 TITLE: What Is an Adverse Action Letter? CONTENT: Next Steps After Receiving an Adverse Action Notice\n---------------------------------------------------\nAn adverse action letter can share some general information about why you've been denied credit, but it's a good idea to check at least one of your credit reports to get the full story behind your credit score.\nWhile credit reporting agencies do not take part in making lending decisions, you'll receive information about the bureau that provided the credit file used to assess your credit. The adverse action letter will also explain your right to get a free copy of your credit report from all three major credit bureaus within 60 days of receiving the notice. Additionally, you can sign up to view your Experian credit report for free once a month and get a free copy of your report from each bureau every 12 months through AnnualCreditReport.com.\nIt's also a good idea to check your credit score, which may be a little different from the one listed on your adverse action letter. This is because there are several different scoring models out there, and some information can vary with each credit bureau.\nThat said, the primary factors that influence your FICO® Score☉ include:\n*   Payment history\n*   Amounts owed\n*   Length of credit history\n*   Credit mix\n*   New credit\nAs you review your credit score and report, look for information that's potentially inaccurate or even fraudulent. You'll have the option to dispute this information directly with the credit reporting agencies online, by phone or by mail.\nOnce you've submitted your dispute, the credit bureau will work to resolve the issue, including gathering information from the creditor that furnished the information. Once the investigation is complete, which typically occurs within 30 days, one of three things can happen:\n*   The inaccurate information will be corrected.\n*   The inaccurate or fraudulent information will be updated or removed.\n*   The information will be verified as accurate and stay on your report. END