How to Dispute a Credit Report Error

The short answer: To dispute a credit report error, get your report, identify the specific wrong information, and file a dispute in writing with the credit bureau reporting it — with copies of your evidence. Keep a dated record of everything. If the bureau won't fix a genuine error, escalate to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). A documented dispute, followed by escalation to the right regulator, is how errors get corrected.

What kinds of credit report errors can I dispute?

The ones people most often find include:

• Accounts that are not yours opened in your name, or confused with someone else.
• Wrong balances or payment statuses including a payment recorded as missed.
• A debt listed twice often by the original creditor and a collector.
• A closed account shown as open long after you closed it.
• Entries from identity theft that were never yours at all.

If information on your report is inaccurate or cannot be verified, it can be disputed. The first step is getting your report and identifying exactly what is wrong.

How do I file a credit dispute?

File your dispute in writing with the credit bureau that is reporting the error — Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion, and with each one that shows it. Identify the specific item, explain why it is wrong, and include copies (not originals) of any supporting evidence. Keep a dated copy of your dispute and proof you sent it. Bureaus are generally expected to investigate a written dispute; what they must do, and how long they have, is set by federal rules, so check what applies to you.

What should I document?

Your credit report with the error marked, your written dispute to each bureau, proof you sent it, the bureau’s response, and any supporting evidence — statements, letters, proof of payment. If the error comes from identity theft, also keep your FTC identity theft report and any police report. A dated record of the dispute and the bureau’s response is what supports escalation.

Start documenting a credit report error →

What if the bureau won't fix the error?

Escalate to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the federal regulator that oversees credit reporting. You file a complaint with your documented record — the error, your dispute, and the bureau’s response. The CFPB forwards complaints to the company and tracks the response.

What's the full escalation path?

Typically:

1. Dispute in writing with the credit bureau or bureaus reporting it.
2. If unresolved, file a complaint with the CFPB.
3. If the error causes real harm and is not fixed, legal action is possible.

Your documented dispute record carries through each step, and the CFPB sits as the named regulator at level two.

When should I start documenting?

The moment you spot the error. A dated record of your dispute and the bureau’s response is what makes escalation to the CFPB effective — and if the error is from fraud, early documentation matters even more.