Curated links to government and official program pages. Use this directory when you want to verify procedures, rights, or contact channels outside Credit Plainly.
Site: creditplainly.com (educational guides; not a government agency).
| URL | https://www.annualcreditreport.com/ |
| Useful for | Requesting free annual credit reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion through the official centralized service |
| When to use | Before disputing errors, after suspected identity theft, or for routine review |
| Do not assume | That every third-party “free report” site is the same program; confirm you are on this domain |
| Related Credit Plainly guide | How to get your free credit report |
| URL | https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/credit-reports-and-scores/ |
| Useful for | Overview of reports, scores, key terms, and consumer rights in plain language |
| When to use | Learning basics or finding Ask CFPB articles on a specific question |
| Do not assume | That CFPB will intervene in your dispute directly without you filing through normal channels |
| Related Credit Plainly guides | Credit reports hub · Credit scores hub |
| URL | https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-do-i-dispute-an-error-on-my-credit-report-en-314/ |
| Useful for | Step-by-step dispute overview, sample letter pointers, and what to expect |
| When to use | Before sending your first dispute or when a bureau response is unclear |
| Do not assume | Guaranteed deletion timelines or outcomes for every dispute type |
| Related Credit Plainly guides | How to dispute credit report errors · Dispute letter template |
| URL | https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/ |
| Useful for | Escalating certain consumer financial product or reporting issues after you have tried normal resolution |
| When to use | When you have documentation and need a formal complaint channel |
| Do not assume | That filing a complaint replaces bureau disputes or legal remedies |
| Related Credit Plainly guide | How to dispute credit report errors |
| URL | https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/free-credit-reports |
| Useful for | How free reports work, avoiding impostor sites, and what to review |
| When to use | First-time report pull or helping someone avoid phishing |
| Do not assume | That the article replaces reading your actual report files |
| Related Credit Plainly guide | How to get your free credit report |
| URL | https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/disputing-errors-your-credit-reports |
| Useful for | Consumer-facing dispute steps, evidence tips, and follow-up |
| When to use | Alongside your bureau dispute or when teaching someone the process |
| Do not assume | Exact investigation day counts without checking current FTC/CFPB wording |
| Related Credit Plainly guides | How to dispute credit report errors · Credit report error checklist |
| URL | https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/credit-scores |
| Useful for | What scores are, why they differ, and how to get educational scores |
| When to use | When an app score does not match expectations |
| Do not assume | That the score you see is the same version a lender uses |
| Related Credit Plainly guides | How to check your credit score · FICO vs VantageScore |
| URL | https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-credit-freezes-and-fraud-alerts |
| Useful for | Differences between freezes and fraud alerts, and how to place them |
| When to use | After identity theft concerns or before major life events where credit access matters |
| Do not assume | That a freeze blocks every type of fraud |
| Related Credit Plainly guides | Identity theft on your credit report · Credit monitoring hub |
| URL | https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/fixing-your-credit-faqs |
| Useful for | DIY repair boundaries, scam red flags, and realistic expectations |
| When to use | Before paying a credit repair company or responding to aggressive marketing |
| Do not assume | That paying a company grants rights you do not have as an individual |
| Related Credit Plainly guides | What credit repair cannot do · Credit repair scams |
| URL | https://www.identitytheft.gov/ |
| Useful for | Recovery plans, reporting identity theft, and coordinated steps with agencies |
| When to use | When accounts or personal data on a report may reflect fraud |
| Do not assume | Automatic removal of all negative items without investigation |
| Related Credit Plainly guide | Identity theft on your credit report |
| URL | https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ |
| Useful for | Reporting scams, impostors, and fraud incidents to the FTC |
| When to use | When you believe you were targeted by a fraudulent credit repair or debt scheme |
| Do not assume | That reporting alone fixes credit file data |
| Related Credit Plainly guide | Credit repair scams |
| URL | https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-dispute/ |
| Useful for | Official Equifax dispute intake (online or instructions for other channels) |
| When to use | When the error appears on your Equifax report |
| Do not assume | That disputing with one bureau updates the others automatically |
| Related Credit Plainly guide | How to dispute with Equifax |
| URL | https://www.experian.com/disputes/main.html |
| Useful for | Official Experian dispute process and current instructions |
| When to use | When the error appears on your Experian report |
| Do not assume | Outcomes or timelines without reading Experian’s current disclosures |
| Related Credit Plainly guide | How to dispute with Experian |
| URL | https://www.transunion.com/credit-disputes/dispute-your-credit |
| Useful for | Official TransUnion dispute entry points |
| When to use | When the error appears on your TransUnion report |
| Do not assume | That mail or phone details in old blog posts are still current; verify on this page |
| Related Credit Plainly guide | How to dispute with TransUnion |
| Resource | URL | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fair Credit Reporting Act | https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/statutes/fair-credit-reporting-act | Legal reference only; not a how-to dispute guide |
| Credit Repair Organizations Act | https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/statutes/credit-repair-organizations-act | Useful when evaluating paid repair marketing |
| URL | https://consumer.ftc.gov/understanding-your-credit |
| Useful for | Short federal consumer education on credit basics and related topics |
| When to use | Sharing a simple primer with someone new to U.S. credit files |
| Do not assume | Bureau-specific dispute procedures; use CFPB/FTC dispute articles for that |
| Related Credit Plainly guide | Credit report vs credit score |
Last reviewed for link accuracy: 2026-05-16. Verify URLs before relying on them for time-sensitive steps.