Disputing Credit Report Entries

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0c72d5a1erlcgo.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>Attorney Gordon Leech, Wisconsin Consumer & Employment Lawyer</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Attorney Gordon Leech, Wisconsin Consume"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id49.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Rights to Fair Credit Reporting"><U>Rights to Fair Credit Reporting</U></A>   |   <A HREF="credit_report_disputes__what_to_do__know_your_rights37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Getting Your Credit Reports"><U>Getting Your Credit Reports</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id51.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Checking Accuracy of Credit Reports"><U>Checking Accuracy of Credit Reports</U></A>   |   <B>Disputing Credit Report Entries</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="073d2c00dkelyh.png"> <div> <A HREF="credit_report_disputes__what_to_do__know_your_rights.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Credit Report Disputes Claims"><U>Back to Credit Report Disputes & Claims</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="100b2de0.jpg" border=0 width="178" height="222" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <I>To Reach Us Now, Click Here</I></div> <div>  <object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="https://clients4.google.com/voice/embed/webCallButton" width="230" height="85"><param name="movie" value="https://clients4.google.com/voice/embed/webCallButton" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="FlashVars" value="id=c2067a3f5f8852901afc2a6c65cd1636f45b51b2&style=0" /></object>  </div> <div> Attorney Gordon Leech</div> <div> Shareholder</div> <div> Rose & deJong, SC</div> <div> 161 S. 1st St., Suite 400</div> <div> Milwaukee, WI 53204</div> <div> 414-678-1681</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:gleech@attorneyleech.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:gleech@attorneyleech.com"><U>grl@rosedejong.com</U></A></div> <bR> <div> Potential claim?  <A HREF="potential_claim_inquiry.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Potential Claim Inquiry"><U>Click Here</U></A>.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Disputing Credit Report Entries</I></div> <div> <B>You can dispute entires on your credit reports.  You should do it in writing, sending your letters by certified return receipt mail.  Keep a copy of everything you send and receive.</B></div> <div> To dispute a credit report error, send a letter to the credit reporting agency reporting the bad information and tell it specifically what entries on the report you dispute.  Ask the credit reporting agency to conduct an investigation to verify the entry, to remove the entry and if it does not remove it, to report it as disputed.  When identifying the entry or entries that you dispute, be very specific.  You can include a copy of the credit report with the bad information and circle the entries that you dispute.  In your letter, you should also say exactly why you dispute the entry.  For example, it reflects an account that you have never opened.  Or perhaps it shows a balance on a credit card that you know was paid down months ago.  Certain entries should be removed because they are too old, for example a debt that went into default more than 7 years ago and the creditor never got a court judgment on.</div> <bR> <div> The Credit Reporting Agency has 30 days from receipt of your dispute letter to investigate your dispute, which is actually called a "reinvestigation" under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.  If you send the CRA more information during this 30 day period, it then has an additional 15 days, making the total 45, to respond to your dispute.  During this reinvestigation, the CRA sends your dispute to the furnisher of the information and asks it for a response.  The CRA then makes its determination of how it is going to report that entry on your report.  The CRA then reports back to you the results of its reinvestigation and typically sends you a new report showing how it is now reporting your information.  If any information remains inaccurate, you have the right to have your statement included with the entry on the report if you send another letter requesting the CRA to include it.  Below is a sample letter you can use to demand your consumer statement be included with any reporting that continues to be inaccurate after a reinvestigation.  </div> <bR> <div> If the CRA unreasonably continues to report inaccurate information after your dispute, you may have a claim under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.  If you suffer any damages, economic loss or emotional distress, you may also be able to recover these losses.  In the absence of actual damages, you may be able to recover an amount, not to exceed $1,000, as determined by a judge upon a successful lawsuit.