If you go to check your credit score and are shocked by the number you see, there is a good chance that something is wrong. Most people usually know at least the range of their credit score, but if you are truly blindsided, then there is a good chance that there is an error in your credit report. And even if your credit score seems correct, you should still take a peek at your report, just in case. Fear not—if there is an error, you can dispute it and more than likely sort out your report.

Why does it matter if there is an error?

While some errors are benign, such as misspellings of names or addresses, others can severely impact your credit score. If your score drops, it will be much more difficult to get approved for credit cards or loans, to get a job, or to get an apartment or otherwise rent a place to live.

What should I look for?

Before you can look for anything, you need to obtain your credit report, which you can easily do for free from a number of source. Once you have done that, comb through the report meticulously. There are some errors that are more common than others. These include:

• Personal Information — such as incorrect or misspelled names, phone numbers, or addresses
• Mixed Files — such as accounts belonging to somebody with the same or a similar name as yours
• Account Status — such as a closed account being report as open and vice versa or accounts that are inaccurately marked as late
• Incorrect Ownership — such as when you are assigned as the account owner when you are only an authorized user
• Duplicates — such as the same account being listed more than once, sometimes even with different names, or accounts appear multiple times with different creditors attached
• Incorrect Data — such as wrong payment dates, delinquency dates, or opening dates
• Balance Error — such as an incorrect account balance or credit limit
• Post-Correction Errors — such as when an error is corrected but then reinserted
• Fraudulent Accounts — such as accounts opened in your name, but not by you (a.k.a. Identity theft)

While these are some of the most commonly found errors, the list goes on. If something in your credit report does not seem right, then do your due diligence and get to the bottom of the issue.

How do I fix errors in my credit report?

That is a straightforward question, and we have an equally straightforward answer. The dispute process requires a few steps:

1. Send a letter to whichever credit bureau reported the incorrect information. If there were multiple bureaus, you need to submit a claim for each. Alternatively, you can file a dispute online. Here is the info for Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion:
   1. Equifax: File a dispute online.
      Mailing address: Equifax, P.O. Box 740256, Atlanta, GA 30374-0256
   2. Experian: File a dispute online.
      Mailing address: Experian, P.O. Box 9701, Allen, TX 75013
   3. TransUnion: File a dispute online.
      Mailing address: TransUnion, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016
2. Be patient. As difficult and irritating as this may be, it can take around thirty days for the bureau to get back to you.
   1. As a plus, though, the information being disputed is disregarded in your credit report during the investigation.
3. Once they reach a resolution, ensure that it is adequate—and ensure that the information is scratched from the record if there was an error. As we mentioned before, every once in a while, information that was corrected somehow gets reinserted.
4. Request that the bureau sends a corrected credit report to any creditor who had received it in the last six months. This is so important! If you applied for something, even if you happened to qualify, it could affect the terms of your agreement or your ability to qualify.
5. If you disagree with the conclusion reached by the credit bureau (a.k.a. rejecting the dispute), you can still request that the dispute be added to your credit report; that way, future creditors know that something is amiss and you have the opportunity to explain yourself.

If you dispute an error and your credit does not improve, it could mean that there are other things in your history that are affecting your score, and the only thing you can do is work to improve it. If you need help improving your credit score or are just completely lost on how to start, check out this blog detailing the best methods for building your credit.