Sample Credit Dispute Letters That Work
Negative entries on your credit report are not pleasant. And while you cannot simply remove entries like late payments from your credit report when you want to, you can dispute errors that may show up on your credit report. Such errors can damage your credit score if you leave them on your credit report unattended.
The best way to dispute any incorrect entry in your credit report is to send a dispute letter to the bureau demanding verification of that entry and its removal. However, how you structure the dispute letter and the information you include determines whether the bureau will respond to it or not.
While you can draft a letter that will work and get the bureau's attention, it's too much hassle. Also, you risk getting it wrong and having no results in the end. Not to worry, because DoNotPay has a Clean Credit Report product that can help you create to get your credit report fixed in no time.
What Is a Credit Dispute Letter?
A informs the bureau and creditors that the information they have entered on your credit report is incorrect. Therefore, they are required to verify that information and correct it or remove the entry from your credit report.
The letter should:
- Identify the errors on the credit report
- Explain why you think the information is incorrect
- Request that the creditor corrects the information or remove it from your credit report.
Ensure that you enclose supporting documents with your letter so that it's easy for the creditor or bureaus to identify the disputed entries. There are different types of dispute letters. They include:
- General-purpose dispute letter
- 609 credit report dispute letter
- 611 credit report dispute letter
- 623 credit report dispute letter
Here's how they work.
General-Purpose Dispute Letter
The general type of dispute letter is easy to write and does not refer to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) sections. It simply indicates the errors in the credit report, explains the mistakes with supporting evidence, and requests your preferred action.
609 Credit Report Dispute Letter
As its name suggests, this letter invokes section 609 of the FCRA, which requires that the credit bureau check and verify the disputed entry on your credit report. Therefore, when writing this letter, you can ask the credit bureau to verify the information on the entry and remove it from your record if it's not verifiable.
611 Credit Report Dispute Letter
This letter invokes Section 611 of the FCRA, which requires the bureau to verify the disputed entry and provide the method they used to verify it. You send this type of dispute letter after the bureau has responded to your first verification request saying that the entry has been verified.
623 Credit Report Dispute Letter
This letter invokes Section 623 of the FCRA, and it requires the furnisher to prove that the debt belongs to you. This letter applies mostly to third-party debt collectors who may have reported your debt to the credit bureau. This kind of letter is also known as a debt validation request letter.
How to Write a Credit Dispute Letter
A credit dispute letter must include the following parts.
| Your identity and contact information | Such details include your name, address, and phone number. |
| Company Information | Whether you are sending the letter to the bureau or the creditor, this is where you include their information, like the name and address. |
| Disputed entries | Whether you are sending the letter to the bureau or the creditor, this is where you include their information, like the name and address. |
| Enclosures | Include a list of all the supporting documents you have submitted as evidence to your claims. |
Ensure that your credit dispute letter has information such as the dates of the account activity, account numbers, and your complete personal information.
Sample Dispute Letter
Jane Doe
123 Street Name
My Town, City 12345
555-123-4567
Jane. doe.@your-email.com
Today's date
Credit Bureau
123 Street Name
Credit Town, City 67891
Subject: Disputing information in my credit report.
I noticed some erroneous information on my credit report [date]. I believe that this information is incorrect because [reason]. I'm requesting this item be removed [may also ask for it to be updated or changed].
Disputed Item number 1
Name of the collection agency
Address
Phone
Account Number
Reasons why this is an error [list your reason(s) here]
Thank you for looking into my request.
Sincerely,
Jane Doe
Enclosures [list items enclosed]
How to Write Credit Dispute Letters With the Help of DoNotPay
DoNotPay can help you write . Here is how DoNotPay works.
- Search Clean Credit Report on DoNotPay.
- Prepare a recent copy of your credit report that you can use as a reference.
- Let us guide you through the 4 potential options:
- If you've already paid off your debt, we'll help you file a Goodwill Removal Request to get it removed.
- If you notice any errors in your report (we have a list of common errors you can use!), we'll help you file a credit dispute to the creditor or major credit bureaus.
- If there are no errors, we'll check if you're still eligible to file a debt validation request. If they can't validate your debt, they're required to remove it from your report and they can't collect it!
- Lastly, if none of the above options work, we'll help you file a pay-to-delete negotiation letter. You can customize the amount you are willing to pay in exchange for getting the item removed.
And that's it! DoNotPay will file the appropriate letter on your behalf (mailing is more effective in these cases since it's traceable). You should hear back from the creditor/credit bureau within a few weeks with a response!
What Else Can DoNotPay Do?
DoNotPay can help you learn the following.
- How to improve credit score
- Dispute credit report
- Debt validation letter
- How to remove collections from credit report
- How to fix credit score
- How to remove inquiries from credit report
Check out DoNotPay's Clean Credit Report product to get started.