- 1). Order a copy of your credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com (see Resources), a site created jointly by Experian, Equifax and TransUnion in compliance with the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act. Under FACTA, consumers are entitled to receive one free credit report every year from each bureau. The site also tells you how to order the report by mail or phone, if you choose.
- 2). Check to see if the red-light ticket is still present on the report. Updates to the bureau's database occur on a frequent basis, and you want to ensure that you are working with information from a current copy of the report.
- 3). File a dispute online at the website of the credit bureau. The online form will allow you to specify the item you're disputing and indicate the reason for the dispute. Each bureau has its own database, so you will have to file a separate dispute at each one. You also can submit your dispute via mail or phone, if you prefer.
- 4). Give the bureau time to respond. Under the FCRA, credit bureaus have up to 30 days to investigate the dispute and correct any errors. Once the investigation is complete, the bureau is required under the FCRA to send you the results of the investigation and an updated copy of your credit report that reflects the changes that were made, if any.
- 5). Contact the reporting municipality directly if the investigation results are not to your satisfaction. Bureaus can only verify information. If an error exists within the database of the municipality, you will have to correct it there first before it can update to the bureaus.
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