Free Templates

FCRA Dispute Letter
Templates

4 copy-paste templates for the most common credit report errors. Each cites the right FCRA section and tells you exactly which bureau to send it to.

Late Payment Collection Account Charge-Off Identity Theft / Fraud
FCRA §611 Equifax · Experian · TransUnion

Late Payment Dispute Letter

Use this when your credit report shows a late payment that was never actually late, has the wrong date, or belongs to a different account. §611 requires the bureau to investigate within 30 days of receipt.

[YOUR NAME] [YOUR ADDRESS] [CITY, STATE, ZIP] [DATE] [BUREAU NAME] Consumer Disputes P.O. Box [BUREAU ADDRESS] Re: Dispute of Inaccurate Late Payment — Account #[ACCOUNT NUMBER] To Whom It May Concern: I am writing to formally dispute inaccurate information appearing on my credit report. I have identified the following item as incorrect: Creditor Name: [CREDITOR NAME] Account Number: [ACCOUNT NUMBER] Reported Status: [LATE PAYMENT DATE/AMOUNT] Basis for Dispute: This payment was made on time. The reported late payment is factually inaccurate and is causing material harm to my creditworthiness. Pursuant to Section 611 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681i), I request that you investigate this item and remove or correct the inaccurate information within 30 days. Enclosed are copies of the following supporting documents: • [BANK STATEMENT / PAYMENT CONFIRMATION] • [ANY OTHER SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION] Please provide written confirmation of the outcome of your investigation. Sincerely, [YOUR SIGNATURE] [YOUR NAME (PRINTED)] [LAST 4 OF SSN — optional but speeds processing] [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]

How to use this template

  • Send certified mail with return receipt to each bureau reporting the error
  • Include a copy of your credit report with the item circled
  • Attach bank statements or payment confirmations as proof
  • Bureau addresses: Equifax P.O. Box 740256, Atlanta GA 30374 · Experian P.O. Box 4500, Allen TX 75013 · TransUnion P.O. Box 2000, Chester PA 19016
  • Keep a copy of everything — bureaus have 30 days to respond under FCRA §611
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FCRA §611 · §623 Equifax · Experian · TransUnion

Collection Account Dispute Letter

Use this when a collection account on your report is inaccurate, unverifiable, or belongs to someone else. §623 also holds the original creditor (debt furnisher) responsible for the accuracy of what they report.

[YOUR NAME] [YOUR ADDRESS] [CITY, STATE, ZIP] [DATE] [BUREAU NAME] Consumer Disputes P.O. Box [BUREAU ADDRESS] Re: Dispute of Collection Account — Account #[ACCOUNT NUMBER] To Whom It May Concern: I am writing to dispute the following collection account appearing on my credit report, which I believe is inaccurate and/or unverifiable: Collection Agency: [COLLECTION AGENCY NAME] Original Creditor: [ORIGINAL CREDITOR NAME] Account Number: [ACCOUNT NUMBER] Balance Reported: $[AMOUNT] Basis for Dispute: [This debt is not mine / The amount is incorrect / This debt is past the statute of limitations / Other] Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Section 611 (15 U.S.C. § 1681i), I request a full investigation of this item. Under Section 623 (15 U.S.C. § 1681s-2), the furnisher of this information is also required to investigate any notice of dispute and correct or delete information found to be inaccurate. If this item cannot be verified with complete accuracy, it must be promptly deleted from my credit report. Enclosed documentation: • [PROOF OF PAYMENT / IDENTITY DOCUMENTS / OTHER EVIDENCE] Please provide written notification of the results of your investigation. Sincerely, [YOUR SIGNATURE] [YOUR NAME (PRINTED)] [LAST 4 OF SSN — optional] [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]

How to use this template

  • Send to all three bureaus if all three are reporting the collection
  • You can also send a debt validation letter directly to the collection agency under the FDCPA
  • If the debt is time-barred (past your state's statute of limitations), include that language explicitly
  • If the account isn't yours at all, attach a police report or affidavit of identity theft instead
  • Collections that can't be verified must be deleted — not just marked "disputed"
FCRA §611 · §605 Equifax · Experian · TransUnion

Charge-Off Dispute Letter

Use this when a charge-off is reported inaccurately — wrong balance, wrong date of first delinquency (which controls when it must be removed under §605), or reported multiple times under different accounts.

