If you have a problem with your credit score or credit report, you will have to know how to contact the three major credit bureaus – Experian, Equifax, and Trans-Union – and resolve the issue, whatever it may be.
Contacting credit bureaus can be frustrating. They tend to rely on automated systems, making it difficult to talk to a live person.
There’s always a solution, and here’s how you can contact all three major credit bureaus, depending on your needs.
Know What You Need
Before you set out to contact a credit bureau, note the reason for your contact and what you hope to accomplish. This will affect the way you choose to contact the credit bureau.
- Disputing an item on your credit report is usually done by registered mail. Credit bureaus provide online and phone-based dispute options, but registered mail is preferred because it gives you a written record of when the dispute was received.
- Requesting a credit report is typically done through annualcreditreport.com, which provides one credit report per week from each credit bureau.
- Reporting fraud or requesting a credit freeze or fraud alert is generally done through special victim hotlines maintained by each credit bureau.
Using the right contact route for your inquiry will make it easier to get the result you want.
Credit Bureau Contact Information
Here are some of the ways to contact the major credit bureaus.
Open Accounts
Experian and Equifax offer free accounts to consumers. Logging into your account will open various contact options, usually including credit report requests and other features. Equifax will provide you with a free VantageScore, and Experian will give you a free FICO score.
You can open accounts online with Equifax or Experian.
Credit Bureau Phone Numbers
Here are the general inquiry phone numbers for all three major credit bureaus.
| Credit Bureau | Phone Number |
|---|---|
| Experian | 888-EXPERIAN 888-397-3742* |
| Equifax | 888-EQUIFAX 888-378-4329 Monday–Friday, 9:00 am to 9:00 pm (ET) Saturday & Sunday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (ET) |
| TransUnion | 833-395-6938 Monday–Friday, 8 am to 11 pm (ET) Saturday & Sunday, 8 am to 5 pm (ET) |
* We could not confirm the operating hours of the Experian general inquiry phone number.
Don’t expect to reach a person. These numbers go to automated call center systems. It will be easier to navigate these systems if you have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish.
Credit Bureau Mailing Addresses
Here’s how to contact the credit bureaus by mail.
| Credit Bureau | Mailing Address |
|---|---|
| Experian | P.O. Box 4500, Allen, TX 75013 |
| Equifax | P.O. Box 740256, Atlanta, GA 30374-0256 |
| TransUnion | P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016-2000 |
These addresses are used primarily for sending credit dispute letters by registered mail.
Credit Bureau Email Address
None of the three major credit bureaus have a designated email address for support and general inquiries. Instead, depending on the reason for contacting them, you can reach them by phone or mail.
How to:
1. Contact Credit Bureaus to Freeze Credit
Here’s how to contact the credit bureaus if you need to freeze your credit.
| Credit Bureau | Online | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Experian | Website | 888-397-3742 | Experian Security Freeze P.O. Box 9554 Allen, TX 75013 |
| Equifax | Website | 888-298-0045 | Equifax Information Services LLC P.O. Box 105788 Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 |
| TransUnion | Website | 800-916-8800 | TransUnion P.O. Box 160 Woodlyn, PA 19094 |
Use the automated menus and follow the instructions.
2. Contact Credit Bureaus to Dispute Items on Your Credit Report
Here’s how to contact the credit bureaus if you need to dispute an item on your credit report.
Experian
- 💻 Online: Experian Dispute Center.
- ☎️ By phone: To initiate a dispute by phone, you’ll need to call the number displayed on your Experian credit report.
- 📮 By mail: Download and complete the Dispute form. Experian’s mailing address for dispute requests is
P.O. Box 4500
Allen, TX 75013
Equifax
- 💻 Online: Website
- ☎️ By phone: 866-349-5191
- 📮 By mail: Download and complete the Dispute form and send it to:
Equifax Information Services LLC
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374
TransUnion
- 💻 Online: Website
- ☎️ By phone: 800-916-8800, Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM ET
- 📮 By mail: TransUnion Consumer Solutions
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016-2000
It’s generally best to file a dispute through registered mail. Credit bureaus have a fixed amount of time to respond, and registered mail shows when the dispute was received.
3. Request a Copy of Your Credit Report
Under federal law, you are entitled to a copy of your credit report annually from all three credit reporting agencies – Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion – once every 12 months.
Through December 31, 2023, Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax will offer all U.S. consumers free weekly credit reports through AnnualCreditReport.com.
Here’s how to get your credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com:
- 💻 Online: Visit AnnualCreditReport.com
- ☎️ Phone: 877-322-8228
- 📮 Mail: Download and complete the Annual Credit Report Request form. Mail the completed form to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
Additionally, you can obtain a free copy of your credit report from Experian and Equifax by signing up on their websites.
You are also entitled to a free credit report in some other circumstances.
- If you experience an “adverse action” – like being denied credit, insurance, or employment – because of your credit.
- If you have reported fraud and believe it may be reflected on your credit report.
- If you are unemployed and expect to apply for employment within 60 days.
- If you are receiving public welfare assistance.
- If you have successfully disputed a credit report entry.
- If your state law provides for a free credit report for other reasons.
You can request these reports online from Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian.
