More people are disputing items on their credit reports then ever before, yet some people still don’t even know that a credit report dispute is even possible. It’s strange that one of the best ways to improve your credit scores is still a secret to so many people. With so many consumers having bad credit nowadays, you would think that these credit dispute methods would be all over the media – but they’re not.

As a consumer advocate and credit repair specialist, I am passionate about teaching people that there are ways to dispute what your creditors and debt collectors are saying about you. Your credit report contains information about all of the places you have lived and how you pay your bills. It even contains information about whether you’ve been sued, arrested, or filed for bankruptcy. The credit bureaus keep this information about you all your life and then they sell it for a profit. You don’t get a dime of that profit.

Over 79% of all credit reports have false information being reported on them. This information affects your livelihood in many different ways and you don’t have to sit back and let them report bogus information about you. In fact, if you request an investigation with a credit bureau, they must investigate the information with the provider and prove to you that the information belongs on your credit report. They have 30 days to provide you with this proof. If they can’t provide the information is must be removed from your credit report immediately.

When making a credit report dispute, remember that the consumer reporting agency (credit bureau) and the information provider are the ones responsible for correcting inaccurate and incomplete information on your report. When making the dispute, tell the credit bureau, in writing, what information you think is inaccurate. You may even want to enclose a copy of your report with the items in question circled so that it’s clear to them which items you are disputing. You don’t have to provide them with a reason for your credit report dispute unless you want to. It’s usually better not to. The less you say the better. The burden of proof is on them.

The credit bureaus must investigate the items in question within 30 days. They also must forward all relevant data that you wish to provide about the inaccuracy to the organization that provided the information. Once the information provider receives the credit report dispute from the credit bureau, it must investigate and report the results back to the credit bureau. If the information provider finds the disputed information to be inaccurate, it must notify all three nationwide credit bureaus so they can correct the information in your file.