Mark the precise error before you submit anything
Read the report header so you know which bureau’s report you are using and when you obtained it. The same information may not appear identically in both files. If you need a full copy first, use our guide to getting a free credit report; this guide starts once you can see the entry you want corrected.
Circle or note the exact field, not just the account name. Is the name or address wrong? Is an account unfamiliar? Is a balance, status, payment-history mark or closure date different from the records you hold? The answer determines which document will help and whom else to contact. A report can also contain older information that is accurate; a surprise alone is not proof of an error.
Make a compact correction record for each item:
| Write down | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Bureau, report date and exact entry | Identifies the file and the field to investigate. |
| What the report says | Gives the bureau a precise statement to check. |
| What you believe is correct | States the correction you are requesting. |
| Supporting record and date | Shows why you think the entry is wrong. |
| Organization that supplied the information, if shown | Gives you a second place to ask about the underlying record. |
For example, if a card is marked unpaid for a month you believe you paid, compare the report’s month with your card statement and the issuer’s payment record. A bank debit shows money left your account but may not, alone, show how the card issuer applied it. Save copies of relevant records and share them only through the bureau’s or lender’s official channel. Avoid sending unrelated account details or a full document when a narrower record will do.
Send a focused correction request
Use the FCAC error-checking page to reach the official bureau dispute links. Follow the bureau’s current instructions for the report that actually contains the entry. If both reports show the same problem, handle each bureau’s file; a request to one is not evidence that the other was corrected.
Describe one disputed item clearly: “My [bureau] report dated [date] shows [field and value] for [account or entry]. I believe it should show [value] because [short reason]. The attached [record] dated [date] supports this.” Adapt that wording to the bureau’s current form; do not put personal identifiers in an ordinary email to Romii. Save your submission confirmation, a copy of what you sent and the date. The bureau can investigate with the organization that reported the item, according to FCAC. Investigation does not guarantee your requested change.
Contact the reporting organization as well, especially if its own statement or payment history is wrong. Ask it to check the underlying record and what it reported to the bureau. Keep the organization’s answer separate from the bureau’s outcome; one party saying it made a change is not yet proof that your current report reflects it.
Read the response against your original request
When the bureau responds, compare its finding with the specific field and period you disputed. If it says an item was corrected, obtain or review an updated report and verify the entry there. If it says the information was verified, check the records and explanation before deciding what to do next. A dispute cannot promise deletion, a credit-score increase or a fixed resolution date.
If you still have evidence of an actual error, ask the bureau and the reporting organization what their complaint or escalation route is, using their official contact pages. The FCAC guidance describes further steps for unresolved issues. Keep a dated list of submissions, answers and documents so you can explain the remaining mismatch without restarting the story each time.
If the account is not yours
An unfamiliar account or inquiry may signal identity theft rather than a routine typo. Use the identity-theft steps linked from FCAC’s credit-report error guidance, and contact the affected financial institution through a verified channel promptly. Preserve the report and any notices. Do not assume every province or bureau offers the same freeze, alert or fee arrangement; use the current official instructions for your situation.