when they do not fix your credit or background check errors.

FCRA Lawyers Can Provide Legal Help to Fix Errors on Credit Report

When to Call a Credit Report Dispute Lawyer

You should talk to a credit dispute lawyer when you see errors on your credit report or background check report such as:

Inaccurate personal information such as your name, address, employment information, etc.
Incorrect credit information such as late payments that you paid on time, closed accounts that are listed as open, a delinquent account that is seven or more years old, and etc.
Incorrect public records such as lawsuits you were not involved in, bankruptcies you did not file, and etc.
Wrong inquiry information such as a purchase you did not authorize
Incorrect criminal records on the background check report that show your statuses such as felony, sexual assault, misdemeanors, and arrests.

The Process of Disputing Errors on Credit Report

You can fix your credit report errors by writing a dispute letter or filing a lawsuit. This is the process to dispute credit score errors:

How to Get a Copy of Your Credit Report

You can get a free annual copy of your credit report by sending a written request to Experian, Equifax, or Transunion, or online at AnnualCreditReport.com.

How to Write a Credit Report Dispute Letter

If you do find an error on your credit report, you should call a lawyer and get advice for writing a valid dispute letter to your credit reporting agency to get it corrected. The key to writing a good dispute letter is to highlight the credit report errors that you want to dispute with your credit reporting agency. Remember to include all documents to support your claims.

When to File a Lawsuit Against Your Credit Reporting Agency

If your credit reporting agency doesn’t properly respond to your letter within 30 days, you can hire a lawyer that practices in credit report disputes to file a lawsuit to correct credit report errors under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Get Free Legal Help Fixing Credit Report Errors Today!

If you have a credit report errors or need help to fix your credit score, we can connect you to lawyers for credit dispute for immediate help. Disputing errors on your credit report can help increase your credit score immediately! Call (818) 697-4295 – The Consultation is FREE!

Frequently Asked Questions:

What are some common errors made on credit reports?

Inaccurate personal information such as your name, address, employment information, etc.
Incorrect credit information such as late payments that you paid on time, closed accounts that are listed as open, a delinquent account that is seven or more years old, and etc.
Incorrect public records such as lawsuits you were not involved in, bankruptcies you did not file, and etc.
Wrong inquiry information such as a purchase you did not authorize
Incorrect criminal records on the background check report that show your statuses such as felony, sexual assault, misdemeanors, and arrests.

How do I fix errors on my credit report?

First, check your credit report to highlight errors that you find.
Then write a credit report dispute letter of those error including documents to support your claim.
Your credit reporting agency has 30 days upon receiving your letter to investigate and correct any errors made on your credit report.
If your dispute letter is not answered within 30 days you can move forward with a legal claim.

What should I do if my credit reporting agency doesn’t respond to my credit dispute letter?

If your credit reporting agency refuses to fix the errors you mentioned in your credit dispute letter for more than 30 days, you can file a lawsuit against them to have the errors corrected. You should contact a lawyer to help you file a lawsuit against them.

When can I file a Lawsuit against my Credit Reporting Agency?

You can file a lawsuit against your credit reporting agency if they ignore your dispute letter or refuse to fix errors on your credit report within 30 days of receiving your dispute letter.

What does fixing errors on my credit report do for me?

Fixing errors on your credit report can increase your credit score. When errors appear on your credit report, your credit score will remain lower and may make it more difficult for you to get a credit card or loan approved, or result in a denial of housing or a job application.

How do I get my free annual credit report?

You can get your free annual credit report by sending a written request to the three national credit report agencies, Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax, or you can request a free credit report online at AnnualCreditReport.com.

What is the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)?

The FCRA is a federal law that encourages credit reporting agencies of accuracy, fairness, and privacy of consumer information found in their credit reports. If a credit reporting agency fails to follow this rule, consumers are able to file a lawsuit against them.

How often does a credit reporting agency make a mistake on consumers’ credit report?

Credit reporting agencies make a mistake on consumers’ credit report about 20-80% of the time. This is why it is important to check your credit report at least once a year.

Dispute Credit Report Errors – Keeping Your Credit Report Accurate

October 6, 2016 by Consumer Center

It is important that your credit report contains accurate information about you. Inaccurate information about your debt or past payments can have negative consequences. Unfortunately, creditors do not always report your credit history fairly or accurately.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act, or FCRA, is a federal law that promotes your right to have accurate information presented in your credit report. It is the responsibility of your creditors to report your information to the credit bureaus and correct any errors in your credit report.

Once you have settled a debt or paid it in full, your creditors are required by law to report the change promptly. They must also update your credit status once you discharge a debt through bankruptcy. The law mandates that they notify all three credit bureaus and provide them with the most recent information.

Although creditors are required under the FCRA to change your credit report status, they do not always follow through. Correcting errors and making changes to your credit report may just not be your creditors top property. These tasks can easily slip through the cracks.

A good way to keep your credit report accurate is to dispute credit report errors. Read on to learn how to dispute errors on your credit report.

Dispute Items On Your Credit Report

If you have been turned down for a loan or job because of your credit report and believe that there is inaccurate information on your credit report, it is important to follow up as errors will continue to haunt you. To dispute information on your credit report:

Request a credit report from the three credit report companies—Experian, Equifax, and Transunion. By law, you are entitled to a free copy of your credit report if you are turned down for credit. You must request it within 60 days of the denial. You can also get a copy of all three credit reports for free one time a year from AnnualCreditReport.com.
Carefully review all three reports for errors. Take note of anything that is incorrect no matter how insignificant it might seem. Make sure that all of your former addresses are listed correctly, as well.
Once you have identified mistakes, then write out a dispute letter to each credit bureau that has incorrect information. Write a separate dispute letter for each error. You can use this handy dispute letter to credit bureau template.
Provide evidence – Send in any supporting information that you have to back up your claim. For instance, if you paid off a debt and it still showing as having a balance, send in proof that you paid the debt in full. If your Social Security number is incorrect, then send in a copy of your Social Security card. Send as much proof as you have.
Mail your disputes to the credit bureaus.

How Can I Correct Credit Report If The Letter Didn’t Work?

If the credit bureau fails to correct credit report errors listed in your dispute letter, you can still get them corrected using one of the following options:

Sue credit bureau – If you were harmed because the credit reporting agency continued to give out inaccurate or incomplete information, then you can sue the credit bureau. For instance, if you did not get a job solely because of inaccurate information in your credit report, then you might be able to recover actual damages, which include lost wages, court costs, attorney’s fees and emotional distress.
Sue the creditor – You might also be able to sue the creditor that supplied the inaccurate information to the credit bureau.

Experienced Attorneys Who Dispute Credit Report Errors

Credit report lawyers can tell you the best way to dispute errors on your credit report. Since credit bureaus don’t always respond to the dispute letters, the lawyers will be able to step in and file a lawsuit against them to get the errors corrected.

When you call our office, we will connect you to an experienced credit report lawyer who can assist you. Our network of lawyers has dealt with cases that involve fixing credit reports.

Call us at (818) 697-4295 to talk to a lawyer today. The consultation is FREE!

Put a Trustworthy Legal Advocate On Your Side