Credit Dispute Letter for Incorrect Personal Information — Free Template
Wrong personal information on your credit report, such as a misspelled name, an address where you never lived, or someone else's employer, can be a sign of a mixed file or identity theft. A dispute letter for incorrect personal information asks the bureau to correct or remove the wrong details.
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Free to preview[Your full legal name]
[Your current mailing address]
October 15, 2026
[Which credit bureau are you writing to?]
Consumer Dispute Department
Re: Dispute of inaccurate information in my credit file
To whom it may concern:
I am writing to dispute inaccurate information in my [Which credit bureau are you writing to?] credit file. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1681i, I ask that you conduct a reasonable reinvestigation of the item below and correct or delete it.
Item disputed:
Creditor or company: [Creditor or company that reported the item]
The problem: Another error, explained below.
[Explain the error]
Please forward this dispute and all relevant information I have provided to the company that reported the item. If your reinvestigation finds that the information is inaccurate, incomplete or cannot be verified, please delete or correct it.
When you have finished, please send me written notice of the results at the address above, along with a free copy of my updated credit report if the reinvestigation results in a change.
I have enclosed a copy of a government-issued photo ID and a document showing my current address so that you can confirm my identity. I am keeping a copy of this letter and proof of mailing for my records.
Sincerely,
[Your full legal name]
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Why personal information matters
Personal information does not directly affect your credit score, but it affects which accounts are matched to your file. A wrong name or address can cause another person's accounts to appear on your report, a problem often called a mixed file.
An address or name you do not recognize can also be an early sign of identity theft. Review your accounts for anything unfamiliar whenever you find an unknown address.
How to fill out the template
Because this dispute is not about one account, enter "Personal information section of my credit report" as the company and "none" for the account digits, and choose the last problem option. Then list each incorrect item and what is correct in the explanation.
Enclose a copy of your government ID and a recent bill or bank statement showing your current address. These help the bureau confirm your correct information.
Old addresses and name variations
Credit reports often list past addresses and minor name variations, such as with or without a middle initial. Those are normal if they are yours. Dispute only details that are truly wrong.
If the wrong information came from a creditor, it may reappear unless the creditor fixes its records. Contact the creditor too if you know which account it came from.
What to do, step by step
Get your credit reports
Download your free reports from AnnualCreditReport.com, the official site for free reports from all three bureaus. Check each one, since an error may appear on one report and not the others.
Gather proof
Collect anything that shows the item is wrong: bank statements, payment confirmations, letters from the creditor, a paid-in-full letter or an identity theft report.
Fill in your letter
Answer the questions above, one disputed item per letter. Be specific about what's wrong and what the correct information is.
Mail it to the bureau's dispute address
Look up the current mailing address for disputes on your bureau's official website, since these addresses change. Send by certified mail with return receipt and include copies, never originals, of your ID, proof of address and supporting documents.
Track the 30-day clock
The bureau generally has 30 days after receiving your dispute to investigate and must then send you the results in writing. Keep your mailing receipt so you can show when it arrived.
What if the bureau doesn't fix the error?
If the bureau's investigation verifies the item and you still believe it's wrong, you don't have to stop there. Ask the bureau for a description of how it investigated, dispute again with any new evidence, and send a written dispute directly to the creditor that reported the information.
You can also ask the bureau to add a brief statement to your file explaining your side of the dispute, which is included with future reports that contain the item.
If a bureau fails to investigate or keeps reporting information you've shown is wrong, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov. The Fair Credit Reporting Act also lets consumers sue over certain violations and recover damages, court costs and legal fees in a successful case.
Example dispute letter for incorrect personal information
A filled-in sample with made-up details, so you can see the finished result.
Teresa M. Alvarez
215 Ridge Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607
Date of birth: April 17, 1988
October 5, 2026
Experian
Consumer Dispute Department
Re: Dispute of inaccurate information in my credit file — report or confirmation number 4471-0923-88
To whom it may concern:
I am writing to dispute inaccurate information in my Experian credit file. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1681i, I ask that you conduct a reasonable reinvestigation of the item below and correct or delete it.
Item disputed:
Creditor or company: Personal information section of my credit report
The problem: Another error, explained below.
The personal information section of my report lists an address at 4410 Glenwood Ave, Durham, NC, where I have never lived, and the name Teresa M. Alvarado, which is not my name. My only addresses in the past ten years are 215 Ridge Rd, Raleigh, and 88 Oak St, Cary. Please remove the incorrect address and name variation.
I have enclosed copies, not originals, of the following documents supporting my dispute: a copy of my driver's license, a utility bill at my current address, and a copy of my credit report with the incorrect entries circled.
Please forward this dispute and all relevant information I have provided to the company that reported the item. If your reinvestigation finds that the information is inaccurate, incomplete or cannot be verified, please delete or correct it.
When you have finished, please send me written notice of the results at the address above, along with a free copy of my updated credit report if the reinvestigation results in a change.
I have enclosed a copy of a government-issued photo ID and a document showing my current address so that you can confirm my identity. I am keeping a copy of this letter and proof of mailing for my records.
Sincerely,
Teresa M. Alvarez
Frequently asked questions
Does wrong personal information hurt my credit score?
Not directly. Scores are based on your credit accounts, not your address or employer. But incorrect personal information can lead to accounts that are not yours being added to your file, which can affect your score.
Can I remove old addresses from my credit report?
Bureaus usually keep accurate past addresses as part of your history. You can ask for addresses that were never yours to be removed. Accurate old addresses are normal and generally not removed.
What if the wrong information is linked to fraud?
If the incorrect name or address is connected to accounts you did not open, file an identity theft report at IdentityTheft.gov, consider a fraud alert or credit freeze, and dispute each fraudulent account.
Is it better to dispute online or by mail?
Either works. Online disputes are fast, but they can limit how much you can explain and may ask you to accept terms. A mailed letter lets you lay out the facts, enclose documents and keep certified-mail proof of when the bureau received your dispute, which is useful if you need to escalate.
How long does a credit dispute take?
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, a bureau generally must finish its investigation within 30 days of receiving your dispute. That can be extended by up to 15 days in some cases, such as when you send more information during the investigation. The bureau must then notify you of the results.
FairLetter is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Letters are templates you customize and send yourself.