How to Write a 609 Dispute Letter [With Samples/Template]

If you have read too many blogs or talked with a lot of people about improving your credit score, you must have come across the term 609 dispute letter. Before filing a 609 Dispute Letter, you must know what it is and why it is important. Certain clarifications need to be made, and this article does the same. Let’s discuss more about it.

There is no 609 Dispute Letter anywhere in the FCRA.

It doesn’t exist.

Shocking right? But that’s actually true.

If you think a 609 dispute letter exists and can help you remove negative items from your list, then you are wrong. It is section 609, and the letter is 611 Dispute letter which helps the consumer file a dispute with bureaus and get rid of negative items.

Section 609 of FCRA directs or allows the consumer to have copies of their credit reports. After a thorough check, if the consumer finds negative items, with the help of 611 of the statute, the consumer can file a dispute and get the negative items off the list.

What is Section 609 in Credit Dispute?

It relates to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which commands the consumer rights to information on credit reports. The section addresses the rights to request copies of credit reports and relative information. However, this section does not have anything to do with the dispute between the credit bureaus and the creditors.

So, which law or section allows one to file a dispute letter?

It is section 611, and its statute allows consumers to file a dispute letter. The section allows the consumers to file a dispute against unverifiable or incorrect information. So, if you find any incorrect information or negative information, you can get it off of your credit report. Thanks to the Section 611.

The 611 dispute letter is referred to as the 609 dispute letter because of the combination. To file a dispute, it is important to have copies of the credit reports first. Once you have those, you can then check the entries and dispute negative items.

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Why is a 609 Dispute Letter Important?

The 609 dispute letter is one of the most effective and important steps to improve your credit score. We always mention using the 609 dispute letter as one of the first steps in our credit repair guide – The Space Shuttle Strategy. The reason for this is if you have a negative item on your credit report, you can always get them off, but how is this effective?

The FCRA has directives that state if the items are unverifiable, they are to be removed from the credit reports. The problem is if the unverifiable items are not disputed, they will lead to low credit scores. This indirectly affects the passing of your loans and restricts your banking features.

The credit bureaus are required to have verifiable proof such as receipts, signed copies, statements, or other modes of proof. In any case, if there is no proof, the item is to be removed from the credit report.

In addition, if the entries have the wrong amount, the consumer can send the proof with the right and get the numbers correct.

This step has two advantages, the first advantage; it clarifies that you don’t have any lump sum amount of debt on you. Secondly, it pictures you in the right manner in front of the creditors, such as banks, and makes it easier for the loan to pass.

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The Correct Way of Writing a 609 Dispute Letter

There is no correct way of writing a dispute letter; you can write it on a napkin and get the negative items disputed, as per Experian. This may be true; however, it is not where you write a dispute letter; it is what you write and how you write it.

If there are several dispute letters or you don’t want to spend time writing a dispute letter, you can get DisputeBee. It is an automated dispute letter creator that allows you to write a common dispute letter to different credit bureaus.

Also Read: How Much Do DisputeBee Costs? Pricing and Plans Explained

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What Documents You Will Need (4 Copies)

One copy of each will be attached to the letter and sent to all three credit bureaus. In total, 3 copies with 3 letters are to be prepared.

Also read: How to Write a Dispute Letter to a Creditor

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Sample / Template of the 609 Dispute Letter

Here is the template/sample of the 609 dispute letter for credit bureaus. You can get more precise information about the general template or sample of dispute letters here.

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Phone Number]

Date:

Subject: Dispute of negative items as per the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Section 609

Dear Credit Reporting Agency (Experian, TransUnion, or Equifax),

I am exercising my right under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Section 609, to request information regarding an item that is listed on my consumer credit report: ABC Collection Agency, account number 0123456789.

As per Section 609, I am entitled to see the source of the information, which is the original contract that contains my signature.

My identifying information is as follows:
Date of Birth: 
SSN: 

[If you have a lawyer, state that you have legal representation and provide that person’s contact information]

As proof of my identity, I have included copies of my birth certificate, Social Security card, passport, driver’s license, W-2, rental agreement, and a cellphone bill. I have also included a copy of my credit report with the account I am requesting to have verified circled and highlighted.

If you are unable to verify the account with the original contract, the information should be removed from my credit report within 30 days.

Sincerely,

[Signature]

Reference: Experian

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Where to Send Dispute Letters?

Once the dispute letters are ready, the next step is to mail them. There are three credit bureaus: Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. If the negative item is only specified by a single or two of the credit bureaus, you can only send these dispute letters to them. On the contrary, if all three credit bureaus have listed the negative items, you can send these dispute letters to all the credit bureaus.

Additionally, you can merge negative items from individual credit bureaus. If you do not know how to do so, you can check DisputeBee. They automatically merge all the selected negative items from individual credit bureaus into a single 609 dispute letter.

Mailing Addresses:

These are important emails, and you are required to get them back. So, send via verifiable mail and request return receipts. Mailing through the US post mail will be a cheaper option, as low as $8 per mail.

Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs] on 609 Dispute Letter

Also read: DisputeBee vs Credit Repair Cloud | Which is the Best Credit Repair Software

Wrapping up: 609 Dispute Letter

Section 609 is designed to protect the interests of consumers and get them the right to information. No doubt, credit repair companies work their best to improve credit scores, but it is important to know that your information can be disputed if wrong. Get your credit reports and monitor them, check for negative items, and get rid of such entries. This will make it easier for you to get a loan, be debt-free, and get instant approvals from the bank.

Moreover, a clean credit report will help you get dozens of other benefits from the bank. Write your dispute letter now and make it happen. You can use a tool like DisputeBee to automate the entire credit disputing process or use a DIY White Label Credit Repair Software to start your credit repair business with the disputing process.