If you notice an error on your credit report, you’ll want to get it corrected to accurately reflect your credit history. It’s important to get to know your credit report so you can ask for a correction on an inaccurate item and safeguard your credit health.
Understanding your credit report
Your credit report is a detailed record of your credit history, compiled by credit reporting agencies such as Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Lenders can use this information to decide whether they can offer you credit and to determine the terms of any loans or credit offers.
Capital One provides credit card, personal and auto loan, and deposit account information to the credit bureaus on a regular basis. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) specifies how long negative information can remain on your credit report. Learn how to check your credit report.
Disputing a credit bureau report
The information that Capital One reports to the credit reporting agencies must be accurate and complete; therefore, neither you, nor credit repair companies acting on your behalf, have a right to have late payment information removed from credit reports if it’s accurate. However, if you find something you think is wrong with information we’ve reported to the credit bureaus, you can dispute those items directly with us. We’re required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act to conduct reasonable investigations on credit bureau disputes.
Disputing directly with Capital One
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Identify: We have 3 entities your dispute can belong to. Identify whether this is a credit card, auto loan or personal loan/deposit account. This will help us find your account information and investigate accurately.
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Gather: Collect all your dispute information and details. The more information about your account and dispute that you submit, the easier it will be for us to investigate.
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Submit: Fill out your dispute form or submit your letter and mail it to the correct Capital One entity.
Please include the following information:
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Full name
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Mailing address
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Capital One Account numbers associated with the dispute
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Social Security number
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Date of birth
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A detailed description of the issue and how you would like it resolved
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Supporting documentation, such as a copy of your credit report with the disputed information circled. You can get a free copy of your credit report directly from Equifax, Experian or TransUnion at AnnualCreditReport.com.
Credit card-related issues
Send a letter to us at:
Capital One
P.O. Box 31293
Salt Lake City, UT, 84131-1293
Auto loan-related issues
Download and complete our Auto Loan Credit Bureau Dispute Form or send a letter to us at:
Credit Bureau Dispute
P.O. Box 259407
Plano, TX 75025-9407
Personal loans/Deposit accounts
Send a letter to us at one of the following:
Disputes related to Equifax, TransUnion or Experian reporting:
Capital One Consumer Services
PO Box 30273
Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0273
Disputes related to ChexSystems and Early Warning Systems reporting:
Capital One Bank, Attn: Loss Mitigation Dept
PO Box 85026
Richmond, VA 23285
What to expect
We care about your disputes and the accuracy of your credit report. When you file a credit bureau dispute with Capital One, we’ll investigate the information you provide and respond within 30 days of receiving the dispute. After we complete our investigation, we’ll notify you of the results and, if any changes are required, we’ll send the changes to the credit reporting agencies,
Credit reporting agencies, including Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, usually update your credit reports with any necessary changes within 2 billing cycles after the investigation is complete.
For credit bureau disputes related to a Capital One credit card, you can view the status of the dispute in the Capital One app.
Filing a dispute with a credit bureau
For issues on your credit report related or not related to your Capital One account, you have the option to dispute directly with the credit reporting agencies or with other credit institutions.
If you choose to file a dispute with the credit reporting agencies, all dispute-related communications will then come from the credit reporting agencies, not Capital One.
For issues related to your account, contact the credit reporting agencies to learn more about their processes.
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Equifax: 800-685-1111
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Experian: 888-397-3742
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TransUnion: 888-909-8872
Types of credit inquiries
You may also notice credit inquiries on your credit report. There are usually two types of credit inquiries:
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Soft inquiries, which don’t impact your credit score and are visible only to you.
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Hard inquiries, which remain on your credit report for up to 2 years.
Note that we partner with retailers or other companies to provide their customers credit. So, even if a credit card has a different brand name on it, you may see a soft or hard inquiry by us, since Capital One provides credit and services accounts for certain merchants. If you see Capital One on your report unexpectedly, it could be because we’re partnering with a merchant you’ve been doing business with.
Monitor your credit health
Learn how to be proactive about your credit health, starting with reviewing your credit report.
Discover how CreditWise by Capital One, a free tool, can help you monitor your credit score, spot potential errors on your credit report and alert you to possible fraud attempts. CreditWise performs soft inquiries, so it won’t impact your score.
When and how do credit inquiries show up on my credit report?
Hard Inquiries: If you apply for a credit card, auto financing, a job or a lease, the lender, employer or landlord may request your credit report from the credit reporting agencies.
This type of credit check results in a hard inquiry and may be visible on your credit report for 2 years, even if the lender doesn’t offer you credit or if you decline their offer.
Soft Inquires: If you use Capital One's online tools to determine whether you’re pre-qualified or pre-approved for a credit card or auto financing, you must agree to us checking your credit report. However, this type of credit check only results in a soft credit inquiry appearing on your report. Soft inquiries don't impact your credit score.
Note: If you formally apply for a credit card or auto financing after you’re pre-approved or pre-qualified, you must consent to us performing a credit check that results in a hard inquiry appearing on your report.
How can I dispute incorrect or incomplete info on my credit report?
- For issues related to information that Capital One has reported to the credit reporting agencies, you can dispute directly with us or with the credit reporting agencies.
- For issues on your credit report that are not related to your Capital One account, you can dispute with the credit reporting agencies or with the furnisher of the inaccurate or incomplete information.
Please note: The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives you the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information. Capital One will investigate your dispute, and we will typically respond within 30 days of receiving the dispute.
Please keep in mind that it may take up to 2 billing cycles for your credit report(s) to reflect any necessary changes after the investigation is complete, though it usually happens sooner.
How long will it take to get a response on my credit report dispute?
We will investigate your dispute using the information you provide, and typically respond within 30 days of receiving the dispute.
For direct disputes with Capital One, we will respond to you directly. For indirect disputes with credit reporting agencies, we will communicate with them, and they will respond to you.
Credit reporting agencies—such as Equifax, Experian and TransUnion—will typically update your credit reports with any necessary changes within 1-2 billing cycles after the investigation is complete.
For direct credit card related disputes with Capital One, you can view the status of your dispute in the Capital One app.
Will applying for a credit card impact my credit score?
Submitting an application for a new credit card could temporarily impact your credit score.
When you apply, a hard inquiry is made on your credit report, which may cause a temporary drop in your score.
- Hard inquiries, which are made when you apply for a credit card (including when you apply for a card after getting pre-approved for it), stay on your credit report for up to 2 years, even if we decline your application.
- Soft inquiries don’t impact your credit score. If you use our online tool for pre-approval, you must agree to a credit check that results only in a soft inquiry.
A hard inquiry is one of many factors that can impact your credit score. Other factors include the age of your credit account, your credit utilization ratio, total debt and payment history.
Ultimately, responsible credit card use—like staying below your credit limit and making on-time payments—is the key to good credit scores.
