As many as 80% of Americans will find errors in their credit reports! Reason enough for you to get on top of things as soon as possible and stay abreast of any changes to your credit reports. Once you find an error in your credit report, you must begin the process of having it corrected before any further damage is done to your credit score.

Just as soon as you notice an unusual or false entry on your report, such as an account that is not yours or attempts to establish a new line of credit that you did not originate, you must register a dispute for immediate action to correct it. New laws let consumers dispute any false information directly with all credit reporting agencies. The agencies will then have up to 45 days to respond unless your dispute stems from identity theft or declined credit.

The proper procedure for disputing information in your credit report is as follows: Notify the credit reporting agency IN WRITING exactly what information contained in your credit report is inaccurate. The agency must by law investigate the items in question. They will then send the data you provide to the organization that provided it to them. Once the provider receives the dispute notification it in turn must investigate, review relevant information and report the findings back to the reporting company. If the information is deemed inaccurate, it must notify all three consumer reporting companies so that corrections can be made to your credit report. Upon completion of the investigation the consumer reporting company will give you the written results and a free copy of your credit report if the dispute results in any changes being made. The consumer reporting company must also send you a notice stating the name, address, and phone number of the provider of the false information.

This article was written by Kriss Standke who is an accomplished Webmaster and publisher of CREDIT-SCORE-REPORT-FREE where he provides detailed and informative articles, tips, and advice on free credit reports, how to get yours, and what to do with the information once you receive it.

Source: www.articlesbase.com