Bad credit on any one’s report is a bad thing but when that bad credit mark shouldn’t be there, it can be can be a pain to get rid of it.  Thousands of Americans have marks on their reports that shouldn’t be there and that’s why it’s important to get a credit report every year just to be safe to make sure everything looks okay.  If you do find that there are some shady marks on your report, here are some things you can do to successfully fix your bad marks.

Step One- The first step you’re going to want to take is to grab ahold of your credit report from any of the major credit bureaus.  The reason you’ll need this is because you’ll want to send these reports along with your dispute letter as evidence.  Without the evidence, it’s going to be harder to get your marks removed.  The credit report is crucial.  Below are the numbers you can call in order to get your reports –

  • TransUnion:  800.916.8800
  • Equifax:  888.397.3747
  • Experian:  800.685.1111

Step Two – Write down the things you want to dispute.  You can dispute just about anything ranging from a wrong address to the incorrect amount of money owed.  If anything is wrong you can generally dispute it.  Make sure that you know what you want to dispute when you prepare to write your letter to the bureaus.

Step Three – Start writing your letter.  There are plenty of examples you can find online on how you can dispute your claims.  Make sure you send your dispute to all three of the major bureaus named above.  In this dispute, include any type of evidence ranging from your reports to your credit card statements, etc.  The more evidence you have, the more it’ll help.  When you send it off, make sure you alert them that you’re sending it.  They will probably give you a confirmation number.

Step Four- Once you get that confirmation number, make usre that you follow up on your dispute at least once a week.  Make sure you keep following up until you get that bad mark removed.  Sometimes if you don’t do this, they may not get to it.  Don’t be afraid to breathe down their necks because remember, these bad marks are harming your credit future!

Step Five – Once you have successfully reached the end of an agreement, make sure you get it in writing along with a new copy of your credit report showing that it has been removed.  Once you receive this from the company, you should file it safely away just in case it pops up in the future for some known reason.  As I mentioned a few times, the more evidence you have, the better.

In the long haul, bad credit marks that shouldn’t be there should always be disputed.  You’re only hurting yourself if you let them stay there.  The long you wait, the more it’ll hurt you.  These steps above should only take a few minutes of your time and it’ll be worth it.  If you’re simply lazy and don’t feel like following the steps, hire a service that will help you.  Either way you do it, you’ll feel good in the long run knowing that your credit report is squeaky clean.