Watts Law Group, P.C. M.Stan Herring, P.C.

Steps for Credit Reporting Errors

General Overview of the Dispute Process under The Fair Credit Reporting Act


Having errors on your credit report can be a frustrating and costly problem, but it can be resolved, one way or the other. We say “one way or the other” because if it truly is an error you can either get it corrected by the reporting agencies and furnishers of the information or if they fail or refuse to correct the inaccurate information, you can sue the credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union) and the furnisher of the wrong information (credit card company, mortgage company, etc.).

The first step is always to look at your full credit report. Click here to download the form to mail in PDF request form or you can call 1-877-322-8228 or go to the credit request website of https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp to get your reports online. We have a page that describes these three ways.

The second step is to carefully review everything listed on each report. If anything is incorrect, obtain the documents or proof that shows the information is incorrect. For example, the following simple chart discusses this:

INACCURACY

DOCUMENT TO PROVE INACCURACY
Account you didn’t open, showing identity theft
  • Copies of signature (checks, mortgage papers, etc) so that the credit reporting agency can compare your signature to the one used to open the false account.
  • A police report where you notify the police the account is not your account and you have been the apparent victim of an identity theft crime.
  • We can also help you prepare an affidavit where you swear the account is not your account.
  • Click here for our page on identity theft.
Debt discharged in bankruptcy, but still showing a balance
  • Copies of your bankruptcy petition and discharge order (you can get this from your bankruptcy attorney). This will show that as of the date you filed you should no longer be shown as being late or that the debt is discharged. Click here.
Wrong Name
  • Have a copy of your driver’s license and other similar document (mortgage, car note, tax return, social security card) so you can show the name is incorrect. Having an incorrect name can lead to the wrong accounts being placed on your credit reports.
Never late, but shown as late
  • Provide copies of statements or bank account records showing when and how much you paid.
Won the collection suit against you
  • Provide the consumer reporting agenices with the name of the court (i.e. Jefferson County District Court), case number and phone number of the court; then name and account number of the debt buyer who sued you; and the phone number of the debt buyer's attorney who sued you. Ask the agency to remove this account from your report since you don't owe it.

Finally, you need to prepare a dispute letter to send to the credit reporting agencies and the furnishers of the information. Here is a page with sample dispute letters for all types of situations.

Then when you receive the results of the investigation, you will either notice that the error is corrected (congratulations!) or that it is not. If it is not, then feel free to contact us to advise you on your options to sue the wrongdoers.

 Feel free to go to our blog which has a number of posts on credit report errors here.  You can also review three specific posts which expand upon the ideas mentioned on this webpage - obtaining your credit reports, determining the errors, and disputing the errors.

Contact Us

For more information about the services we provide, or how we can assist you with a creditor harassment, debt collection, or identity theft credit issue, please schedule a free confidential consultation by calling us at (205) 879-2447 or (205) 714-4443, e-mailing Mr. Watts or e-mailing Mr. Herring, or filling out our intake form on our Contact Us page.

Fighting to Protect Your Rights

Watts Law Group P.C. & M. Stan Herring P.C.
Alabama Consumer Protection Lawyers
Phone: 205-879-2447 or 205-714-4443