Start with the right reports
Use AnnualCreditReport.com, the central service created by Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion for reports available under federal law. Checking your own report does not hurt your scores. Credit reports and credit scores are different: a report is the underlying file; a score is a model-specific estimate calculated from report data.
Review all three reports. A lender or collector may report to only one or two bureaus, and the same account may show different balances, dates, or statuses.
What belongs in a dispute
Examples include an account that is not yours, a duplicate item, the wrong balance or payment status, an incorrect open or closed date, a mixed file, an unrecognized hard inquiry, or information that is too old to be reported. A negative item is not disputable merely because it hurts a score. The FTC warns that accurate, current negative information cannot legally be removed by a credit-repair company.
Most adverse information is generally limited to seven years and bankruptcies to ten, subject to statutory details and exceptions. The controlling text is 15 U.S.C. § 1681c.
Dispute with both sides
The CFPB recommends disputing with the consumer reporting company and the business that supplied the information. A strong packet identifies every item, explains exactly what is wrong, requests a specific correction, includes a marked copy of the relevant report page, and encloses copies of supporting records.
For a direct dispute to a furnisher, 12 C.F.R. § 1022.43 describes the required address, contents, supporting information, and reasonable-investigation duty. Some categories and some disputes submitted by credit-repair organizations fall outside that direct-dispute rule, so the bureau route remains important.
Timing and results
Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681i, a bureau generally has 30 days to conduct a reasonable reinvestigation. The period can be extended in some circumstances when the consumer submits additional relevant information. The bureau generally must provide written results and an updated report within five business days after completion. A dispute can be rejected as frivolous or irrelevant if it lacks enough detail, which is why evidence and specificity matter.
If an item is deleted and later reinserted, the furnisher must certify it as complete and accurate, and the bureau must notify the consumer. If a dispute remains unresolved, the consumer may ask to add a brief statement of dispute to the file.
Mail or file online
CRAD prepares the same verified facts for either route. A mailed packet gives you a paper record, marked report pages, and delivery tracking. For online filing, use the official Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion consumer portal from your packet, copy only the wording you approved, attach supporting documents, and review the final filing yourself. The bureau portals do not provide CRAD a supported consumer-dispute submission API, so the final submit remains under your control.
Build credit alongside error correction
Disputes address reporting accuracy; they do not replace ordinary credit management. The coaching dashboard separates possible reporting errors from practical habits such as paying on time, monitoring utilization, avoiding unnecessary applications, and reviewing responses. It does not invent a score or guarantee an increase.