How to Dispute an Error with Equifax (Step-by-Step)
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Equifax is one of the three nationwide credit bureaus. After their 2017 data breach affecting 147 million Americans, they significantly upgraded their dispute process — but that doesn't change your underlying rights. The same FCRA §611 protections apply regardless of which bureau you're disputing with. Here's how to dispute with Equifax specifically, including the address, channels, and timeline.
Three ways to dispute with Equifax
Online: equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-dispute. Requires a free Equifax account. Resolves in 15–25 days for most items.
By mail: Equifax Information Services LLC, P.O. Box 740256, Atlanta, GA 30374. Use USPS certified mail with return receipt for legal protection.
By phone: 866-349-5191. Use only for simple items. Phone disputes leave the weakest paper trail and are easier for Equifax to mishandle.
What to include in your dispute
Your full legal name, current address, date of birth, and last four digits of your Social Security number.
The specific creditor, partial account number, and field being disputed.
A clear, factual explanation of why the information is wrong.
Supporting documentation — payment proofs, identity theft reports, court records, settlement letters.
A demand for deletion or correction under FCRA Section 611.
After you file: what Equifax does
Equifax forwards your dispute to the furnisher within 5 business days.
The furnisher investigates the data and reports findings back to Equifax.
If the item cannot be verified, Equifax may correct, update, or delete it, depending on the reinvestigation outcome.
You receive results in writing within 30 days (45 if you submit new evidence). If anything changes, you also get a free updated report.
How to dispute an Equifax credit report error
- STEP 1
Get your current Equifax report
Free at AnnualCreditReport.com. Download as PDF and reference exact data in your letter.
- STEP 2
Identify the inaccurate field
Pinpoint exactly what's wrong: balance, status, dates, account holder, payment grid, or a wholly fabricated account.
- STEP 3
Collect supporting evidence
Bank statements, settlement letters, court records, identity theft reports — anything that disproves what Equifax is reporting.
- STEP 4
Draft your dispute letter
Include identifying info, exact item, why it's wrong, attached evidence, and a request for deletion within 30 days under FCRA §611.
- STEP 5
Send certified mail with return receipt
Equifax Information Services LLC, P.O. Box 740256, Atlanta, GA 30374. Keep both receipts as proof.
- STEP 6
Escalate to the CFPB if Equifax fails to respond
File at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Bureaus respond to nearly all CFPB complaints within 15 days because of the regulatory tracking.
Frequently asked questions
What to gather first
- A current copy of each credit report you want to review (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) from AnnualCreditReport.com.
- Government-issued photo ID and proof of current address, which bureaus commonly request with a mailed dispute.
- Account statements, payment records, or letters that relate to the item you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
- The exact account name, partial account number, and the reason you believe the entry is inaccurate or incomplete.
- A way to keep records: copies of what you send and, if mailing, proof of delivery.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Disputing information you know is accurate — that wastes the process and does not help you.
- Sending a vague dispute. Identify the specific item and explain what is inaccurate or incomplete.
- Disputing with only one bureau when the same entry appears on more than one report.
- Keeping no copies of what you sent, so you cannot show what was disputed or when.
- Paying a company that promises deletions or score increases — no one can promise those outcomes.
When to get additional help
Consider additional help if a bureau or furnisher does not respond, if an entry you believe is inaccurate stays on your report after a reinvestigation, if you may be affected by identity theft, or if you have questions about your legal rights.
- Submit a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
- Report suspected identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov (FTC).
- For legal questions, consider consulting a licensed attorney in your state. This page is educational information, not legal advice.
How CreditKaren can help
CreditKaren is a free, AI-assisted tool that reviews a credit report you upload and highlights entries that may be inconsistent, incomplete, or worth a closer look. If you decide an item may be inaccurate or incomplete, CreditKaren can draft a dispute letter you can review, edit, and send yourself.
CreditKaren is not a law firm, credit bureau, lender, or credit-repair organization. It does not provide legal advice and does not guarantee deletions, dispute outcomes, or changes to your credit scores. You decide what to dispute and you send every letter.
Important limitation
Sources and further reading
Review your own credit report with CreditKaren
Use CreditKaren's AI-assisted educational tool to organize report entries you may want to investigate for accuracy. You review every result and decide whether to take action.
CreditKaren does not provide legal, financial, lending, or credit-repair advice. No dispute, deletion, score increase, approval, or other outcome is guaranteed.
Start an Educational Report ReviewRelated guides
How to Dispute Credit Report Errors With All Three Bureaus
A complete guide to disputing inaccurate items with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion under the FCRA — with addresses and what to include.
How to Dispute an Error with Experian (Step-by-Step)
Dispute Experian credit report errors online, by mail, or by phone. Includes Experian's mailing address, dispute form details, and FCRA timeline.
How to Dispute an Error with TransUnion (Step-by-Step)
Dispute TransUnion credit report errors online, by mail, or by phone. Includes TransUnion's mailing address, dispute portal details, and FCRA timeline.
Who wrote this & how we work
This page is maintained by CreditKaren to answer common questions about the Fair Credit Reporting Act and our free AI-assisted educational credit report review tool. It reflects current practices in the app and is not legal or financial advice.
Written by the CreditKaren Editorial Team. Every guide references FCRA, FDCPA, and CROA statutes with links to the U.S. Code.
AI assists our drafting. Official sources are linked and verified, and a human on the editorial team reviews every page before publication.
How CreditKaren parses your report, which patterns count as FCRA §611/§623 violations, and why each dispute letter is generated.
Free, ad-supported, and independent — not a law firm and not a credit-repair organization under CROA. You review and mail every letter.
CreditKaren does not require an account to use the educational report review. See our Privacy Policy for information about how CreditKaren handles uploaded reports and related data.