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="#sample_dispute_letter_to_a_credit" TITLE="Disputing Credit Report Entries"><U><B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Sample Dispute Letter to Credit Reporting Agency</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="#sample_post_reinvestigation_ltr_to" TITLE="Disputing Credit Report Entries"><U><B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Sample Post Reinvestigation Ltr to Credit Reporting Agency re Consumer Statement of Dispute</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="#sample_notice_to_furnisher_of" TITLE="Disputing Credit Report Entries"><U><B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Sample Dispute Letter to Furnisher of Inaccurate Information</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="#sample_notice_to_debt_collector_of" TITLE="Disputing Credit Report Entries"><U><B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Sample Dispute Letter to Debt Collector Regarding Innaccurate Reporting of Debt to Credit Reporting Agency</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="sample_dispute_letter_to_a_credit"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>Sample Dispute Letter to a Credit Reporting Agency [</B><A HREF="id52_m.htm" TITLE="Disputing Credit Report Entries"><U><B>Back to Top</B></U></A><B>] </B><A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Downloads"><U><B>[Click here to Download Sample Letter]</B></U></A></div> <div> [YOUR NAME]</div> <div> [YOUR ADDRESS]</div> <bR> <div> [DATE]</div> <bR> <div> Sent By Certified Mail No. _________________________</div> <div> Return Receipt Requested</div> <bR> <div> [NAME OF CREDIT REPORTING AGENCY]</div> <div> [ADDRESS OF CREDIT REPORTING AGENCY]</div> <bR> <div> Re:      INACCURATE CONSUMER/CREDIT REPORT</div> <div> REQUEST FOR REINVESTIGATION</div> <bR> <div> To Whom It May Concern:</div> <bR> <div> My social security number is _______________. My date of birth is ___________________. My address is listed above.  </div> <bR> <div> The consumer report that you recently sent me (enclosed) is not accurate because of the entry and reason identified below.  I demand that you contact the furnisher of this inaccurate information, provide all of the information that I am giving you supporting my dispute, that you either note my dispute or not report this inaccurate information in any consumer report provided until such time as you complete your reinvestigation, and that you then stop reporting this inaccurate information upon completing your reinvestigation.</div> <bR> <div> The following entry is inaccurate:</div> <bR> <div> Account Name:</div> <div> Account Number:</div> <div> Reason Why Inaccurate:</div> <bR> <div> I request that you investigate this matter and report back to me the results of your investigation.  I want you to report the results of your investigation along with a description of the procedure you used to determine the accuracy and completeness of the information.  Include the name, business address, and telephone number of any person contacted in connection with your investigation.  I also want you to state the resulting actions you took with regard to associating these accounts with me.  Please also provide me with a copy of any documents you reviewed in this process.</div> <bR> <div> Sincerely,</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> [YOUR NAME WITH SIGNATURE ABOVE]</div> <bR> <div> Enclosures:</div> <div> Credit Report</div> <div> [Identify and enclose any supporting documents showing that you have a valid dispute]</div> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="sample_post_reinvestigation_ltr_to"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>Sample Post Reinvestigation Ltr to Consumer Reporting Agency re Consumer Statement of Dispute </B><A HREF="id52_m.htm" TITLE="Disputing Credit Report Entries"><U><B>[Back to Top]</B></U></A><B> </B><A HREF="id35_fair_credit_issues_1.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Downloads"><U><B>[Click Here to Download Sample Letter]</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> [Consumer Name]</div> <div> [Consumer Address]</div> <bR> <div> [Date]</div> <bR> <div> [Name & Address of Credit Reporting Agency]</div> <bR> <div> Ref: Report Number ____________ of [date of report]</div> <bR> <div> I continue to dispute the entries made by [Furnisher/Tradeline] (partial account number ______), [Furnisher/Tradeline] (partial account number ______) and [Furnisher/Tradeline] (partial account number ______).  I demand that you note my dispute in all future reports.</div> <bR> <div> [State nature of continued dispute as to each tradeline.]</div> <bR> <div> I also require that, with regard to your reinvestigation, a description of how you verified the information, including business name and address contacted and the telephone number.</div> <bR> <div> I also request that you send the results of your reinvestigation to organizations who have reviewed my credit report in the past two years for employment purposes or six months for any other purpose.</div> <bR> <div> Yours truly,</div> <bR> <div> [YOUR NAME WITH SIGNATURE ABOVE]</div> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="sample_notice_to_furnisher_of"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>Sample Notice to Furnisher of Inaccurate Information Letter [</B><A HREF="id52_m.htm" TITLE="Disputing Credit Report Entries"><U><B>Back to Top</B></U></A><B>] </B><A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Downloads"><U><B>[Click here to Download Sample Letter]</B></U></A></div> <div> [YOUR NAME]</div> <div> [YOUR ADDRESS]</div> <bR> <div> [DATE]</div> <bR> <div> Sent By Certified Mail No. _________________________</div> <div> Return Receipt Requested</div> <bR> <div> [NAME OF FURNISHER OF INFORMATION]</div> <div> [ADDRESS OF FURNISHER OF INFORMATION]</div> <bR> <div> Re:      INACCURATE REPORTING OF INFORMATION TO CREDIT REPORTING AGENCY</div> <bR> <div> To Whom It May Concern:</div> <bR> <div> You are reporting inaccurate information about me to credit reporting agencies.  