 Credit
report dispute? Put it in writing
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 Dear
Dr. Don,
Every time I call to dispute an item on my credit report
with Equifax, I get someone in another country and they say for security purposes
they can't tell me what country they're in. What's going on with Equifax?
--
Jane Gesticulate
 Dear
Jane,
I chose your question because I've shared your frustration with
foreign-based call centers, as I'm sure many of my readers have,
as well. Still, while I understand your frustration, I'm going to
tell you to get over it and move on.
Why? Because disputing your credit report over the
telephone doesn't do a thing for you, so you can let the rest go.
For the consumer reporting agency to be held to the terms of the
dispute resolution process under the Fair Credit Reporting Act,
you have to dispute the item in writing.
Well, technically the act says "notification,"
and doesn't specify written notification as far as I could discern
from reading the act, but the FTC's Facts for Consumers guide, Credit
Repair: Self Help May Be Best, does:
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Disputing your credit report |
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If you're upset about a disputed item in your credit
report, don't take it out on the call center employees -- regardless
of where they live. Work the system to get it fixed. A
Bankrate feature, "Disputing
and correcting a mistake on a credit report," will help
you to put it in writing. Good luck.
To ask a question of Dr. Don, go to the "Ask
the Experts" page and select one of these topics: "financing
a home," "saving & investing" or "money."
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