How to dispute a collection that isn't yours

If a collection on your report is not yours, you can dispute it with each bureau that shows it, and with the collector. Start by making sure it really is not yours. A dispute is the right tool for a debt that does not belong to you. It is not the tool for a debt that does, even if you wish it would go away.

First, check it before you dispute

Look at the collection’s details: the original creditor, the amount, the dates. Then ask:

• Did I ever have an account with that creditor?
• Could it be under a former name, an old address, or a joint account?
• Could it belong to a relative with a similar name? That points to a mixed credit file.
• Could someone have opened it without my knowledge? That points to identity theft.

If it is your debt but the amount or dates are wrong, that is an inaccuracy dispute, not a “not mine” dispute.

Ask the collector for validation

A debt collector must send you a notice that states who the debt is owed to, the amount, and how to dispute it. The notice includes a deadline to dispute. If you dispute in writing by that date, the collector generally must stop collecting until it sends verification. The details come from the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Regulation F.

Keep the notice. The dates on it matter.

Dispute with each bureau

1. Dispute with each bureau that lists the collection.
2. Say the account does not belong to you, and name the collector and the amount.
3. Attach proof: a copy of your ID, proof of your address, and anything that shows the account is not yours.
4. Save your confirmation or return receipt. The bureau’s 30 days run from its receipt date.

See how to dispute a credit report error for the full steps.

Dispute with the collector too

You can also dispute directly with the collector, in writing. See how to dispute directly with the creditor or collector. Say the debt is not yours, ask what documents they have that link it to you, and keep proof of delivery.

What not to do

• Do not ignore a lawsuit. A court summons has its own short deadline, and missing it can lead to a judgment against you.
• Do not say a debt is not yours if it is. That is a false statement.
• Do not send money to a collector before you have confirmed the debt is yours and that you owe the amount claimed.

Old debts

A debt can be too old to sue on and still be reported. The time limit for a lawsuit is a state law question, and it is separate from how long the debt can be reported. See how long negative items stay.

Sources

• Cornell LII: 12 CFR 1006.34 (notice for validation of debts)
• Cornell LII: 15 U.S.C. 1681i (procedure in case of disputed accuracy)
• Cornell LII: 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2 (responsibilities of furnishers)
• CFPB: credit reports and scores

Next steps

• Mixed credit file: someone else's accounts on your report

  A mixed credit file combines your information with another person's. How to spot one, what to gather, and how to dispute it with each credit bureau.

• Identity theft accounts and the section 605B block

  If an account on your credit report came from identity theft, FCRA section 605B lets you ask each bureau to block it. What to gather and the steps in order.

• How to dispute directly with the creditor or collector

  You can dispute credit report errors directly with the creditor or collector that reported them. Where to send it, what to include, and what they must do.