You found a wrong account on your credit report. Now what? The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives you a way to challenge it, and the process runs on a clock. Knowing the steps, and what happens after each one, makes the wait easier to handle.

A desk with an open folder of credit report pages and a certified mail envelope, beside a glowing timeline strip showing a 30-day investigation window with an optional extension.
A timeline of the dispute process, showing the standard 30-day investigation window and potential extensions based on documentation.

Start with two disputes, not one

Fixing an error generally means contacting both the credit reporting company and the company that supplied the information, according to the CFPB. That second company is called the furnisher. It might be a lender, a card issuer or a collector. The sources reviewed here do not explain how a furnisher handles a dispute or how to reach one, so check your account statements or the furnisher's website for a dispute address.

With the credit reporting company (Experian, Equifax or TransUnion), put the dispute in writing. Say what is wrong and why. Attach copies of your proof, never originals.

What the credit reporting company must do

A credit reporting company generally must investigate within 30 days of receiving your dispute, per the CFPB's timeline page. The CFPB also says the window can stretch to 45 days if you file after getting your free annual credit report. If you send relevant new information during the 30 days, the investigation can run 15 days longer.

The duty has one exception. The company must investigate unless the dispute is "frivolous," as the CFPB explains.

A well built letter helps. The CFPB suggests including:

  • Your full name, address and phone number
  • A credit report confirmation number, if you have one
  • Each error, with the account number
  • A clear explanation and a request for removal or correction
  • A copy of the report with the disputed items circled or highlighted
  • Copies of supporting documents

The CFPB also notes that certified mail with a return receipt gives you a record that the letter arrived.

What you should hear back

When the investigation ends, the company has five business days to tell you the result. You should get written notice and a copy of your updated report. That updated copy does not count as your free annual report.

If a furnisher gave wrong information and then corrects it after your dispute, it must pass the correction to every credit reporting company that received the bad data.

What about a disputed debt in the meantime? The CFPB says a disputed debt still appears on your report, but the bureau generally will not use it in score calculations until the investigation is complete. That statement covers disputed debts specifically. The sources do not say what happens to your score once a correction is made, and nobody can promise a result.

If the answer is no

You can ask that a brief statement of your dispute be added to your file and included in future reports. That right applies to disputes submitted to the credit reporting company, not to disputes sent only to the furnisher.

If a company ignores you or answers poorly, the FCRA gives you the right to sue. Violators can owe damages and attorney fees. For willful violations, actual or statutory damages and punitive damages may apply. Time limits apply, and the sources do not give them, so confirm the deadline before waiting too long.

For a debt you believe you do not owe, the CFPB says removal from a credit report may require legal action. It cannot recommend specific attorneys or firms.

Complaints, identity theft and scams

A CFPB complaint has an order of operations. You must dispute directly with the credit reporting company first. Per the CFPB complaint notice, wait until the dispute is no longer pending or 45 days have passed. File early and the CFPB may discontinue processing your complaint.

If you suspect identity theft, the CFPB dispute page points to IdentityTheft.gov as the federal government's one-stop resource for reporting and recovery.

The CFPB also addresses credit repair scams, though the source reviewed here gives no detail on how to spot them. The FTC publishes its own guidance in Disputing Errors on Your Credit Reports. The sources do not say whether disputes cost anything, so read the fine print before paying anyone to file one for you.

Please seek a professional. This article is general information, not financial, tax or insurance advice. Please seek a licensed financial, tax or insurance professional about your own situation.