I demand that you stop reporting this inaccurate information.  The specific details of the information that I have is below.  I have submitted a dispute to [INSERT NAME OF CRA] and asked for a reinvestigation to correct or remove this information that you are reporting.</div> <bR> <div> The specific information on my credit report of which I am aware at this time regarding the inaccurate information that you are reporting is as follows:</div> <bR> <div> Account Name:</div> <div> Account Number:</div> <div> Reason Why Inaccurate:</div> <bR> <div> I demand that you stop reporting this inaccurate information.  When the credit reporting agency(ies) request verification of this matter, I demand that you not verify the inaccurate information you have provided to date.  I demand that you correctly note my dispute regarding this account with anyone or entity that you legally communicate with about this matter.  I also demand that you refrain from selling this debt with the inaccurate information or otherwise attempt to collect upon it.</div> <bR> <div> Please also respond to this letter by telling me what action you are going to take on this matter.</div> <bR> <div> Sincerely,</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> [YOUR NAME WITH SIGNATURE ABOVE]</div> <bR> <div> Enclosures:</div> <div> [Identify and enclose any supporting documents showing that you have a valid dispute]</div> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="sample_notice_to_debt_collector_of"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>Sample Notice to Debt Collector of Dispute of Debt [</B><A HREF="id52_m.htm" TITLE="Disputing Credit Report Entries"><U><B>Back to Top</B></U></A><B>] </B><A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Downloads"><U><B>[Click here to Download Sample Letter]</B></U></A></div> <div> From:</div> <div> [Name & Address]</div> <bR> <div> [Date]</div> <bR> <div> To:</div> <div> [Debt Collector Name & Address]</div> <bR> <div> By Certified Return Receipt Mail, Receipt No. ___________________</div> <bR> <div> Re:     Dispute Notice & Request for Validation</div> <div>      Your File No. [Debt Collector's reference number regarding this debt]</div> <bR> <div> To Whom It May Concern:</div> <bR> <div> I dispute the entire debt that you have contacted me about identified in your [date of collector's letter or phone call] letter (enclosed) [or phone call].  I demand my rights to verification of this debt in writing.  Provide me with the following information:</div> <div> The name and address of the original creditor;</div> <div> The account number of the original creditor;</div> <div> The name of the person to whom the original creditor claims opened the subject account or entered such contract establishing the debt;</div> <div> The written instrument documenting the agreement or obligation such as the account application, contract or other document establishing the liability you claim;</div> <div> An accounting and itemization of the amount you claim is owed, specifically the original debt, any amounts you claim are due because of interest, attorney's fees, costs, collection costs, and any other amount added to the original debt;</div> <div> The date(s) upon which the subject debt was incurred;</div> <div> A copy of any judgment relating to the debt; and</div> <div> Any other document supporting your position that this debt is my obligation.</div> <div> I also demand that you cease efforts to collect upon this debt, do not call me at my workplace because that is not convenient for me and is not permitted by my employer, and do not contact me by telephone.  I demand that any further communication regarding this debt be in writing.  Do not sell or assign this debt or otherwise communicate with anyone about this debt without also noting my dispute.</div> <div> I have disputed this debt with [NAME OF CREDIT REPORTING AGENCY] to whom you are reporting it.  I demand that you notify this agency and all other persons or entities to whom you have legally reported this matter of my dispute and that you stop any such reporting of this dispute.</div> <div> Sincerely,</div> <bR> <div> [Your Signature and Printed Name]</div> <div> [identify and enclose the letter you received from the debt collector for purpose of identifying the disputed debt]</div> <div> [identify and enclose any documents supporting your dispute]</div> <bR> <div> <I>[</I><A HREF="id52_m.htm" TITLE="Disputing Credit Report Entries"><U><I>Back to Top</I></U></A><I>]</I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Attorney Gordon Leech</div> <div> Rose & deJong, SC</div> <div> 161 S. 1st St., Suite 400</div> <div> Milwaukee, WI 53204</div> <div> Tel: 414-678-1681</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:gleech@attorneyleech.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:gleech@attorneyleech.com"><U>grl@rosedejong.com</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.attorneyleech.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.attorneyleech.com"><U>www.AttorneyLeech.com</U></A></div> </td> </tr></table></body>