Free FCRA Sample Letters: Dispute Credit Report Errors Yourself (Attorney Approved)

As a bankruptcy attorney and law professor, one of the most common questions I get is, “How do I fix my credit? First and foremost, understand that credit repair companies are usually a scam. The legal reality is you don’t need to fix your credit with a credit repair agency because you can do so for free under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

By Alexander Hernandez, J.D., Professor, and Author of Consumer Bankruptcy Law (Routledge).

A credit repair organization (CRO) is usually not a lawyer or law firm and has no specialized training. Generally, they just spam the credit reporting bureaus with dispute letters. You can use the exact same process. In fact, doing it yourself is often safer, as CROs may engage in illegal activities like submitting false identity theft claims or asking you to file identity theft reports.

Below are three essential sample letters you can use to contest inaccurate information on your credit report. A detailed summary of the Credit Repair Organization Act is available here.

What Can Be Disputed on the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)

Before you move forward disputing items on your credit report, make sure to follow these rules:

1. Only Dispute Inaccurate Information: Do not dispute an item you know is accurate. The FCRA only grants rights to challenge inaccurate or unverifiable data.
2. Certified Mail is Mandatory: Send every letter via Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested. This creates documented proof that the credit bureau or creditor received your dispute. You should be able to file the dispute online as well, directly through the credit reporting bureaus (see link above).
3. Include Proof: Never just send or upload a letter. Include copies of documents that support your claim, whether proof of payment, court records, or proof that the debt is too old to be reported.
4. Send to the Bureaus: Disputes should be sent to all three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. See above for the bureau’s contact information.

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Letter 1: Initial Dispute to the Credit Bureau (Inaccurate or Incomplete Information)

Use this letter to tell the credit bureau that a specific item is wrong and request an investigation under Section 611 of the FCRA.

[Your Full Name]

[Your Current Address]

[City, State, Zip Code]

[Your Phone Number]

[Your Date of Birth]

[Last 4 Digits of Social Security Number]

[Date]

Certified Mail – Return Receipt Requested

[Credit Bureau Name: Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion]

[Credit Bureau Address for Disputes]

Subject: Formal Dispute of Inaccurate Information – Account No. [Account Number]

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to formally dispute the following inaccurate and misleading information currently appearing on my consumer credit report. I have enclosed a copy of my credit report with the disputed item circled for your convenience.

Under Section 611 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), I request that you investigate and correct or delete the following item within 30 days:

Creditor Name	Account Number	Disputed Item	Reason for Dispute
[Name of Creditor, e.g., Chase Visa]	[Full Account Number]	[Item to Dispute, e.g., Late Payment 03/2024]	[Specific Reason, e.g., The payment was made on time, see enclosed bank statement showing payment date of 02/28/2024.]

The accuracy of this reporting directly impacts my creditworthiness. Be advised that if you cannot verify the accuracy of this information within the legally mandated 30-day period, you are required by law to delete this item from my file.

Please provide me with a written statement of the results of your reinvestigation and copies of all documents used to verify the accuracy of the disputed information.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.

Sincerely,

[Your Signature]

[Your Typed Name]

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Letter 2: Request for Verification (After a Failed Dispute)

If the credit bureau investigates the item and comes back verifying the information (which often happens even though they are wrong), you must continue to escalate. Use this letter to demand proof of verification under Section 609(a)(1) of the FCRA.

[Your Contact Information – See Letter 1 Format]

[Date]

Certified Mail – Return Receipt Requested

[Credit Bureau Name]

[Credit Bureau Address for Disputes]

Subject: Demand for Proof of Verification – Account No. [Account Number]

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am in receipt of your recent investigation results, dated [Date of Investigation Letter], which stated that you verified the accuracy of the following item:

Creditor Name	Account Number	Disputed Item
[Name of Creditor]	[Full Account Number]	[Item Verified, e.g., $1,500 Collection]

Under the FCRA, I now formally demand that you provide me with the exact method and documentation that the furnisher used to verify this debt, as well as a copy of that documentation. This is not another dispute; this is a request for the legal proof of the verification process.

If you fail to provide sufficient documentary evidence demonstrating the validity of this item, you must delete it immediately. Failure to comply with this demand within the required period is a violation of the FCRA.

Sincerely,

[Your Signature]

[Your Typed Name]

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Letter 3: Direct Dispute to the Creditor (Furnisher)

The FCRA also allows you to dispute information directly with the original creditor (the “furnisher”) under Section 623(a)(8)(D). This puts additional pressure on the source of the data.

[Your Contact Information – See Letter 1 Format]

[Date]

Certified Mail – Return Receipt Requested

[Creditor/Furnisher Name, e.g., ABC Collection Agency]

[Creditor/Furnisher Address for Disputes]

Subject: Formal Dispute of Inaccurate Information & Demand for Correction – Account No. [Account Number]

Dear [Creditor Name],

This letter constitutes a formal dispute regarding the information you have furnished to the consumer reporting agencies (CRAs) regarding my account.

You have furnished the following information, which is inaccurate:

Account Number	Disputed Item	Reason for Dispute
[Full Account Number]	[Item to Dispute, e.g., Balance $5,000]	[Specific Reason, e.g., The balance should be $2,500. See enclosed payoff agreement dated 10/2024.]

Under Section 623(a)(1) of the FCRA, you have a duty to furnish accurate information. Under Section 623(a)(8)(D), you must conduct an investigation, review all relevant information I have provided, and report the results to me.

If your investigation confirms the information is inaccurate, incomplete, or cannot be verified, you must promptly notify all CRAs of the corrected information and cease reporting the inaccurate data.

I expect notification of the results of your investigation within 30 days.

Sincerely,

[Your Signature]

[Your Typed Name]

Note that when contacting the debt collection agency, they must also show proof that they legally own the debt. This means the debt was legally sold from the first creditor to the debt collector. Otherwise, it is a violation of the Fair Debt Collection & Practices Act to be contacting you.