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Why is Fixing Errors on Your Credit Report So Difficult?

Credit bureaus don’t profit from customer service

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Photo by Gabrielle Henderson on Unsplash

You need a credit score for a lot of things — buying a car, getting a mortgage, renting an apartment — sometimes employers will access them before making a job offer. So, it’s important that the information on your credit report is accurate.

However, fixing errors or correcting inaccurate information on your credit report is not always easy.

The consumer protection attorneys at Finn Law Group offer some advice on how to deal with the inaction of the credit bureaus.

Credit Reporting: Covered Complaints | (finnlawgroup.com)

The bottom line: Persistence is necessary.

More than one-third of Americans found at least one error on their credit report, according to a 2021 Consumer Reports investigation.

Finn Law explains the process you should use when you detect an error — and reminds you that you can check your credit report for free:

To dispute an erroneous account with a credit reporting company, consumers should first review their credit report for any inaccuracies and submit a written dispute to the appropriate Credit Reporting Agency (CRA) describing the error in detail. It is also important to keep records of all correspondence with the CRA and continue following up until the issue has been resolved. Check your credit for free.

While it may be tempting to use a credit repair company, most of the services they offer can be done by a consumer for free:

Remember, too, that no matter how appealing a credit monitoring service may seem, you really don’t need it.

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Andy Spears
Andy Spears

Written by Andy Spears

Writer and policy advocate living in Nashville, TN —Public Policy Ph.D. — writes on education policy, consumer affairs, and more . . .

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