As a safety precaution, a consumer should randomly obtain a copy of his credit report to insure it is accurate, about once every 6 months or at least once a year. When a consumer finds an error on his report, he needs to send a certified letter formally disputing the error with each of the three major credit bureaus, listed on this site, with a copy of the current report attached with the error highlighted. The credit reporting agencies must comply within 30 days either with notice of removal of the error, or with an explanation of the entry. If the consumer does not receive correspondence from the agencies within this 30 day period, the agencies may be in violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and the consumer should contact The Consumer Law Group immediately.