You filed a dispute. They said "verified." Nothing changed.
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the bureau has 30 days. If they came back with "verified" but the data is still wrong, that's a documented violation. Statutory damages of $100 to $1,000 per violation, plus actual damages, plus attorney fees.
If you check all four, you have a documentable case. We'll generate the structured evidence.
- I filed a dispute with at least one credit bureau
- It has been more than 30 days since I filed
- The bureau came back saying "verified" or did nothing
- The error is still on my report right now
A complete forensic file, not a generic dispute letter.
- →The exact dates: dispute filed, bureau response, days elapsed — all timestamped
- →The exact statute citation: 15 USC § 1681i(a)(1)(A) failure to investigate within 30 days
- →The exact damages map: statutory floor $100, ceiling $1,000, plus actual + attorney fees per § 1681n
- →The willful violation analysis (Safeco v. Burr framework — controls whether you get treble damages)
- →A second pre-litigation letter draft escalating to CFPB and your state Attorney General
- →SHA-256 cryptographic seal on every page (court-admissible per FRE 902(13)(14))
Quebec resident, Equifax dispute, 47 days unanswered.
A client in Quebec filed a dispute with Equifax on Feb 12. Bureau response Mar 8: "verified." Debt still showing at the same balance, same date, same status. We documented the 47-day window from filing to no correction, mapped 15 USC § 1681i(a)(1)(A) for the US-side leverage, added a Quebec C.c.Q. art. 38-40 angle for the Canadian jurisdiction (cross-border framing), and included a draft Round 2 letter citing willful violation per Safeco v. Burr 551 US 47.
What they did with it is their decision. We delivered the structured evidence. They are no longer arguing alone — they are arguing with citations, dates, and a chain of custody.
The same signal reads two ways.
15 USC § 1681i(a)(1)(A) — failure to conduct reasonable reinvestigation within 30 days. Triggers § 1681n (willful) or § 1681o (negligent) liability. Statutory damages $100-$1,000 per violation, actual damages, attorney fees, possibly punitive damages if willful.
C.c.Q. art. 38-40 — obligation of accuracy in personal information. LPRPDE Schedule 1, principle 4.6 — accuracy and timeliness. Plus Quebec's Act respecting access to documents and privacy (Loi 25 framework). Civil action available if accuracy obligation breached.
Two ways forward.
Most people stop after one failed dispute. The system bets on that. Don't give it the win.
Or 30-second free pattern scan →FAQ
+How long do credit bureaus have to respond to a dispute?
30 days under 15 USC § 1681i(a)(1)(A). Extension to 45 days only if you submit additional info during the window. Past the deadline with no real investigation = documented violation.
+What is FCRA section 1681i?
The Fair Credit Reporting Act provision requiring credit bureaus to conduct a reasonable reinvestigation when a consumer disputes information. "Reasonable" is the operative word — sending a single line "verified" to the furnisher is not reasonable. Courts have ruled on this repeatedly.
+Can I sue Equifax (or TransUnion, Experian) for not fixing my report?
Yes, in federal court under FCRA, or in some state courts under state consumer protection laws. You need documented evidence of the dispute filing, the bureau response, and the persisting error. That's exactly what Credit Truth assembles.
+How much can I get for an FCRA violation?
$100 to $1,000 statutory damages per violation under § 1681n, plus actual damages (out of pocket losses, denied credit costs), plus attorney fees. Treble damages possible if "willful" per Safeco v. Burr 551 US 47 (2007). We are not lawyers — these are statutory caps, not predictions of your outcome.
+Do I need a lawyer to sue?
Technically no — you can file pro se. Practically, FCRA cases are usually taken on contingency by consumer rights firms (you pay nothing upfront, they take 33-40% if they win plus the statutory attorney fees). Credit Truth's Files Ready tier delivers the package they need to take you on.
+What if the bureau ignores my next dispute too?
Each ignored dispute compounds the violation. Round 2 letters explicitly cite the unresolved Round 1 — making the willfulness argument stronger. Round 3 escalates to CFPB complaint + state Attorney General. The Guided Dispute tier auto-generates all three rounds.
"Verified" is not a verdict. It's a signal that the system bet on your fatigue.
You showed up once. The window opened. You can either let it close, or you can document what happened — at the level of detail that makes the next conversation a different conversation.