As you proceed through these steps, keep copies and records of all correspondence you send and receive, including the envelopes! It is very important that you keep copies of everything when communicating with a creditor, debt collector, or credit reporting agency. Should they violate the law, you will have the necessary documentation to prove it, and perhaps make them pay. If you should encounter any special difficulty and need more help, you will also need these records to proceed. Finally, if information that was removed from your credit report should reappear later, you will have the documentation to force the credit agency to permanently delete this entry.
For the truly paranoid and nit-picky, it is recommended that you send (i) a fax, (ii) certified mail, as well as, (iii) standard 1st class mail with proof of mailing ["certificate of mailing"]. The fax can jump-start the process, the certified mail is definitive proof of the mailing (once you get your return-receipt), and the first-class copy is your "backup", since some organizations refuse to accept certified mail. This way, you have gone the extra mile, and can prove it if necessary. When dealing with the credit bureaus, in recent years most people have had success while using only one of these three, or just using the online dispute process, but, for the most difficult creditors and debt collectors, you may still wish to resort to the process below.
Here is the more involved procedure to follow when corresponding with difficult creditors, debt collectors, or credit reporting agencies:
Write your letter, then sign it
If you have their fax number and your fax machine will print a fax confirmation sheet
fax your letter and all attachments
print the fax confirmation sheet, and save for your file
Make 2 copies of your signed letter, and 2 copies of any attachments
Staple the original attachments to a copy of your letter, and save for your file
Prepare 2 envelopes, properly addressed and with correct return address
Staple the attachment copies to your original letter, and enclose in envelope #1
Staple the attachment copies to your letter copy, and enclose in envelope #2
Don't put stamps on the envelopes
Go to the post office
send letter #1 by certified mail with return-receipt requested
request and save for your file:
a dated/stamped cash receipt
a dated/stamped certified mail receipt
the return-receipt, it should arrive in the mail
send letter #2 by 1st class mail with a "certificate of mailing" (proof that it was mailed)
request and save for your file:
a dated/stamped cash receipt
a dated/stamped "certificate of mailing" (small extra fee)
For each letter set you send, you will have as proof:
a copy of their letter, with its envelope [if any]
a copy of your signed letter
your attachments [if any]
fax confirmation sheet as proof of faxing [if you used fax]
dated/stamped cash receipts from post office
certified mail receipt
certificate of mailing for your 1st class letter
return-receipt, after it arrives in the mail
Here is a simplified procedure to follow when corresponding with the major credit reporting agencies:
Write your letter, then sign it
Use one of the following methods:
Online: Use their online dispute process (check their website)
Fax: If you have their fax number and your fax machine will print a fax confirmation sheet
fax your letter and all attachments
print the fax confirmation sheet, and save for your file
Mail:
Make a copy of your signed letter, and a copy of any attachments
Staple the original attachments to a copy of your letter, and save for your file
Prepare an envelope, properly addressed and with correct return address
Staple the attachment copies to your original letter, and enclose in the envelope
Put correct postage on the envelope, and mail
For each letter set you send, you will have as proof:
a copy of their letter, with its envelope [if any]
a copy of your signed letter
your attachments [if any]
fax confirmation sheet as proof of faxing [if you used fax]
Whichever process you use, you should staple all this together, and file it all away in a safe place for at least one year as your records and evidence.
You should print this outline, and use it as a checklist when preparing your letters. As you can see, the process is a bit involved, and while everything is already laid out for you, it is still you that has to do the work. You may find it helpful to read this thought-provoking article, The Principle Of Prioritized Outcome, which may help you accomplish this goal by better understanding your own motivations.
As you proceed through these steps, keep copies and records of all correspondence you send and receive, including the envelopes! It is very important that you keep copies of everything when communicating with a creditor, debt collector, or credit reporting agency. Should they violate the law, you will have the necessary documentation to prove it, and perhaps make them pay. If you should encounter any special difficulty and need more help, you will also need these records to proceed. Finally, if information that was removed from your credit report should reappear later, you will have the documentation to force the credit agency to permanently delete this entry.
