Most people who are looking for a 609 dispute letter template already have an idea of what it is, but for those who don’t, or those who want to learn about how the letter works, we’ve got you covered, including a template for your disputes, but don’t send it out without understanding what it means.
For the rest of you who know what it’s for, use the links below to get to what you came here for.
What is the Purpose of a 609 Dispute Letter?
You’re probably here because you have negative or inaccurate items on your credit report and you want or need to remove them. There are plenty of ways to remove items from your credit report, and we believe that article is the better option for item disputes.
In the FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act) there is Section 609, which basically asks the Credit Reporting Agency to verify that the information on your credit file is accurate.
This means that the credit bureau or “credit report agency” (CRA) has 30 days, from the day they receive your credit dispute letter, to verify that the accounts and information are 100% accurate.
If the accounts are verified to be inaccurate they will need to be deleted from your credit report.
Be sure to remember that you are requesting information and verification about items listed on your credit report(s), not disputing the accounts. That can be done in the article mentioned earlier.
Why Send This Letter?
Most of us live on credit, or at least have a big need for this option. We cannot survive with bad credit and no options for financial assistance to make purchases for everyday life or even emergencies.
Although we always recommend to dispute the items as listed in the article linked in the first paragraph above, this is another tool for your toolbox. And we highly recommend you utilize it if your initial disputes fail to get the results you desire.
If you are having issues with disputing items that you believe are erroneous, you can use the 609 letter to send to the credit reporting agencies to force them to verify (100%) that the accounts are accurate.
Remember, you want to send these letters to ALL agencies that have the accounts listed inaccurately and you want to send them by certified mail, return receipt requested, using the USPS.
We use certified mail to track the letters so that you have proof of when they received them. They will have 30 days from the date they are delivered to either delete or verify the accuracy of the accounts that are listed within the letter.
What Happens if Accounts are Verified as Accurate?
This section is beyond the scope of the 609 dispute letter, but we do have an excellent resource you can find at 611 Method of Verification Letter.
Follow the directions in that article if your accounts are verified as accurate after you send in your 611 dispute letter.
The 609 Dispute Letter Template
Before we dive into the letter please note the addresses for each credit bureau as you will need them for the letter.
Experian
P.O. Box 4500
Allen, TX 75013Equifax Information Services, LLC
P.O. Box 740256
Atlanta, GA 30374TransUnion Consumer Solutions
Consumer Dispute Center
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016
Be sure to not only enter in your details and look closely throughout the template, but to also re-write the letter to make it more unique and personal for your use. Add onto it as you need.
Your First Name
Address
City, State Zip Code{Today’s Date}
Subject: FRCA, Section § 611. Procedure in case of
disputed accuracy [15 U.S.C. § 1681i]To whom it may concern,
Please be advised that this is my {2nd/3rd/4th} written request. The first of which was received on [date] by USPS certified mail.
I am exercising my right under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ,Section 609, to request information regarding items listed on my credit report.{List of all accounts you want verified for accuracy}
As per section 609, I am entitled to see the source of the information, which is the original contract that contains my signature.
Please note that you are required to delete any items that are not verified within 30 days of receiving this letter.
Identification:
DOB: 01/01/2021
SSN: 123-00-0000I have also attached copies of other items to prove my identity.
Sincerely,
{Signature}
Your First Name
Address
City, State Zip Code
Along with this letter you can and should provide any of the following (not all):
- Copy of your credit report for that agency you’re sending the letter to
- Photocopy of your Birth Certificate
- Photocopy of Social Security card
- Photocopy of Driver’s license
- Copy of Tax Documents with SSN
- Photocopy of Passport
- Copies of any bill(s) with your current address
Again, you only need to send a few items as proof, not all of the items listed. The most important are 1) Copy of your Social Security card and 2) Driver’s License, but it’s always good to send copies of other items as well.
So What Now?
After the credit bureau receives the letter they will need to either a) delete the items or b) furnish proof, which might include a copy of the contract with your signature, or possibly nothing at all.
If they don’t delete the items you requested you need to dispute them again but be sure to point out the incorrect information so they understand that it cannot be verified and needs to be removed. This might be something you may even need to try multiple times.
To recap, be sure to understand that you are not using a 609 letter to dispute items listed on your credit report, you’re asking the CRAs to verify information on the items on your report.
Always send letters to each of the CRAs and make sure you customize the letter to ensure yours is unique and personalized.
Use Certified Mail (Return Receipt Requested) through the USPS. This helps not just track the mail but it gives you proof of when they received the letter so that you know when the 30 days are up.
Do not use online forms if you can help it. That takes away a lot of tracking that you can use later, if needed.
Be sure to include copies of proof of identity so that they know it’s really you that is requesting the verification of the items you are submitting.
If they fail to delete items you need to dispute the items again and even try using the 611 Method of Verification letter.