👉 We wrote more about this process in our article on how to get a free copy of your credit report.
4. Contact Credit Bureaus for Identity Theft
If you know or suspect that you are the victim of identity theft, you must take action immediately. Once you have notified the FTC, the police, and any other official agencies, you’ll need to work with the credit bureaus to ensure that the identity theft does not damage your credit.
| Credit Bureau | Online | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Experian | Fraud Alert Center | 888-397-3742 |
| Equifax | Place a Fraud Alert | 800-525-6285 |
| TransUnion | Place a Fraud Alert | 800-680-7289 |
5. Contact Credit Bureaus About Death
When someone dies, it is generally a good idea to notify the credit bureaus of their death. The person’s credit report will be updated with a deceased notice which may help prevent identity theft.
📋 If you need to contact a credit bureau to report the death of a loved one, you can follow these steps:
- Obtain a copy of the death certificate: Before contacting the credit bureaus, you will need to have a copy of the death certificate for the deceased individual.
- Contact each credit bureau: You will need to contact each of the three credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – to report the death and request that the deceased individual’s credit report be flagged with a notice of death. The contact information, in this case, is the same as for freezing credit.
- Provide necessary information: You will need to provide the deceased individual’s full name, Social Security number, and date of birth, as well as a copy of the death certificate. The bureaus may also ask for information about the individual’s creditors and any outstanding debts.
- Follow up: After contacting the credit bureaus, it’s a good idea to follow up to ensure that the notice of death has been added to the individual’s credit report and that their accounts have been closed or flagged appropriately.
📮 Here’s where to send the information.
- Experian: mail a copy of the death certificate to Experian’s Consumer Assistance Center, P.O. Box 4500, Allen, TX 75013, or submit it online.
- Equifax: Mail a copy of the death certificate to Equifax Information Services LLC, P.O. Box 105139, Atlanta, GA 30348-5139.
- TransUnion: Mail a copy of the death certificate to TransUnion, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016.
By following these steps, you can ensure that the credit bureaus are aware of the death of your loved one and take appropriate steps to protect their credit information.
You will still need to notify the creditors of the deceased individual. The credit bureaus will not do it for you.
6. Update Personal Information
📋 You may wish to update your personal information on your credit report. Credit bureaus offer the following options.
- Experian advises you to update your information with your creditors. Experian will update your record when the creditors report to them.
- TransUnion advises that you can update your phone number, address, or employer using the online dispute process. All other update requests must be mailed to TransUnion Consumer Solutions, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016-2000.
- Equifax advises you to correct or update personal information using the dispute process.
These requests will need to be supported with appropriate documents in many cases.
FAQ
There are plenty of reasons why you might need to contact one or all three credit bureaus, including:
– freezing your credit,
– disputing an item on your credit report,
– requesting a copy of your credit report,
– reporting fraud or identity theft,
– reporting someone’s death etc.
If you want to freeze your credit, you must do it at each of the three major credit bureaus. You should consider freezing your credit at lesser-known credit bureaus like Innovis, CoreLogic, and LexisNexis as well if any of your creditors report to them.
Freezing your credit by phone is generally faster than doing it online. It also lets you avoid the various sales pitches for different subscription services.
Your credit report should update automatically with any new information, but it might take a while. If it doesn’t happen, you can call your creditor and ask them to update your information will then be reflected on your credit report. Or you can call the credit bureaus to dispute inaccurate information.
When someone dies, it is generally a good idea to notify the credit bureaus of their death. The person’s credit report will be updated with a deceased notice which may help prevent identity theft.
You don’t need to contact the credit bureaus directly to change your personal information. Instead, contact your creditors and ask them to update your records with the new address.
Credit bureaus are typically closed on weekends and holidays, just like most other businesses. This means that if you submit a request or dispute to a credit bureau on a weekend, it may not be processed until the following business day. However, many credit bureaus now offer online services that allow consumers to access their credit reports and dispute errors 24/7.
None of the three major credit bureaus has an email for support and general inquiries. Instead, depending on the reason for contacting them, you can use the phone or mail to get in touch.
If you need to dispute an error on your credit report or request a copy of your credit report, it’s generally a good idea to contact all three credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Each of these credit bureaus maintains its own separate credit report for you, which means that there may be discrepancies or errors on one report that are not present on the others. By contacting all three credit bureaus, you can ensure that you are getting a comprehensive view of your credit history and that any errors or inaccuracies are addressed across all reports. However, the process for disputing errors or requesting a copy of your credit report may differ slightly between the three bureaus.
If you need to contact a credit bureau, but you’re not sure which one to call, there are a few ways to determine which bureau to contact:
1. Check your credit report: Your credit report will indicate which credit bureau(s) have reported information about you. You can obtain a free copy of your credit report from each of the three credit bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com. Once you have your report, you can see which bureau(s) have reported your information.
2. Contact your creditor: If you have an issue with a specific account or creditor, you can contact them to ask which credit bureau(s) they report to. This can help you identify which bureau(s) you must contact to address the issue.
3. Contact all three bureaus: If you’re not sure which bureau(s) to contact, you can contact all three credit bureaus to ensure that any issues are addressed across all reports.
