Updated for 2026
When you’re building credit in a new country, a single wrong item on your report can cost you an approval. Errors happen, and you have the right to dispute them. This guide explains how to check your reports and how the dispute process works, step by step, based on guidance from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Why Checking Your Reports Matters
Your credit score is built from the information in your reports at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. If that information is wrong, your score can be too. See our explainer on how credit scores work. Newcomers should check early, because you may have few accounts and one error has more weight on a thin file.
How to Get Your Free Reports
According to the FTC, you can get a free report from each of the three bureaus once every 12 months at AnnualCreditReport.com, and the bureaus have permanently extended a program that allows free weekly reports from each. The FTC also notes that through 2026 anyone in the U.S. can get six additional free Equifax reports per year. Review all three, since each bureau may hold different information.
What to Look For
- Accounts you don’t recognize
- Wrong names, addresses or personal details
- Payments marked late when you paid on time
- The same debt listed more than once
- Accounts that should have been closed or removed
Step-by-Step: How to Dispute
Step 1: Decide who to contact. The FTC says you can dispute with each credit bureau that shows the error, and also with the business that reported the wrong information.
Step 2: Write down what’s wrong. Explain in writing what you think is wrong. Include your full name and address, each error and why it’s wrong, copies (not originals) of supporting documents, and a copy of your report with the errors circled. Use the bureau’s dispute form if it has one.
Step 3: Send it. You can dispute by mail, online or by phone. If mailing, use certified mail with a return receipt and keep copies of everything. The FTC lists these bureau phone numbers: Experian (888) 397-3742, TransUnion (800) 916-8800 and Equifax (866) 349-5191. Confirm numbers on the bureaus’ official sites before calling.
Step 4: Dispute with the business too. Send a letter that states you’re disputing errors, with your name and address, each inaccurate item and why, and copies of your supporting documents.
Step 5: Wait for the investigation. According to the FTC, the bureau has 30 days to investigate. It forwards your evidence to the business, which must investigate and report back. If the business finds the information inaccurate, it must notify all three bureaus.
Step 6: Check the result. The bureau must send you the results in writing. If your report changes, you get a free copy that doesn’t count as your annual free report. Afterward, check your reports to confirm the error is gone.
Step 7: If it isn’t resolved. You can ask that a statement of your dispute be added to your file and future reports.
What to Expect After a Dispute
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| You file | Bureau reviews your dispute, can stop if it deems it “frivolous” or “irrelevant” and must tell you why |
| Investigation | Bureau has 30 days to investigate and sends your evidence to the business |
| Result | Written results; free updated report if something changed |
| Unresolved | You can add a statement of dispute to your file |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Sending original documents. Send copies and keep the originals.
Disputing with only one bureau. The same error may appear at all three.
Not keeping records. Use certified mail and save every letter and response.
Paying a “credit repair” company for what is free. You can dispute errors yourself at no cost. Be wary of anyone promising to remove accurate information.
Disputing accurate items. A dispute is for errors, not for negative items that are correct.
Never checking again. Review your reports regularly to confirm the fix stuck.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does checking my own credit hurt my score?
No. The St. Louis Fed notes that soft inquiries, like checking your own report, don’t affect your score.
Does it cost anything to dispute?
No. Disputing with the bureaus and the business is free.
What if I see an account I never opened?
Dispute it right away and consider whether your identity may have been misused. Learn about identity theft steps on the FTC’s site.
Can I dispute if I only have an ITIN?
Credit reports can exist under an ITIN. The dispute process is the same; follow each bureau’s instructions.
Written by Hector Reyes, based on 2026 research of FTC guidance. Procedures, contact details and deadlines can change; confirm on the FTC and bureau websites before you act. This is general information, not legal advice.