Written by: Mike Randall
Edited by: Lillian Guevara-Castro
Reviewed by: Andrew Allen
I used to assume the information on my credit report would be up-to-date and accurate, but unfortunately, mistakes can happen. Several years ago, I was reviewing my credit report and noticed some erroneous information that was bringing my score down. Thankfully, I was able to resolve the issue through a Transunion dispute, and my score was corrected.
Credit report errors can be both commonplace and costly. If you’re not regularly checking your credit report for erroneous entries, you could be looking at a credit score that’s lower than you deserve. A lower credit score means you may be paying higher interest rate charges and could even be denied a loan.
Approximately 13% of consumers have errors on their credit reports that can affect their credit scores.
| Identity Errors, Including Incorrect Names and Addresses |
|---|
| Data Management Errors, Including Incorrect Account Balances |
| Incorrect Reporting of an Account’s Status |
| Data Management Errors Including Incorrect Account Balances |
If you’ve recently gotten a copy of your TransUnion credit report and have found erroneous entries on it, don’t panic — there are quick and easy options to get these errors removed. Let’s take a look at how to remove credit report errors.
Getting Help Filing a Dispute
If you’re not confident in your ability to dive into the dispute process yourself with the TransUnion online credit dispute tool (which we’ll discuss below), not to worry. There is help out there for folks who simply want to leave this type of thing to the experts. A reputable credit repair service can help make sure your erroneous credit entry dispute gets handled correctly and efficiently.
Lexington Law is one of the best known and most respected credit repair agencies around, rating 4.5 stars with Consumer Affairs, and we highly recommend their services.
The diligent professionals at Lexington Law have been advocating for consumers to have a fair and accurate credit report for 20 years. Lexington Law Firm has represented over 10.8 million people since 2004.
TransUnion’s Online Tool Makes it Easy to Dispute Errors
For those who want to handle the issue themselves, TransUnion makes it easy to file and manage disputed entries on your credit report.
You can also contact the bureau directly via the TransUnion dispute phone number, 800-916-8800, though TransUnion recommends the quickest and most efficient way to dispute errors is online.
On the TransUnion website, you’ll see a Credit Report Disputes option. Clicking on this link takes you to a page that explains in detail the process of disputing an error, and it also displays a very clear link to the TransUnion online dispute form.
The 10 Steps to Filing a Dispute with TransUnion
Once you’ve created an account, you’ll be presented with a series of 10 steps that will walk you through submitting your online credit report dispute.
- Enter your personal information like name, SSN, and email address.
- Provide your current mailing address.
- Provide your previous address if less than two years at your current address.
- Provide the Credit Report File Number (also called the File Identification Number), which is located in the upper right corner of the credit report.
- If any of the personal information on your credit report is inaccurate, this step allows you to edit and correct it.
- The form will then ask for verification if personal information is disputed in the previous step.
- This is the step where you enter the specific report items you are disputing.
- In this step you will provide specific details of the dispute, including company name, account number and the reason for the dispute. Potential reasons for disputing include:
- Not my account
- I have never paid late
- Account is in bankruptcy
- Account is closed
- Account has been paid in full
- Was paid before collection or charge-off
- This step allows you to add any relevant comments related to the disputed credit report entry.
- This final step allows you to view the entire dispute claim and to verify or edit the information you’ve entered.
Keep in mind that hitting “Cancel” at any point in the process automatically closes the form and erases all of the information entered.
When to Expect Results
Depending on the disputed item and whether or not TransUnion needs to contact the furnisher of the disputed entry, it may take a few weeks to resolve.
On the other hand, disputed personal information may be corrected within a few days. In either case, it pays to follow up and check your TransUnion dispute status. This can be done by entering the account information and logging in to the TransUnion website or by checking the status with your representative at Lexington Law.
The bottom line is that credit report errors can cost you money and affect your chances of getting a loan. Don’t let these mistakes remain on your credit report. Unfortunately, many consumers are unaware of how commonplace legitimate errors can pop up on their credit reports.
It’s important to remain vigilant and get those errors corrected sooner rather than later. And you can do something about it by challenging the inaccurate negative item or having the professionals at Lexington Law do it for you. Make sure you have the credit score you deserve.
