You can obtain free credit report from one of the three major credit bureaus such as Equifax, Experian or Trans Union. If you have found an error after analyzing the data contained in the credit report that means you have found one of the incorrect credit reports. Fortunately you can fix the errors in your credit report for free. Since there are no watchdogs to monitor the actions of the three major credit bureaus, it is up to you to make sure that there are no errors on your credit report. If you have a very common name, such as John Smith, then there is a larger chance that you will become the victim of an error on your credit report. Since the major credit bureau's have so much information to process from different people, there is a chance that somehow they may get confused with someone else's who shares the same name. This is quite common in sons and fathers who share the same name. For e.g. Kurtis James junior and Kurtis James senior. It is quite common that these two names will be confused in the credit reports, which could ultimately cause incorrect credit reports. If you have been the victim of these types of reports that contain errors, then your next step will be to get a credit report dispute form.

How do I report an error in my credit report?
If you have found an error in your credit report, then you will have to take the necessary steps to clear it. The first thing you are going to do is to inform the particular credit bureau that made the error. They must be immediately intimated that there they have made an error on your credit report. All the major bureaus have a specific format that they want you to follow when disputing an element on your credit report. However, most of them will allow you to file this dispute in a number of ways.

Usually, you can do it by phone, fax or electronic mail. You will have to include your full name, your address, your birth date and your social security number. Then you will have to mention which part of the credit report you find to be false and give them the exact details. After that, you will have to indicate the reason for your dispute, the corrections that you wish them to make and a formal request for correction. If you submit a formal request for correction, then they are obligated to conduct an investigation into the matter. It is common for people to dispute credit reports so they will have an agency for these types of claims. This agency will go over your credit report dispute form and analyze all the information. They will perform a complete investigation of every matter and then render the verdict of whether an error has actually taken place, or there has been no error at all. If they do find that there is an error on your credit report, it will be removed from your credit report as soon as possible. Also, during the investigation, your creditors will be informed that your account is under investigation, so that they don't think that you have bad credit when in fact you actually have good credit. Once the investigation is complete, the error will be corrected and your credit report will be normal.

What if I don't report the errors?
Unfortunately, if the credit bureau has made an error on your credit report, then it is up to you to report that error. There is no one else that reviews credit reports and informs them of possible errors, so it is up to you to ensure that all the information on your credit report is true and correct. If there is incorrect information on your credit report and you do not report it to the right people, it will remain on your credit report and you will suffer the consequences.

This is sort of an unjust loophole in the credit system. Even though the error is not your fault, it is still up to you to correct it. Any error on your credit report must be reported by you and they will be subject to an investigation. Incorrect credit reports are in too common these days and unless we intercept them in the appropriate amount of time, they may adversely affect your credit rating. This is said to be the main reason and motivating factor behind getting a copy of your credit report at least once per year.