Personal info update letter to credit bureaus

Use this sample letter to dispute incorrect or inaccurate information that a business supplied to credit bureaus. Your letter should identify each item you dispute, state the facts, explain why you dispute the information, and ask that the business that supplied the information take action to have it removed or corrected. You may want to enclose a copy of your report with the item(s) in question circled. Send your letter by certified mail with “return receipt requested,” so you can document that the business got it. Keep your originals. Include copies of the documents that support your request and save copies for your files.

 

[Date]

[Your Name]

[Your Address][Your City, State, Zip Code]

[Business Name]

[Street Address][City, State, Zip Code]

Subject: Disputing Information in Credit Report

I am writing to dispute the following information that your company supplied to [give the name of the credit bureau whose report has incorrect information]. I have circled the items I dispute on the attached copy of my credit report(s).

This item [for instance: retailer account at ABC Department Store and the account number] is inaccurate [or incomplete] because [describe in detail what is inaccurate or incomplete and why] I am requesting that [business name] have the item removed [or request another specific change to correct the information.]

[Add list and description of other disputed items, if that applies.]

Enclosed are copies of [my credit report and any other documents enclosed with a short description, for instance, your record of payments made] supporting my request. Please reinvestigate this matter and contact the nationwide credit bureaus to have them delete [or correct] the disputed item(s) as soon as possible.

Use this sample letter to dispute mistakes on your credit report. Your letter should clearly identify each item in your report you dispute, state the facts, explain why you dispute the information, and request that it be removed or corrected. You may want to enclose a copy of your credit report with the items in question circled. Send your letter by certified mail with “return receipt requested,” so you can document that the credit bureaus got it. Keep your original documents. Include copies of the documents that support your request and save copies for your files.

 

[Date]

[Your Name]

[Your Address]
[Your City, State, Zip Code]

 

[Credit Bureau Name]

[Street Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]

Subject: Disputing Information in Credit Report

I am writing to dispute the following information in my file.

This item [for instance: retailer account at ABC Department Store] is inaccurate [or incomplete] because [describe in detail what is inaccurate or incomplete and why]. I am requesting that this item be removed [or request another specific change to correct the information].

[List and describe any other items you are disputing.]

Enclosed is documentation supporting my request: [describe the documents you’re sending, for instance: my credit report, with the disputed items circled.]

A credit report error can harm your credit score by lowering it and negatively influencing the lender’s decision to issue…

Ali Zane

Read More

Personal info update letter to credit bureaus

January 23, 2019

16 Comments

Identity Theft Credit Repair

Thousands of Americans are victims of identity theft every year. In addition to dealing with the feelings of vulnerability and…

While your personal information doesn't impact your credit scores, it is an important part of your credit report that you want to keep up to date and accurate. If you change your name, address, telephone number or other personal information, there are a few ways you can update your credit file.

Updating Personal Information on Your Credit Report

Your credit reports are based on information in credit bureaus' databases, much of which comes from the data that creditors send to the bureaus. When you apply for a credit card or loan, the creditor may review your credit report and also send the credit bureau information from your application, such as your name, Social Security number, address, telephone number and the name of your employer. Once your account is open, the creditor will likely send a monthly update with your latest payment status (late, on time, etc.), as well as your current account balance.

If you need to update your personal information on your credit report, you can generally do this by updating your information with your creditors. For example, if you move, you'll need to update your address to ensure the creditor can send you mail, including your monthly statements. The next time the creditor sends an update to the credit bureaus, it'll pass along your new address, which can then be added to the personal information section of your credit report.

The same process could work if you're trying to update other personal details, such as a new name. However, your phone number and employment generally only get reported to a bureau when you apply for a new account.

You can make a direct request to a credit bureau if you don't want to use a creditor as an intermediary or don't have any open accounts. To do so, you may also need to send proof of the change, such as copies of utility bills or bank statements with your new address.

When Is Inaccurate Information an Indicator of Fraud?

One reason you want to regularly review your credit reports for inaccurate information is to detect credit fraud—when someone uses your personal information to fraudulently open an account in your name.

For instance, if you see an open credit account or loan on your credit report that you never applied for, that could be a good indication that you're a victim of identity theft. If this happens, you should contact the creditor to report the account as fraudulent and have it closed.

You can also dispute the fraudulent account with the credit bureaus to have it removed from your credit reports, and add a fraud alert or freeze your reports to make it more difficult for someone to use your credit to open an account in the future.

However, inaccurate personal information isn't always an indication of fraud. Someone may apply for a credit card as Robert Smith and a loan as Rob Smith, and both variations of their name could appear on their credit report. Similarly, old personal information may remain on your credit report even if you change your name, address or phone number.

There could also be slight errors, such as a name or Social Security number that's slightly off. This could be the result of a typo rather than fraud. For security reasons, Experian does not list your actual Social Security number on your credit report. Only inaccurate ones are listed, which could alert you to a creditor misfiling your information or attempts at fraud. You may be able to clear up the error by double-checking with your creditors and making sure they have your correct name and Social Security number.

If asking a creditor to update inaccurate personal information doesn't work, you can also file a dispute with the credit bureau to correct inaccurate personal information.

How to File a Dispute

If you want to dispute something in your credit report, you can do so by mail, fax, phone or online. Under federal law, it's your right to dispute information you believe to be inaccurate in your credit reports for free.

When you use Experian's online Dispute Center, you can verify your identity, review your credit report and file a dispute all in one place. To file a dispute, select the information you'd like corrected and the reason it's incorrect, and then submit your dispute. (Before you proceed, however, understand that certain information, such as names and credit inquiries, can't be disputed using the online dispute center.)

Credit bureaus generally have 30 days to investigate your claim and send you a response. If they find the information you disputed is incorrect, they may either correct and update the information or delete it. To verify updated information as correct, you may need to provide additional proof backing up your claim.

Disputing Personal Information Won't Affect Your Credit Score

Your credit scores are based on information in your credit report. However, not every part of your credit report impacts your scores. For example, your name, address, phone number and employer information will have no impact on your credit scores. As a result, disputing this information won't affect your credit scores.

How do I update my personal information with credit bureau?

To update the personal information listed on your credit report, simply update the your records with your lenders through your online account portal or by calling customer service.

Can you send letters to credit bureaus?

The major credit bureaus currently allow consumers to send disputes online, so you can simply follow their online instructions. If you decide to mail a physical letter instead, send your letter via certified mail with return receipt requested.

How do I remove incorrect personal information from my credit report?

If you identify an error on your credit report, you should start by disputing that information with the credit reporting company (Experian, Equifax, and/or Transunion). You should explain in writing what you think is wrong, why, and include copies of documents that support your dispute.

How do I update my name on my credit report?

All you have to do to have your name changed on your credit report is have your creditors change the name attached to your existing accounts. Your new name will be added to your credit file automatically when the account information is next reported by your creditors, usually after the end of the billing cycle.