If you're going to challenge a negative item in your credit bureau report, don't fail to provide specifics. Include copies of documents that support your position. The Fair Credit Reporting Act allows credit bureaus to ignore disputes which they believe are "frivolous or irrelevant." A credit bureau can also ignore a challenge to a negative credit that's based on 'extenuating circumstances' such as bad health, divorce or job loss.

If you prevail, request that the bureau send correction notices to anyone who received your report in the past six months, or in the past two years in the case of employment applications.

Source: The Legal Helpers article series "Credit Reporting Errors and How to Correct Them."