Review both credit files before trying to repair a problem
Equifax and TransUnion provide ways to obtain a consumer credit report without purchasing a monitoring subscription. The two files can differ because information received by each bureau is not always identical. Check personal details, accounts, balances, payment history and unfamiliar enquiries. Accessing your own report is different from a lender’s application enquiry and provides a starting point for understanding what may need attention.
Separate an error from an accurate negative record
Use the bureau’s official process to challenge an inaccurate entry and contact the organisation that supplied it when appropriate. Keep copies of statements, correspondence and the dispute reference so you can follow the correction through. A valid dispute concerns information that is wrong; it does not automatically remove an accurate record of missed payments. If an unfamiliar account suggests identity theft, take protective steps promptly rather than treating the matter only as a score-improvement exercise.
Keep supporting evidence for a dispute
- Equifax free consumer credit reportObtain an Equifax consumer credit report through the bureau’s official service.
- TransUnion Consumer DisclosureAccess a TransUnion Consumer Disclosure and examine the entries in that file.
- Equifax Canada disputesFollow Equifax’s process for disputing inaccurate information.
- TransUnion Canada disputesUse TransUnion’s official procedure to request an investigation of an error.