See a hard inquiry from a company you never applied with? Dispute it with each bureau that shows it. The builder fills in the right wording and addresses.
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Your letters (3)
Letter to Equifax
October 23, 2026
Equifax Information Services LLC
P.O. Box 740256
Atlanta, GA 30374-0256
Re: Dispute of inaccurate information in my credit report
To whom it may concern:
I am writing to dispute the following information in my Equifax credit file. The items I dispute are circled on the enclosed copy of my report.
[Add the items you dispute]
Under section 611 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681i), please conduct a reasonable reinvestigation of these items, forward the information I have provided to the companies that reported them, and delete or correct any information that is inaccurate, incomplete or cannot be verified. Please send me the results of your reinvestigation in writing and, if my file changes, a free copy of my updated credit report.
Enclosed are:
- A copy of my credit report with the disputed items circled
- A copy of my driver's license or other government ID
- A copy of a utility bill or bank statement showing my current address
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Letter to Experian
October 23, 2026
Experian
P.O. Box 4500
Allen, TX 75013
Re: Dispute of inaccurate information in my credit report
To whom it may concern:
I am writing to dispute the following information in my Experian credit file. The items I dispute are circled on the enclosed copy of my report.
[Add the items you dispute]
Under section 611 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681i), please conduct a reasonable reinvestigation of these items, forward the information I have provided to the companies that reported them, and delete or correct any information that is inaccurate, incomplete or cannot be verified. Please send me the results of your reinvestigation in writing and, if my file changes, a free copy of my updated credit report.
Enclosed are:
- A copy of my credit report with the disputed items circled
- A copy of my driver's license or other government ID
- A copy of a utility bill or bank statement showing my current address
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Letter to TransUnion
October 23, 2026
TransUnion Consumer Solutions
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016-2000
Re: Dispute of inaccurate information in my credit report
To whom it may concern:
I am writing to dispute the following information in my TransUnion credit file. The items I dispute are circled on the enclosed copy of my report.
[Add the items you dispute]
Under section 611 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681i), please conduct a reasonable reinvestigation of these items, forward the information I have provided to the companies that reported them, and delete or correct any information that is inaccurate, incomplete or cannot be verified. Please send me the results of your reinvestigation in writing and, if my file changes, a free copy of my updated credit report.
Enclosed are:
- A copy of my credit report with the disputed items circled
- A copy of my driver's license or other government ID
- A copy of a utility bill or bank statement showing my current address
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Mail it the right way
Sign the letter and attach copies of what you listed.
Send it by certified mail, return receipt requested — your proof of the date it arrived.
Keep a copy of everything you send.
If mailed October 23, 2026, it should arrive around October 28, 2026. The bureau generally must finish its investigation by about November 27, 2026 (30 days; up to 45 if you send more information meanwhile).
Which inquiries can you dispute?
Can be removed: a hard inquiry from a company you never applied with, or one made without your permission.
Can't be removed: inquiries from credit you applied for — even if you were turned down or didn't take the loan.
Don't matter: soft inquiries (your own checks, pre-approved offers, account reviews). They don't affect your score.
An inquiry you don't recognize can be a sign of identity theft. Check for new accounts you didn't open, and if you find any, report it at IdentityTheft.gov and consider a free credit freeze with each bureau. It also helps to contact the company that made the inquiry and ask it to tell the bureaus it was unauthorized.
Sample credit dispute letter
This is exactly what the builder produces for an example hard inquiry from a lender you never applied with. Use the tool above to make yours.
October 20, 2026
Jane Doe
123 Main St
Columbus, OH 43215
Date of birth: 01/31/1990
Social Security number: XXX-XX-1234
Experian
P.O. Box 4500
Allen, TX 75013
Re: Dispute of inaccurate information in my credit report
To whom it may concern:
I am writing to dispute the following information in my Experian credit file. The items I dispute are circled on the enclosed copy of my report.
1. XYZ Auto Finance: I did not authorize this inquiry dated 04/18/2026 and did not apply for credit with this company. I request that this item be deleted.
Under section 611 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681i), please conduct a reasonable reinvestigation of these items, forward the information I have provided to the companies that reported them, and delete or correct any information that is inaccurate, incomplete or cannot be verified. Please send me the results of your reinvestigation in writing and, if my file changes, a free copy of my updated credit report.
Enclosed are:
- A copy of my credit report with the disputed items circled
- A copy of my driver's license or other government ID
- A copy of a utility bill or bank statement showing my current address
Sincerely,
Jane Doe
Where to send a credit dispute
Equifax
Equifax Information Services LLC
P.O. Box 740256
Atlanta, GA 30374-0256
Addresses checked on each bureau's own dispute page on October 18, 2026. Disputes are free.
What happens after you send it
Credit bureaus must investigate within 30 days of receiving your dispute (45 days if you send more information during that time), pass your documents to the company that reported the item, and send you the results in writing within 5 business days of finishing. Items that are wrong or can't be verified must be corrected or deleted (FCRA § 611).
The company that reported it generally must investigate a direct dispute within 30 days too (Regulation V).
Debt collectors must stop collecting a debt you dispute in writing during the validation period until they send you verification (FDCPA § 809 and Regulation F).
If the result is wrong, you can dispute again with new evidence, add a statement to your file, or submit a complaint to the CFPB.
Get the free DIY Credit Repair Kit (PDF)
The 5-step plan, bureau addresses, a sample letter, what you can and can't remove, and a printable dispute tracker — free when you join our weekly money email.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I remove a hard inquiry I authorized?+
No. If you applied for the credit, the inquiry is accurate and stays on your report for about two years. Only inquiries you didn't authorize can be disputed and removed.
How much does a hard inquiry hurt my score?+
Usually not much. According to FICO, one additional inquiry takes less than five points off most people's FICO Scores, and FICO Scores only consider inquiries from the last 12 months.
Does shopping for a mortgage or car loan create many inquiries?+
FICO Scores count multiple mortgage, auto or student loan inquiries made within a short window (14 to 45 days, depending on the score version) as a single inquiry, so rate shopping is safe.
Is it free to dispute my credit report?+
Yes. Disputing errors with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion is free, and so is this letter builder. You can also check your reports for free every week at AnnualCreditReport.com.
Do I need a credit repair company?+
No. The FTC says that everything a credit repair company can legally do for you, you can do yourself for little or no cost. No company can legally remove accurate, current negative information from your report.
What is a 609 letter, and does it work?+
Section 609 of the FCRA gives you the right to see what's in your credit file. It isn't a special way to delete accounts. Accurate items can stay even if you send a '609 letter'. What works is disputing information that is actually wrong under section 611 — which is what this letter does.
Should I dispute online or by mail?+
Both work. Mail with a return receipt gives you proof of what you sent and when, and lets you attach documents and a copy of your report with the errors circled. Online is faster to file. Whichever you use, keep copies.
Is my information sent anywhere?+
No. The letter is built in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to Numlight or anyone else. If you choose to save a draft, it stays in this browser only, and SSN digits are never saved.
General information and sample letters, not legal advice. Numlight is not a law firm or a credit repair organization and doesn't send letters for you. Only dispute information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete. Sources: CFPB — disputing credit report errors; 15 U.S.C. § 1681i; 12 CFR § 1006.34.
