FREE CREDIT REPORT GUIDE

Sample Letter - Request to Cease and Desist

Date:

Name and Address of
Collection Agency:

Re: Account name and number:

You are hereby notified under provisions of Public Law 95-109, Section 805-C, The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, to hereby CEASE and DESIST in any and all attempts to collect the above debt.

This letter is your legal notice under the above mentioned federal law that regulates the activities of collection agencies and their legal representatives.

Your failure to Cease and Desist, as directed in this letter, will result in charges being filed against you with the state and federal regulatory agencies empowered with the enforcement of this law.

You are further warned that NO derogatory information is to be placed on any credit reports after receipt of this notice, or that action will result in further charges being filed against you.

It is my firm decision not to recognize or work with any collection agency. I will settle this affair directly with the original creditor.

Please give this legal notice your full attention.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)
(Address)
(Date of Birth)
(Social Security Number)

__________________________________________________

Sample Letter - Request to Add a Consumer Statement

Date:

Name and Address of
Credit Bureau

Re: Adding a Consumer Statement

Dear Sir / Madam:

According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), I have the right to enter a "Consumer Statement" in my credit report. I have disputed the accuracy and completeness of certain items on my credit report, and since reinvestigation has not resolved my dispute, I want the following statement, without alteration, placed in the file.
"Your message here"

I assume that 30 days constitutes reasonable time for completing this update, unless you notify me otherwise. Please send an updated copy of my credit report containing this statement to the address shown below.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)
(Address)
(Date of Birth)
(Social Security Number)

_________________________________________________

Sample Letter - Request Removal of Inquiries

(Name and Address of Creditor or Lender)

Re: Unauthorized Credit Inquiry

Dear (Name of Creditor or Lender),

I recently received a copy of my Experian credit report. The credit report showed a credit inquiry by your company that I do not recall authorizing. I understand that you shouldn't be allowed to put an inquiry on my file unless I have authorized it. Please have this inquiry removed from my credit file because it is making it very difficult for me to acquire credit.

I have sent this letter certified mail because I need your prompt response to this issue. Please be so kind as to forward me documentation that you have had the unauthorized inquiry removed.

If you find that I am remiss, and you did have my authorization to inquire into my credit report, then please send me proof of this.

Thanking you in advance,

(Your Name)
(Address)
(Date of Birth)
(Social Security Number)

_________________________________________________

Sample Letter - Explanation of Delinquent Account

Date:
Name and Address of
Credit Agency

Re: Explanation of Delinquent Account Number _______________

Dear Creditor:

It has recently come to my attention that several of my payments to the above referenced account have been labeled "late" on my credit report.

I have been prompt in paying in the past, and missed the payments due to:
"Explain here"

Since these late payments occurred for an excusable reason, please correct the payment history for my account at the following credit bureaus:
____Experian
____TransUnion
____Equifax

It is important that my credit report reflect the good relations I have had with your company in the past. In addition, the requested corrections will make the report more representative of my financial habits.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)
(Address)
(Date of Birth)
(Social Security Number)

_________________________________________________

Sample Letter - Request a Free Credit Report (1)

Date:

(Name of credit bureau)
(Address of credit bureau)

Please send me a copy of my credit report.

My full name is:
My social security number is:
My birthdate is:
My current address is:
My previous address is:

I may have received credit in the last five years under the following names:

Enclosed is a copy of my driver's license as proof of my name and address.

I am making this request for a free credit report since I have been denied credit in the last 60 days based on one of your reports. A copy of the denial letter is attached for your information.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)

_________________________________________________

Sample Letter - Request a Free Cedit Report (2)

Date:

(Name of credit bureau)
(Address of credit bureau)

Re: Request for a Free Credit Report

To whom it may concern:

According to the attached letter, which states that my credit application was denied, your credit bureau was reported to have been used in the evaluation of my credit.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act, amended July 1999, provides that you send me a copy of the information used, which led to the denial of my application. According to this provision there should be no charges for this information.

Please send me a copy of the requested credit report to the address shown below. I have enclosed a copy of my driver's license to show proof of my identity and place of residence.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)
(Address)
(Date of Birth)
(Social Security Number)

_________________________________________________

Sample Letter - Request for an Investigation (1)

Date:

(Name of credit bureau)
(Address of credit bureau)

Attn: Consumer Relations
Re:
(Your Name)
(Your credit report ID #)
(Your address)
(Your telephone #)
(Your social security #)
(Your date of birth)

Please begin an investigation of the following items listed on my credit report that are reported inaccurately.

Creditor: _________________________________________

Account #: ________________________________________

Reason for dispute: _________________________________

Please update my credit report and send me a copy at the conclusion of your investigation. In addition, send the results to the three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union.

Thank you for your help and prompt attention to this matter.

Respectfully,

(Your Name)

_________________________________________________

Sample Letter - Request an Investigation (2)

Date:

(Name of credit bureau)
(Address of credit bureau)

Re: Request for an Investigation

To Whom It May Concern:

Recently, I received a copy of my credit profile and found the following accounts are being reported incorrectly.

ABC Credit Union - Account # 123-456-789 This is not my account. Please investigate, verify and delete.

ABC Department Store - Account # 123-456-789 This is not my account. Please investigate, verify and delete.

Please send the updated credit report to the following address:

(Your Name)
(Address)
(Date of Birth)
(Social Security Number)

_________________________________________________

Sample Letter - Dispute Letter to a Creditor

Date:

(Name of creditor or lender)
(Address of creditor or lender)
Re:
(Your Name)
(Your address)
(Your account number)

To whom it may concern:

I have recently obtained a credit report from (credit bureau). It shows the above account with your company was (days late, charged-off, other problems, etc.) To the best of my knowledge, I have always paid this account promptly and satisfactorily. This incorrect information is seriously hurting my credit rating, and I would appreciate it if you would verify this information and correct it with all three credit bureaus. If the information cannot be verified, please delete the account from my credit report.

