How to dispute a credit-report error
A single wrong entry on your credit report can drop your score by 40–100 points and get a loan rejected. The good news: under the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, bureaus must investigate and resolve valid disputes within 30 days. Here’s exactly how to raise one.
By Rohan Desai·Senior Writer, Cards & Credit·reviewed by editor
Last updated: 15 June 2025
What counts as a disputable error
- A late-payment entry for an EMI you paid on time (with bank proof)
- An account listed that you never opened — possible identity theft
- An outstanding balance that’s higher than the actual amount
- A loan you closed but is still showing as “open”
- A “Settled” flag when you actually repaid the full amount
- Wrong personal details — name spelling, PAN, address, date of birth
- A duplicate entry — the same loan reported twice
What you cannot dispute
You cannot dispute a factually correct entry no matter how much it hurts your score. Genuine late payments, defaults, settlements, and hard enquiries stay on the report for the mandated period (usually 7 years). Beware of paid “CIBIL correction” agents who promise to remove such entries — they can’t, and paying them often adds a fresh fraud trail.
Step-by-step dispute process
- 1. Pull your full credit report from the bureau (free once per year at cibil.com / experian.in / equifax.co.in / crifhighmark.com).
- 2. Identify each specific wrong entry — note the account number, lender name, and the exact field that is wrong.
- 3. Collect proof — bank statement showing the on-time payment, loan closure certificate (NOC), correct PAN document.
- 4. Log in to the bureau’s Online Dispute Resolution portal (each bureau has one).
- 5. Select the specific account and the specific field being disputed. Attach your proof.
- 6. Submit — you’ll get a dispute reference number and an SLA date (usually 30 days).
- 7. The bureau contacts the lender for verification. The lender must respond within 20 days.
- 8. If the correction is accepted, your report is updated within 5–7 days and your score refreshes on the next reporting cycle.
The 30-day clock (and why it matters)
Under Section 21 of the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005, a credit information company must correct any error within 30 days of the dispute being raised, unless it certifies why the correction cannot be made. This is a legal requirement, not a service commitment.
Bureaus track disputes by reference number. Save the reference number when you submit. If you don’t receive an outcome in 30 days, you have grounds to escalate.
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What to do if the bureau doesn’t respond
- Contact the bureau’s nodal officer (contact details on the bureau website) with the dispute reference number.
- If unresolved in 15 more days, escalate to RBI’s Integrated Ombudsman Scheme via rbi.org.in.
- The Ombudsman route is free and typically resolves in 30–60 days.
- For identity-theft cases (an account you never opened), also file a police complaint under Section 66C of the IT Act. The FIR strengthens your case with both the bureau and the lender.
Time your dispute before a loan application
A pending dispute doesn’t block a loan application, but the disputed status may confuse the underwriter. If you’re planning to apply for a home loan or a large personal loan, resolve the dispute at least 60 days before submitting the application so the corrected report is what the bank pulls. Score refresh takes one bureau reporting cycle (about 30 days) after the correction is made.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & references
- Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005 — Section 21 — Ministry of Law and Justice
- CIBIL — Online Dispute Resolution portal — TransUnion CIBIL
- RBI Integrated Ombudsman Scheme — Reserve Bank of India
Rates, fees, eligibility, and product terms cited on this page reflect the sources above at the time of publication and may have changed since. Always verify directly with the lender or regulator.