[YOUR NAME] [YOUR ADDRESS] [CITY, STATE, ZIP] [DATE] [BUREAU NAME] Consumer Disputes P.O. Box [BUREAU ADDRESS] Re: Dispute of Charge-Off Entry — Account #[ACCOUNT NUMBER] To Whom It May Concern: I am writing to dispute an inaccurate charge-off entry currently appearing on my credit report: Creditor: [CREDITOR NAME] Account Number: [ACCOUNT NUMBER] Reported Charge-Off Amount: $[AMOUNT] Date of First Delinquency: [DATE] Basis for Dispute: [Balance is incorrect / Date of first delinquency is wrong / Account is past 7-year reporting limit / Account was paid / Other] Pursuant to Section 611 (15 U.S.C. § 1681i) and Section 605 (15 U.S.C. § 1681c) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, I request that this entry be investigated. Section 605 prohibits reporting most negative information beyond 7 years from the date of first delinquency. If the information reported cannot be verified as accurate, complete, and within the permissible reporting period, it must be deleted from my file immediately. Enclosed documentation: • [ACCOUNT STATEMENTS / PAYOFF LETTER / SETTLEMENT DOCUMENTATION] Please confirm in writing the result of your investigation within 30 days. Sincerely, [YOUR SIGNATURE] [YOUR NAME (PRINTED)] [LAST 4 OF SSN — optional] [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]

How to use this template

  • The 7-year clock starts from the date of first delinquency — NOT the charge-off date
  • If the balance shown is wrong (e.g., includes fees added after charge-off), dispute that specifically
  • If the account was sold to a collector, it may appear twice — dispute both entries
  • Request the "date of first delinquency" in writing from the bureau; they're required to have it
  • A paid charge-off still appears for 7 years but updating the status to "paid" can still help your score
These templates are a starting point. Your situation is unique. DisputeAI reads your actual report and generates letters targeted at the specific errors on your file.
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FCRA §605B · §611 Equifax · Experian · TransUnion

Identity Theft / Fraud Dispute Letter

Use this when accounts appear on your report that you never opened — the result of identity theft or fraud. §605B requires bureaus to block fraudulent information within 4 business days of receiving an identity theft report.

[YOUR NAME] [YOUR ADDRESS] [CITY, STATE, ZIP] [DATE] [BUREAU NAME] Consumer Disputes P.O. Box [BUREAU ADDRESS] Re: Block of Fraudulent Information — Identity Theft Dispute To Whom It May Concern: I am the victim of identity theft and am writing to request that you block the fraudulent information listed below from my credit report, as permitted under Section 605B of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681c-2). The following accounts and/or inquiries were opened or made without my knowledge or authorization: Account/Creditor: [CREDITOR NAME] Account Number: [ACCOUNT NUMBER] Date Opened: [DATE] Balance: $[AMOUNT] [REPEAT FOR EACH FRAUDULENT ACCOUNT] I have filed an identity theft report with the FTC (IdentityTheft.gov), Report Number: [FTC REPORT NUMBER]. I have also filed a police report with [LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT], Report Number: [POLICE REPORT NUMBER — if available]. Under FCRA § 605B, I request that you: 1. Block the above fraudulent information within 4 business days 2. Notify the furnishers of this information that it is the result of identity theft 3. Provide me with written confirmation of the block Enclosed: • Copy of government-issued ID • FTC Identity Theft Report • [POLICE REPORT — if available] • Proof of address Sincerely, [YOUR SIGNATURE] [YOUR NAME (PRINTED)] [LAST 4 OF SSN] [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]

How to use this template

  • File your FTC identity theft report first at IdentityTheft.gov — it's free and takes 10 minutes
  • A police report strengthens your case but is not legally required under FCRA §605B
  • Send to all three bureaus — fraudulent accounts can appear on one or all three
  • Place a credit freeze at all three bureaus simultaneously to prevent new fraudulent accounts
  • Under §605B, bureaus must block the information within 4 business days — faster than a standard §611 dispute
  • Follow up if you don't receive written confirmation within a week

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