Why Sending Credit Dispute Letters From The Internet Is A Bad Idea

A successful credit dispute letter is a wonderful thing. It can delete negative items from your credit report and eventually raise your credit score. It can stop a collection company from harassing you. You will reap the rewards of lower interest rates and a more secure financial life. Why risk success by filing your disputes with the credit reporting bureaus and financial institutions over the Internet?

There are companies who offer automated credit dispute letters on their website, for a "small fee" of course. These "boilerplate" letters have a low rate of success. Can you imagine being at the receiving end of this endless stream of almost identical dispute letters? It almost verges on being a spam attack. How would you respond to thousands of machine-written letters? Not well, I suspect.

The key to a successful credit dispute letter is a custom written document that concisely and clearly states your case. It has to appeal to the person who will be reading it. Tell your story in human terms and cite specific facts, and you will be much more likely to win.

Know who you are writing to, and customize your letter accordingly. A letter written to a credit reporting bureau asking them to delete incorrect data from your credit report should be very different from a letter going out to a collection agency that is harassing you.

Documentation that backs up your claim is critical. Do you have cancelled checks or a bank statement that clearly shows payment of a disputed bill? Make a copy of your documentation (never send the original), and include it with your letter. Just how can you send documentation if you use one of those Internet-based dispute letter mills? You can't!

You may be tempted to quote the law in your dispute letter, particularly if you think that the other party has violated the law with their actions. Resist that temptation. Reproducing the wording of a law or regulation in the text of your letter is NOT helpful. Remember, that although your dispute may be with the organization, it is a real, live PERSON who will be reading your letter. Appeal to their emotions. Maybe your financial problems were brought on by an illness or a divorce that caused a loss of income. Share that information with them in your letter.

Be sure to include your complete contact information in your letter. Provide your mailing address, email address, home phone number, and even your cell phone number if you want. And if your identity is in question, include copies of two forms of identification with your letter, such as a driver's license or page from a passport.

Don't trust an Internet-based spam mill to generate a stream of credit dispute letters for you. Your financial well-being is at stake. Spend the time to write correspondence that clearly addresses your problem. If you need help in crafting this type of letter, there are some good resources available to you in the form of manuals that provide samples of effective dispute letters. Just be sure to customize your dispute letter, and you will be successful.

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