Credit Bureau Disputes
If a bad-faith debt shows up on your credit report — especially while you're actively disputing it — you have a separate, direct process for challenging that.
How the dispute process works
Once a credit bureau receives your dispute, it has 30 days to investigate (extendable by 15 days if you provide new information during that window), and must forward your dispute to the furnisher within 5 business days. If the disputed item is found inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable, the bureau must promptly delete or correct it and notify the furnisher.
Step 1 — Dispute directly with each bureau
| Bureau | Online | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Equifax | equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-dispute | (866) 349-5191 |
| Experian | experian.com/disputes/main.html | (888) 397-3742 |
| TransUnion | transunion.com/credit-disputes | (800) 916-8800 |
Contact details confirmed via the CFPB's own consumer guidance page: consumerfinance.gov.
Send your dispute in writing, and consider certified mail with return receipt if mailing — it creates proof of what you sent and when it was received. Include copies (not originals) of any supporting documents.
Step 2 — Dispute directly with the furnisher too
A furnisher who continues reporting a disputed item must note that it's disputed, and after receiving notice of a dispute must investigate, review your information, and correct or withdraw inaccurate information across every bureau it furnished to.
Texas residents — a stronger alternative track
In Texas, you can dispute file accuracy directly with a third-party collector in writing, and the collector must cease collection efforts entirely during the investigation — a stronger remedy than a bureau-only dispute, since it binds the collector's behavior, not just what's on your credit file.