Updating Personal Information on your Credit Report
In the first round of letters, we are going to clean up your personal information and make sure everything is reported correctly.
It is time to take out your credit reports! Hopefully, by now, you have obtained your credit reports from Transunion, Equifax and Experian.
The ONLY addresses you want to have on your credit report are current and ones you recognize. The reason for this is because bills or payments due that are sent to the wrong addresses which can be missed and having a clean credit report prevents from identity theft and fraud.
Do not confuse these letters with dispute letters. We are not disputing any accounts, we are updating your information. This could potentially boost your score up a couple points and increase the chance to remove any negative accounts associated with those old addresses.
Updating your address
To update/remove/change an address and other personal information, you should mail a simple certified letter. Although sending certified mail can be a little expensive, we do recommend it when sending sensitive information through the mail.
Creating your first letter
You can use Microsoft Word or Google Docs to view and edit the document!
Step 1: Pull up the template
Step 2: Enter all of your current and accurate information
Step 3: Enter your personal information at the bottom where it is directed with your signature! Preferably a hand written signature once it is printed. If you are sending your letters via online services, you can sign using paint app.
Step 4: Include a picture of your SOCIAL SECURITY card if you can.
Step 5: Underneath your signature copy and paste your picture of your driver’s license + proof of residence(s).
Proof of Address:
If your driver’s license / State ID has a previous address that isn’t the one you are updating your credit reports to, you must provide 2 proof of residence.
Examples of Proof of Residence
Utility bill with the correct address (gas, water, cable, residential phone bill), Cell phone bill, Pay stub, W2 form, 1099 form, Rental lease agreement/house deed, Mortgage statement, Bank statement, State ID
Equifax is the only bureau that will accept faxes for personal information updates. Fax number: 888-826-0598
Sending Your First Letter
Step 1: Print this letter out
Step 2: Sign below your name.
Step 3: Address one letter to each of the 3 Bureaus.
Step 4: Make sure to put your name and the address you used in your letters on the top left for the return address.
Step 5: Mail them out!
Options For Mailing
Certified Mail ($4), you get tracking to keep for your records, so you can actually prove the bureaus received your dispute.
This is recommended at least for your first round of disputes.
Regular snail mail (50 cents), same time frame – just no tracking. If this is the only option that fits into your budget, go for it. It does not change the outcome.
Online Mail (1 dollar) Plenty of credit repair companies use online services to send mail. This is a quicker and more convenient way to send letters without going to the post office, buying envelopes, stamps, printing etc.
We suggest Letter Stream. They have a certified mail option as well!
What if the Credit Bureaus do not Respond?
If the credit bureaus do not respond to your account and the changes have not been made within the first month, we recommend calling each bureau regarding the issue.
The reason for this is because you do not want to issue any account disputes during this phase.
If a credit bureau is being tough and not removing any of the personal information you’d like to remove, consider going to a UPS store or any other notary. Take a bill with your current address, along with your driver’s license, and get both notarized.