Something wrong on your credit report? Start here.
Wrong balances, paid collections still showing as owed, duplicate debts, accounts that aren't yours — fixing a credit report error starts with naming the exact issue. Find the symptom closest to yours below, and we'll walk you through the proof to gather, the dispute to file, and what to watch for after.
Not sure which fits? Call and we'll help you name it. Reviewing your own reports doesn't lower your score.
About 1 in 5 consumers finds an error on at least one of their three credit reports, per the FTC. If yours is one of them, this is where the fix starts.
Choose the issue showing on your report
Click the closest match. Each page walks through the proof to gather, the dispute steps to file with both the bureau and the furnisher, and what to watch for after the response comes back.
Wrong Balance on Your Credit Report
The number on your report doesn't match the number on your statement. Common after payoffs, refunds, or a debt that got transferred and never updated cleanly across the bureaus.
Open page Collection StatusPaid Collection Still Showing Unpaid
You paid it off — and your report still shows you owing. Common after settlements, debt sales, or paying the original creditor instead of the collector who's reporting.
Open page Duplicate DebtDuplicate Collection Account on Your Credit Report
Same debt, two listings — sometimes three. Often happens when a collector sells the account but the original entry never comes off, and it makes your balance look twice as bad to lenders.
Open page Mixed FileAccount That Is Not Yours on Your Credit Report
An account you don't recognize at all. Could be a creditor using a parent-company name you've never heard of, your file mixed with a stranger's, or — worse — identity theft. Here's how to tell which.
Open page Late PaymentWrong Late Payment on Your Credit Report
A 30, 60, or 90-day late mark you don't think is yours. A single wrong late can drop a score enough to change a loan rate — so it's worth fighting, with statements and payment records in hand.
Open page Reporting DatesOld Debt Re-Aged or Wrong Delinquency Date
An old debt showing a recent delinquency date is keeping the item on your report years past when it should have dropped off. Re-aging is against the rules — and disputable.
Open page Medical CollectionMedical Collection After Insurance or Payment
Insurance covered it, you paid it, or financial assistance wiped it — and a collection is still on your report anyway. Medical bills get this wrong constantly, and recent rule changes help.
Open page InquiryHard Inquiry You Do Not Recognize
An inquiry you didn't authorize. Sometimes it's a dealership shopping your application to a dozen lenders; sometimes it's a stolen identity. Here's how to tell which.
Open page Identity InformationWrong Address, Name, or Employer on Your Credit Report
Old addresses are mostly harmless. A name spelled three ways, a Social Security variation, or an employer you've never worked for can be the first sign your file is mixed with someone else's.
Open page Identity TheftIdentity-Theft Account on Your Credit Report
Someone opened an account in your name. Cleaning it up is a different process from a regular dispute — you'll need an FTC identity-theft report, fraud alerts or a freeze, and a specific kind of block under the FCRA.
Open pageThe same four steps work for every error
The documents change by issue, but the path is the same: compare all three reports, name the exact item, gather proof, dispute with both the bureau and the furnisher, then check whether the result actually stuck.
- 1
Pull current reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
- 2
Mark the exact field that's wrong — bureau, account, date, balance, status, or identity detail.
- 3
Gather copies of statements, letters, payment records, identity records, or fraud reports.
- 4
Track dispute dates, confirmation numbers, responses, and whether the same item returns later.
Ready to fix it with help?
Two plans for pulling your three bureau reports, organizing what's wrong, and filing the disputes — pick the level of support that fits.
Lite
- 3-bureau Reports
- Darkweb Monitoring
- Monthly Reports
- Limited Dispute Management
Ultra
- 3-bureau Reports
- Darkweb Monitoring
- Monthly Reports
- Industry-leading Dispute Management
- Priority Customer Support
- 90-Day Happiness Guarantee