How to Fix and Change a Credit Report

Credit report accuracy is an important factor in calculating your true credit score. If balances are not reported correctly, accounts appear that aren't even yours or collections have the wrong dates and statuses, it can have a great effect on your scores. This may stop you from getting a loan or credit card. The three major credit reporting agencies, TransUnion, Experian and Equifax, have a dispute process that allows you to request an investigation into the account data. Each credit reporting agency will check the account data with the account holder and make changes if necessary. If the agency cannot get a response within 30 to 45 days, the account is eliminated entirely.

Equifax

• 1

  Bring up the dispute page on the Equifax website.

• 2

  Enter the required information into the form on this page. The first field, credit report number, does not need to be filled out if you don't have a report number. Click "Submit."

• 3

  Click the correct answer to each of the multiple choice questions asked on the next page. These questions are used to determine if you are the person whose information was given in the form. The questions ask about previous addresses, credit accounts and payment amounts. Click "Submit."

• 4

  Search each section of the Equifax credit report to determine which accounts need to be disputed. The Equifax credit report is divided into several sections, so you'll need to click around every section to make sure you don't miss an account. Click the linked account name for accounts that need disputed. Click "Dispute this item." Click one of the given reasons for disputing an account or enter your own. Click "Add Dispute."

Experian

• 1

  Open your Internet browser and go to the dispute page on Experian's website.

• 2

  Get an Experian credit report. You can use a free Experian credit report from annualcreditreport.com, a credit report purchased from Experian or an Experian credit monitoring subscription report. You cannot dispute an account with Experian without having a recent credit report number.

• 3

  Click "Yes, I have a credit report number." Fill out the provided form with all required information and click "Submit."

• 4

  Look through the list of accounts. Click the "Dispute this item" link on the side of any account you need to dispute. Choose why you are disputing this account and click "Submit your dispute."

TransUnion

• 1

  Access the dispute section of TransUnion's website.

• 2

  Click the "First Time" button if you have never used the TransUnion site before. If you have requested a free annualcreditreport.com report for TransUnion, you should already have an account. Log in to your account with the "Returning Users" button.

• 3

  Click "Credit Report" if you do not automatically see the credit report landing page. Click "Report Inaccuracy." Choose the "Submit Dispute" button to access TransUnion's dispute request page.

• 4

  Check each account listed on this page to see what needs to be reported for inaccuracy. Click "Request Investigation" to start an investigation on a specific item. Choose an investigation reason from the list provided. When you're done choosing the accounts, click "Submit" to send the investigation request to TransUnion.