Before I tell you how to dispute, you should be aware that the deck is stacked against you.

Here is how it works. You send in a dispute to the credit bureau. They are supposed to send your dispute to the creditor for verification. The creditor can either verify it within 30 days or the bureau must delete the item. Once deleted an item cannot be reinserted without the bureau notifying you in writing that it is doing so.

The reality is far different from what the law requires. The credit bureaus, instead of contacting the creditor and presenting you evidence, simply does a record check to make sure the computers at the information furnishers says the same thing as their computer does.

It doesn't matter what evidence you furnish the credit bureau, they will reduce your entire argument and any documentation into a two digit code.

With that knowledge you might ask why bother? But often the creditor just doesn't respond and you get a deletion. Besides, you gotta start somewhere.

There are several things to remember when disputing an item on your credit report.

1. Never use a credit repair sample letter. You see them all over the web and they are worthless. You already know that your letter will be reduced to a two letter code anyway.

2. Always make them prove it. Your stock credit file entry dispute should say something to the effect of "I have no knowledge of this account". In fact, that is all it needs to say.

3. Keep excellent records. Send all letters certified. No need for return receipt so save your money. It is a fact that the credit reporting agencies violate the law every time they do a dispute. Being able to prove that will give you surprising leverage in removing some items.

4. Never accept even partial ownership of a credit file entry you intend to have deleted. Technically, it's not really collectable unless a court grants a judgement against you. So make them prove it to a judge.

5. Collection agencies are scum. There is no other way to put. They violate the law and harrass you in effort to extort money that you do not owe them. Never provide them any information and never give them a nickel.

Before you ever send the first credit report dispute, you should learn as much as you can. You can easily make a mistake early on that will render the account in question almost undeleteable.