Report on What to Include in a Credit Repair Letter
A Credit Article Contributed by Brandie King
The following article is a report on what you should include in your credit repair letter. This report assumes that you have already received your credit reports from all three of the major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, Trans Union). It also assumes that you have looked over all three of those credit reports and identified any errors, inaccuracies, or suspicious activity.
Credit Repair Letter Report: Basic Information
Keep copies of all letters, correspondence, and proof of payment (like canceled checks) that you both send and receive, as well as copies of the original credit reports you received. If at a later date a removed item shows back up on your credit report then you will have the proof you need to show that the item had previously been removed. Also keep detailed records of any phone conversations that you have, including the name of the person you talked to, the date you talked to them, and what was talked about.
If the credit bureaus can't verify the entries on your report that you are disputing then they have to remove them. The burden of proof lies with the creditors whose entries you are disputing. After they are finished investigating and correcting items they will send you a "repaired" credit report. Compare the original report you received with this corrected report. You may have to complete the process of evaluating your report and sending dispute letters multiple times before everything you want corrected is corrected.
Always send any letters and correspondence via certified or registered mail, with return receipt requested, so that you will have proof they were received.
After evaluating your reports and identifying the items you want to dispute you will need to write a separate letter to each of the three credit bureaus. Following is the personal information you need to include as well as what information to include about each of the items you are disputing.
Credit Repair Letter Report: Personal Information
The personal information that you need to include in each of the letters is:
- your name
- Social Security Number
- your full address
- a copy of your drivers license
- a copy (not the original) of the corresponding credit report
Credit Repair Letter Report: Information about Errors, Inaccuracies, and Suspicious Activity
You need to include the following information about any errors, inaccuracies, or suspicious entries:
- the name of the item
- the amount of the item
- the collection agency
- why it is incorrect
- any proof you have that the disputed items are incorrect (such as canceled checks showing you paid a debt in full)
- what you want the credit bureau to do about it. (You have to indicate whether your want it corrected or removed.)
If a debt shows up on more than one credit bureau's report you have to contact each bureau separately about it.
Visit Credit Info Center at http://www.creditinfocenter.com/forms/index.shtml for a sample letter that also includes what you can say to get old accounts removed.
