Take care of yourself by taking care of your credit

You are ultimately responsible for the accuracy of your credit report. So order your free annual credit report from each credit bureau and review them. You also have the right to a free copy if you're denied credit based on the information in a credit report.

Statistics show that 70% of all credit reports contain at least one error.  These errors may cause you to be turned down for a loan or be charged a high interest rate.  It is important to report errors as soon as possible, and it's best to do this in writing.  It's not difficult to correct errors, but it can be time consuming.

If you find a mistake, send a letter to each agency where a mistake is found.  Explain the mistake in detail and include a copy of the credit report with the error highlighted.  See What Is an Error 

An error that you find must be investigated by the credit reporting agency (Experian, TransUnion, Equifax) in conjunction with the creditor who supplied the information.  The credit reporting agency will remove any information the creditor agrees is in error.  However, if a disagreement occurs, you must file a short statement giving your side of the story, which will be added to the record.  Future reports to creditors must include this statement or a summary of it.                                

The Fair Credit Billing Act requires creditors to correct errors promptly and without damage to your credit rating.