Checking
your credit report every year can
help you prevent identity
theft. You're entitled to one free credit report each year from each
of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies (Equifax, Experian, Transunion),
so check
yours today if you haven't seen your report in a long time.
If you find errors on the report, you can have them removed so they
won't affect your credit
score* or your ability
to get a loan. Follow the
five easy steps below to correct
credit report errors.
Make a copy of your credit report and highlight every item you believe is
incorrect.
Write a letter to the credit reporting agency (e.g., Equifax, Experian, Transunion)
about the information you believe is wrong and include copies of supporting
documents as proof. For example, if you paid back a $5,000 loan to
John Smith Company, but your credit report says you didn't, send a copy of the
letter you received from John Smith Company confirming that the loan was
repaid in full.
Send a similar letter to the creditor you believe reported the incorrect
information.
Send all materials by certified mail, return receipt requested, so you
have proof the information was received.
The credit reporting agency will conduct an investigation, contacting the
appropriate creditors to verify the accuracy of the information. If the
creditor cannot verify that the reported information is correct, it must be
removed from your credit report. There are two possible outcomes of the
investigation:
If the investigation proves an error was made, you have
the right to receive a free copy of the corrected report and ask that the
corrected version of your credit report be sent to everyone who received it
within the past six months.
If the issue remains unsettled even after the
investigation, you can ask that a 100-word statement of the dispute be
included in your file and in future reports. The credit-reporting agency must
include this statement in your report each time it sends it out.
*Keep in mind that when negative information in your report is accurate, it
cannot be removed. Most negative information generally stays on your report for
seven years while bankruptcy information can remain on the report for ten
years.
Checking
your 
