I don't know how to make this quick! I recieved a copy of my credit report through Experian but really through my Citi card. So of course I didn't want to have to pay the monthly fee for the service so I cancelled it right away. Mistake!
I have always had awesome credit and never had any problems until now. An apt. complex I lived in approx. 3 years ago claims I owe them $300.00 BUT I have a letter that states they released me from the lease and no mention of a balance owed to them. My rent was on time etc. They released me due to the fact that the apt. had roaches and I continually contacted the city and even contacted news stations. My daughter was around 3 months old and it was a nightmare! So they decided to let m out of the lease.
Now I want to file a dispute with Experian and it is proving to be impossible. I have tried to call several times and I cannot get a live person. I tried to file it on line but I need a credit report # and it is not on my copy. So I called citi card and they logged me into my account etc. and told me to fill out a form and it would bring me to the report# and well, it told me I had never had a credit report done with them!! I am at my wits end and was hoping someone has experienced this before and could give me some advice. Any advice from anyone in the know would be greatly appreciated!!!
My score went from 789 to a 682 so I want to rectify this ASAP!!
Thanks in advance!!
S.
Hi S.:
You are entitled to one free credit report from each credit reporting agency each year - you have the Experian. Maybe you should try to go to www.annualcreditreport.com and get a free copy of the TransUnion or Equifax and print it yourself. You will then have a credit report number as well as how to dispute on the bottom of the report...
Hope this helps - good luck!
I am in the process of disputing a few things with all three credit bureaus. I have written letters to them with proof or substantiation to back up my dispute. You should pull all three credit reports (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax) as they might have reported to all three agencies. You are entitled to a free report once a year from all three agencies. Their websites provide information on how to file a dispute and where to send the letter. I would mail them a letter along with a copy of the letter you received from the apartment complex. They then have 30 days to investigate and if they don't respond within 30 days then they have to remove it from your history. Also, everything you mail should be mailed certified with return receipt so you have proof that you mailed it and it was received.
Please let me know if you have any questions as I am currently cleaning up my credit. I am quickly learning the ins and outs of the credit mess!
you should be able to send in all of your information (copies) directly to the credit bureau (whichever or all that are reporting inaccurate info). if you go to the websites there should be a place to fillout a form and send in....I would also contact the apt complex. they sent the false info in the first place, they should be the ones to fix for you! it's so hard to figure out why it takes such a short time for someone to add negative things to your report and a year to get them off....good luck!
S.,
I am in the mortgage business (going on 9 yrs now) and deal with this kind of thing all the time.
First, get a copy of your report from all 3 repositories (typically called a Tri-merged report): Experian, Transunion, and Equifax - you can get it online at Freecreditreport.com, or I highly recommend Suze Orman's site: myfico.com, OR you can call your mortgage lender and they'll likely pull it for you and send it to you via email.
Second, write a letter to each of the repositories reporting the debt (sometimes it's just 1) and send the copy of the letter from the apartment. In your letter you ONLY need to say, "this information is inaccurate, please update the records". That's all! they don't need additional information to start their process.
Third, the repositories will initiate an investigation to the apartment or collector and if they do not respond within 30 days (or if the information does not match), the repositories are required by law to remove the debt.
Let me know if this helps or if you have additional questions. ____@____.com
C.
