How to Erase Things From My Credit Bureau Report

You can clean up your credit reports by disputing inaccurate information.

You can have inaccurate information erased from your credit reports simply by challenging the information through a dispute process. The process generally takes about 30 days, and by law, the credit bureaus must remove the incorrect information. There are also circumstances under which information that is negative -- but accurate -- is erased.

Instructions

1. Obtain copies of your credit reports from TransUnion, Experian and Equifax -- the three nationwide credit reporting bureaus. Get your reports for free from the website Annual Credit Report. The credit reporting agencies established the website to comply with federal law entitling you to one free credit report every 12 months from each of the agencies.

2. Check your reports for inaccurate information you would like erased from your credit reports.

3. Dispute the inaccurate information by visiting the websites for the credit bureaus. Find the disputes menu tab and click on it to begin your dispute online. Or write a letter to the credit bureaus stating why the information is inaccurate. In your letter demand that the inaccurate information be removed within 30 days, as required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Write to the credit bureaus at their addresses.

   Equifax
   P.O. Box 740241
   Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
   800-685-1111.

   Experian
   P.O. Box 2104
   Allen, TX 75013
   888-397-3742

   TransUnion
   P.O. Box 1000
   Chester, PA 19022
   800-916-8800.

4. Challenge all other information on your credit reports if you wish. The Fair Credit Reporting Act gives you the right to force the credit bureaus to confirm all information on your reports. The information remains if the credit bureaus confirm it is true. On the other hand, federal law requires the credit bureaus to remove any challenged information that they cannot confirm, even if the information is accurate. Because of that, any information you challenge will be erased if the credit bureaus cannot confirm its accuracy during an investigation. This tactic is commonly used by so-called credit repair agencies. The agencies will challenge all information in hopes much of it cannot be confirmed by the credit bureaus and is erased.

References

• Federal Trade Commission: Credit Repair
• Federal Trade Commission: Fair Credit Reporting Act
• Federal Trade Commission: Free Annual Credit Reports
• Federal Trade Commission: How To Dispute Credit Report Errors