Agruss Law Firm Helps Chicago Residents Receive Free Credit Report

The information in your credit report is used to evaluate your application for credit, insurance, employment, and renting a home.  Your credit report contains information about where you live, how you pay your bills, whether you’ve been sued or arrested, and whether you’ve filed for bankruptcy. Therefore, you should be sure the information is accurate and up to date.

Additionally, monitoring your credit is one of the best ways to spot identity theft. You have the right to get a free copy of your credit report, once every 12 months, from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.  The three nationwide credit reporting companies set up a Web site, a toll-free telephone number, and a mailing address through which you can order your free annual report.  

It is crucial that you check your credit report at least once a year to correct errors and to detect unauthorized activity.  Once again, the information in your credit report affects whether or not you get a loan, and your interest rate when you do get a loan.

The information also affects insurance, renting a home, and even getting a job.  Therefore, you want to make sure the information in your credit report is accurate, complete, and up-to-date before you apply for a loan or a credit card, before you apply for a job, before you apply for insurance, and before you submit a rental application.  Finally, monitoring your credit report will help guard against identity theft.

To dispute credit report errors, you should:

1. Get a free copy of your credit report (http://agrusslawfirm.com/index.php/Free-Credit-Report)
2. Write a letter to all three of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.  Tell the credit reporting companies what information is incorrect in your credit report.  Include documents that support your position.  State the facts and exactly why you dispute the information, and request that the inaccuracy be removed or corrected.  It is also helpful to enclose a copy of your credit report with your dispute and circle the items that are incorrect.  Your dispute letter should include your: (1) full legal name, (2) date of birth, (3) social security number, (4) current mailing address, and (5) a copy of your driver’s license.
3. Mail your dispute letter and supporting documents certified mail return receipt to the three credit reporting agencies below.
4. Write a letter to the original creditor (e.g. credit card company, hospital, utility company) or other information provider that you dispute an item in your credit report.  Most providers specify an address for disputes.  Provide the original creditor or other information provider the exact same information you provided above in number 2.
5. Wait about 30 days from the date the credit reporting companies and original creditor  receive your dispute letter.  In other words, wait about 30 days from the date on the return receipt you receive back from the credit report company.  After the credit reporting company investigates your dispute, the credit reporting company must give you the results of their investigation in writing.
6. If the credit reporting agency does not correct the inaccurate information in your credit report, contact Agruss Law Firm, LLC, for further help.

Contact Information

Michael Agruss

Attorney at Law

Agruss Law Firm, LLC

(1) 312-224-4695

michael@agrusslawfirm.com