Handling a Dispute With My Credit Card Company

READER QUESTION

My credit card company reported me as being 30 days past due. How do I dispute this?

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Bills.com Resident Expert
Dec 12, 2011
BILL'S ANSWER

The credit card company made a mistake, and you need to dispute this error. Thirty days is 30 days. First, see if the company has a consumer ombudsman who can help you with your issue. If not, call the customer support number and find who you can send a letter to rectify this mistake. Then write a detailed letter that includes all of the relevant facts to the company. Write the letter clearly as if you were writing it to a child. Then set the letter aside for 24 hours, and reread the letter with fresh eyes. Rewrite the letter. Include copies of statements that provide evidence for your assertions. Then send the letter to the credit card company.

Next, pull a copy of your credit report. First, you should obtain a copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus –- Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. You can request free copies of your reports by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com.

Once you have received copies of your reports, you should carefully review them to make sure that all listings, especially the listings appearing in the "derogatory" category, belong to you and are being reported accurately. Credit reports are notoriously inaccurate, with consumers frequently finding listings of derogatory accounts that never belonged to them or that were paid off years ago. If you find any inaccurate listings, you should dispute them with the appropriate credit bureau.

The Federal Trade Commission provides a comprehensive guide to disputing items on your credit report.

Once you have disputed a listing, the credit bureau will investigate your dispute to determine if the account in question should or should not be appearing on your credit report. Once the bureau has concluded its investigation, it should send you a written copy of its decision along with another copy of your credit report if any changes have been made as a result of your dispute.

For a sample dispute letter, see the Bills.com Self-Help Center.

I hope this information helps you Find. Learn & Save.

Best,

Bill

www.bills.com/

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