Please inform me with the results of your verification as soon as possible. Your immediate attention to this matter is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)

_________________________________________________

Sample Letter - Request a Merge Inquiry

Date:

Name and Address of
Credit Bureau

Re: Request to Merge Inquiry with Account

Dear Sir / Madam:

I recently received my credit report and found problems of inaccurate reporting. A copy of the credit report is attached, with the items marked.

The presence of the inquiries as entries separate from the resulting account inaccurately duplicates information. The inquiries also reflect an incomplete and inaccurate processing of information in my file. The inquiry entries should be removed, or at least merged into the accounts to which they belong.

Under the provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), amended July 1999, please investigate and delete these disputed items. I will assume that 30 days constitutes reasonable time to complete this request, unless you notify me otherwise. It should be understood that failure to verify within this time constitutes non-verification, and the items must be promptly deleted according to the provisions of the FCRA.

Please send me a copy of the requested credit report to the address shown below.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)
(Address)
(Date of Birth)
(Social Security Number)

_________________________________________________

Sample Letter - Reminder to Respond (1)

Date:

Name and Address of
Credit Bureau

Re: Reminder to Respond

Dear Sir / Madam:

Thirty days ago I sent you a letter disputing certain items on my credit report which were inaccurate or incomplete. Attached is the original letter.

Please note that under the provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), 30 days is considered as reasonable time for responding to my request for verification of the disputed items, unless additional time is requested by your firm in writing. In addition, failure to verify these items within the 30-day period, constitutes reason to drop them from my file, pursuant to sections 623(a)(1)(b) and 623(a)(3) of the FCRA.

Please respond immediately so that I do not need to pursue my legal rights under the FCRA, which requires your compliance with the law.

Also, please send me a copy of the requested credit report to the address shown below.

Sincerely,

Your Name
Address
Date of Birth
Social Security Number

_________________________________________________

Sample Letter - Reminder to Respond (2)

Date:

(Name of credit bureau)
(Address of credit bureau)

Attn: Consumer Relations

To whom it may concern:

On (date of investigation request), I sent you a request to investigate certain items on my credit report that I believe to be incorrect or inaccurate. As of today, (# of weeks you waited) have passed, and I have not yet received a response from you. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you are required to respond "within a reasonable time." If the information cannot be verified, please delete it from my credit report. I would appreciate your immediate attention in this matter. Please inform me of the results.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)
(Address)
(Date of Birth)
(Social Security Number)

_________________________________________________

Sample Letter - Settlement of Account

Date:

Name and Address of
Credit Bureau

Re: Settlement of Account Number _______________

Dear Creditor:

This letter is to confirm our telephone conversation on _________ regarding the settlement of the above account.

As discussed, I will pay your company the amount of $______ as full settlement of this account.

Please respond immediately so that I do not need to pursue my legal rights under the FCRA, which requires your compliance with the law.

Also, please send me a copy of the requested credit report to the address shown below.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)
(Address)
(Date of Birth)
(Social Security Number)

Sample Letter - Request to Update Your Credit Report

Date:

Name and Address of
Credit Bureau

Re: Request to Update Credit Report

Please note that under the provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), you are obligated to delete obsolete information from my consumer credit report.

Please refer to the information highlighted on the attached copy of my report. It is obsolete and should be deleted immediately from your credit files.

Pursuant to provisions of the FCRA, I am entitled to notification that the items have been deleted. Please send an updated copy of my credit report to the address shown below, as well as to any other party that has inquired about my credit rating in the last six months.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)
(Address)
(Date of Birth)
(Social Security Number)

_________________________________________________

Sample Letter - Goodwill Letter

Date:

Sears NAAC
ATTN : Credit Bureau Desk
ABC Street
City, State, Zip

Regarding: Account No. XXXXXXX

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing a letter about my experience with Sears that is a mixture of a grateful "thank-you" and a pressing request concerning a Sears Charge Card tradeline in my credit files that I would like to have revised.

I received the Sears card in [YEAR], several years before I [CHAOTIC LIFE EVENT -- A MOVE, A BIRTH, MEDICAL SICKNESS, ETC.]. Later when I experienced the [CHAOTIC LIFE EVENT] and while working on [WORK PROJECT], I became disorganized with respect to, as you saw, making timely payments with Sears. I fully recognize my responsibility with respect to payable accounts and have worked diligently to rehabilitate my relationship with Sears since that time.

To be honest, that year was a "wake-up" call for me regarding fiscal organization. Since then I believe I have learned the essential organizational and financial management principles I desperately needed at that point. Thankfully, responsible credit management is now reflected in my credit records which -- excluding the Sears card late entry -- are excellent. I wish to thank you for renewing your confidence in me and for giving me a second chance at a relationship with you, one that I am determined to keep spotless.

We are about to shop for a mortgage, and it has come to my attention that the late notations from Sears may preclude me from taking full advantage of the very lowest interest rates now available. Since those notations do not reflect my current status with Sears, I am requesting that you give me a second chance at a positive credit rating by revising those tradelines. Your customer service representative suggested that I write you for a "goodwill adjustment." I sincerely hope that there is redemption at Sears, and I beg you for such consideration. Please let me know if any additional documentation would assist in reaching a positive outcome, and I thank you again for the time you have spent reading this letter.

Very hopefully yours,

Name
Address
City, STATE ZIP

FREE CREDIT REPORT GUIDE

FREE CREDIT REPAIR SAMPLE LETTERS

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