Dispute information on your Equifax credit report

Ever wondered what information goes into your credit report, and what to look for as you’re reviewing it? A credit report is a summary of your unique financial history. The three nationwide credit bureaus collect and maintain a history of your credit activity as reported by the lenders and creditors you have accounts with. Your credit report includes important information about you, including:

• Personal information, such as your name, Social Security number, aliases or former names, current and former addresses, and sometimes your current and former employers;
• Account information, including payment history, account balances and limits, and dates the accounts were opened or closed. This includes credit accounts that may be in your name such as credit cards, mortgages, student loans, and vehicle loans;
• Bankruptcies and accounts in collections; and
• Inquiries, which lists the lenders and other companies that have accessed your credit report.

As you look at your credit report, keep the following in mind:

• In the personal information section of your credit report, is your name listed accurately, and your address up to date?
• In the account information portion of your credit report, are the accounts listed complete and accurate?
• If any of the information is inaccurate or incomplete, it is important to contact the lender or creditor that issued the account, or the nationwide credit bureau that issued the credit report.

You can get two free credit reports each year from Equifax by signing up for a myEquifax account.

When you file a dispute, you’ll need to provide some documentation. What you’ll need depends on what information you may be disputing. Here are some examples of the types of documents we may need copies of during our investigation:

Personal Information

• Valid driver's license
• Birth certificate
• Copy of a utility bill

Account Information

• Current bank statements with account information
• Letters from a lender showing an account has been corrected
• Proof that an account was the result of identity theft

Other information

• Bankruptcy schedules or other court documents
• Student loan disability letters
• Cancelled checks

Once you've successfully filed your credit dispute, you should expect the following to happen:

1. Confirmation Code
You'll receive a 10-digit confirmation code for future reference. You may check your status anytime within your myEquifax account.

2. Investigating Your Dispute
When reviewing your dispute, if we are able to make changes to your credit report based on the information you provided, we will do so. Otherwise, we contact the reporting company to verify the accuracy of the information you’re disputing.

3. Results in 30 Days
Within 30 days of your dispute request, we will notify you of the results of our dispute investigation.