REPORTING DISPUTES WITH TRANSUNION AND OTHER CREDIT REPORTING AGENCIES

Inaccuracies on your TransUnion credit report can cost you money. For example, negative credit entries can:

• Lower your credit score
• Limit access to credit
• Mean higher interest rates and fees
• Limit access to apartments
• Trigger deposit requirements
• Increase your automobile insurance rates

If you’ve been the victim of identity theft, your TransUnion credit file has become mixed with another person’s, or you simply don’t recognize accounts appearing on your credit report, you may need to file a dispute with the credit reporting agency. In many cases, reporting disputes with TransUnion and other credit reporting agencies can be the quickest and easiest route to correcting your credit report. However, the effectiveness of a dispute letter depends in large part on how well-constructed it is and the quality of the supporting documentation you include. TransUnion, like the other two major credit reporting agencies, makes it easy and inviting to file a dispute online. However, for most people that isn’t the most effective approach. Writing a dispute letter allows you to:

• More fully and clearly explain the issue
• Attach any supporting documentation
• Document the submission of your dispute

Writing an effective letter and providing the right documentation not only increases the chances of resolving the issue at the dispute stage, but also creates a solid foundation if you have to take the next step.

The Dispute Process May Be Just the First Step

Ideally, reporting disputes with TransUnion and other credit reporting agencies will result in a correction to your credit report and the erroneous information won’t reappear. Unfortunately, not every credit report dispute plays out that way. For example:

• Credit reporting agencies don’t always act on disputes in a timely manner
• Credit reporting agencies sometimes incorrectly determine that the entry is correct
• Deleted or corrected items sometimes revert over time, or are re-reported incorrectly The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) helps protect consumers from these and other problems by imposing strict obligations on both credit reporting agencies and the companies that furnish information to them.

Our FCRA Lawyers Can Help

The attorneys at Schlanger Law Group LLP have extensive experience in both consumer protection and litigation. We combine those skills to fight for consumers who have been harmed by identity theft, false reporting, or simple credit reporting errors that have not been corrected. We can help at any stage of the process for reporting disputes with TransUnion and other credit reporting agencies.

Before You Dispute

If you’ve identified outdated accounts on your credit report, don’t recognize accounts that are listed on your report, are still seeing accounts that were discharged in bankruptcy, or have noticed other errors, contact us. Working with a knowledgeable FCRA lawyer from the start can help avoid common errors and pitfalls, reduce stress, and lay the foundation for the next step, should litigation become necessary. We can draft your dispute letter and assist you in assembling the most effective documentation package.

After a TransUnion Dispute

If you’ve filed a dispute with TransUnion and:

• Didn’t receive a response within 30 days,
• Received a response that erroneously concludes that an entry is correct,
• Received a response saying the item would be corrected but that didn’t happen, or
• Had an inaccurate item corrected or deleted, only to see it reappear…

…it’s time to talk to one of our FCRA lawyers. Call us right now at (212) 500-6114 or fill out this simple contact form.

Seek an Attorney’s Help before Reporting Disputes with TransUnion and Other Credit Reporting Agencies

Note that reporting disputes with TransUnion and other credit reporting agencies has no impact on your reports with the other two major credit bureaus, Equifax and Experian. If you’ve identified errors on one credit report, you will want to review all three reports and submit additional disputes as necessary. Under some circumstances, a dispute letter to the reporting creditor or collection agency may also be worthwhile.