How to Dispute Your TransUnion Credit Report

When you want to access your free credit reports from all three major credit bureaus, you can go to a single website: Use AnnualCreditReport.com to request the reports you're entitled to.

But if you find an error in any of your reports — for example, an incorrect account number or a payment mistakenly marked late — you need to deal individually with the bureau that issued it.

Each credit bureau assembles your report from information sent to it by lenders, credit card issuers, public agencies and sometimes landlords. Errors in reporting can shave points off your credit scores, so it’s worth your time to clean them up.

You can dispute errors in your TransUnion report online, by mail or by phone. A TransUnion credit dispute investigation can take up to 30 days. The bureau advises against filing the same dispute using multiple methods (like by mail and online) because it could complicate the investigation and take longer to resolve. The investigation window could also be extended to 45 days if you submit additional evidence or submit a dispute after getting a copy of your credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com.

What should I look for in my TransUnion credit report?

Monitoring your own credit can help ensure your information is accurate and up to date. It also can alert you to fraudulent activity, so you can act quickly to protect yourself.

Review the main sections of your report:

• Personal identifying information (name, birthdate, Social Security number, etc.).

• Employer.

• Account information.

• Public records, such as bankruptcies.

• Inquiries (when someone checked your credit).

• Consumer statements, which provide additional context for your financial situation, if you've ever submitted one.

A TransUnion spokesperson says the inquiry and account information sections are crucial because that’s typically where indications of fraudulent activity or identity theft show up. An address you don’t recognize can also be a tipoff that someone is opening accounts in your name but diverting the card to a different address. Other mistakes might just be human error: transposed numbers in an account, records belonging to someone with a similar name, a misspelling.

Note that most negative marks fall off your credit reports after seven years. If something too old to be reported still shows up, you can dispute that as well.

If you see mistakes, gather documentation supporting your case and file a dispute with TransUnion. The bureau has 30 business days to respond.

How to dispute your TransUnion report online

The vast majority of consumers, 80%, go to the TransUnion online dispute portal to file a dispute, the credit bureau says.

If you do not already have a TransUnion account, you’ll need to create one and set a password. Once you’re signed in, you can choose "Dispute" and then "Start Request" and you’ll see the information in your TransUnion credit report.

Review the personal information. Some information can be deleted online and some can be updated only by mail. Review the accounts and click on the blue "Dispute" to initiate a dispute. Select the reason for your dispute and provide additional information as needed.

Once you've marked everything you want updated or investigated, click the “Save & Continue” button. You can upload supporting documents for account disputes. To dispute public records, you'll need to mail in supporting documents (see address below). Finish filing your dispute by clicking “Submit Dispute.”

TransUnion will give status updates by email; you can also sign back in to your account to check the progress of the dispute.

How to dispute your TransUnion report by mail

You can send disputes by mail to TransUnion Consumer Solutions, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016-2000.

TransUnion recommends including the following in your dispute letter:

• Your Social Security number and date of birth.

• Your current address.

• The company name and account number associated with the disputed item.

• The reason for your dispute: It's not your account, you've paid the account, etc.

• Corrections to personal information.

In your letter, explain which item(s) you think are incorrect and why. Send copies — not originals — of supporting documents. The bureau will respond by mail.

How to dispute your TransUnion credit report by phone

You can dispute by phone at 800-916-8800. You first may be asked questions to verify your identity. Have a copy of your TransUnion credit report handy before calling this number; the representative will need the file number. The representative will tell you how to send supporting documents, if necessary. The bureau may respond by email or mail.

What happens next in a TransUnion credit dispute?

If TransUnion agrees with you, it will change the information in question on your credit report. It’s smart to check your report again to make sure the changes were made. The response from the bureau will contain a link to the corrected report, or it will mail you a corrected copy.

However, if TransUnion confirms that it’s reporting the information given to it correctly, you might need to talk with the creditor or other source that’s sending the data. Ask it to correct the information it’s reporting to TransUnion. You can also add a consumer statement to your credit report.

It's wise to check whether the same incorrect information also appears on your credit reports from the other bureaus. If so, you'll need to file a dispute with Experian and a dispute with Equifax.