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What is a 609 dispute letter?

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    The 609 dispute letter is named after section 609 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), a law that helps to protect consumers from unjust credit and/or collection services.

    You might be considering filling out a 609 dispute letter as a way to try to improve your credit score. Even though it’s called a 609 dispute letter, it’s not actually a way of formally filing a dispute (more on this later). Submitting a dispute letter does not mean your credit score will suddenly be fixed. Note: Chase does not offer credit repair services or a template of a 609 letter.

    If you purchase a letter template from a third party, it can be quite expensive. There are alternative means of addressing issues in your credit report, which we will discuss down below.

    Section 609 of the FCRA

    Section 609 details consumer rights with respect to disclosures. You have the right as a consumer to know the information that a credit bureau — whether that’s Experian™, Equifax® or TransUnion® — looks at to generate your credit report.

    You have the right to request and know about:

    • Information about your credit/files
    • Source of information and supporting documentation
    • Names of individuals who’ve accessed your report in last two years
    • Name of individuals who've ran soft inquiries over the preceding 365 days

    Without 609, you wouldn’t be able to access this type of information.

    Are 609 credit dispute letters effective?

    Despite the misleading name, 609 is not exactly a dispute; rather, it’s a letter/document requesting that the credit bureaus give you information regarding the accuracy of your credit report. Filling out this letter and sending it to the three credit bureaus is a formal way for you to request information and supporting documents regarding the information in your credit report. It does not, however, remove items such as derogatory remarks, immediately.

    How to dispute errors on a credit report by enrolling in Chase Credit Journey®

    If you enroll in Chase Credit Journey®, a free online tool with many helpful resources available to help improve your credit. Once you enroll, you’ll have access to a dispute guide, which will take you through the process of disputing errors on your credit report step by step.

    You can also contact the credit bureaus directly either over the phone or via mail. Experian, TransUnion and Equifax all have their contact information prominently displayed on their website.

    Where to get 609 dispute letters

    The internet is filled with dispute letter templates. Many are available for free and others you have to pay for. You can help yourself with the Credit Journey® resources or contact the bureaus directly.

    Bottom line

    609 dispute letters are seen as a way to help improve your credit, but they don’t really do this, not directly at least. You can instead dispute inaccurate information with the help of Credit Journey or by contacting the credit bureaus directly. Finally, if your goal is to improve your credit, remember that this can take time. A 609 dispute letter doesn’t magically erase poor credit. Healthy habits including responsible and consistent payment practices can help improve your credit score over time. 

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