Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, consumers have the right to dispute false information in their credit reports. Under ordinary circumstances, credit reporting agencies and creditors are required to conduct an investigation in response to such a dispute.

It is not necessary to pay anyone to write a dispute letter — you can do it yourself for free. Below is a short description of the process for disputing false information on your credit report (also known as a consumer report).

1. Get a copy of your credit report. Under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA), you are entitled to a free copy of your credit report each year. If you have been denied credit, you are also entitled to a free copy of your consumer report.

While it is possible to access your consumer report online, some credit reporting companies require consumers to give up important rights in order to access their credit report through their website. Also, it can be confusing navigating the many links to purchase services that you do not necessarily need. A better way is to request it by mail.

Consumers can request their free annual credit report by writing to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. The request form is available at the annualcreditreport.com website.

2. Send a written dispute letter to the consumer reporting agencies. Write a polite, professional letter detailing exactly what is incorrect and why. Be specific. Enclose documentation, such as police reports, correspondence with your creditors, and any additional information documentation you have. Tell the credit reporting agency if you are being prevented from obtaining credit, such as a mortgage, credit card, or auto loan, or if you are being harmed in other ways.

Send your letter via certified mail, with a return receipt requested. Keep a copy of your signed, dated letter, along with copies of enclosures.

3. Review the credit reporting agency’s response. Check whether additional information is requested and send it. If the credit reporting company didn’t understand your dispute, write again with a clearer explanation of your dispute. Always send your correspondence via certified mail, with a return receipt requested, and keep a copy of your signed, dated letter for your records.