How to Dispute an Accurate Background Check Error
1) Get the exact report the employer used
Start by obtaining a full copy of your Accurate report (not a summary). If you were denied a job or had an offer delayed, ask the employer for the report details and any pre-adverse/adverse action notice, that notice usually tells you how to access your report and dispute it.
2) Identify the exact error you’re disputing
Disputes work best when you isolate one issue at a time and describe it clearly. For example: “This case belongs to someone else,” “This case was dismissed but is shown as pending,” “This expunged/sealed record should not appear,” or “My employment dates are incorrect.”
3) Collect official proof that directly contradicts the report
Use documents that a reinvestigator can verify quickly, such as certified court records, dismissal orders, expungement/sealing orders, DMV records, or employment proof (W-2s, pay stubs, offer letters, verification letters). If it’s an identity mix-up, include your ID documents and note mismatches (DOB, middle name, county/state you’ve never lived in).
4) Submit your dispute to Accurate in writing (and keep receipts)
File through Accurate’s dispute process (their online portal or by mail). In your dispute, include:
Your full legal name, DOB, current address, and recent address history
The report ID/reference number (if available)
The specific item(s) you want corrected or removed
Copies of your proof (never originals)
Keep a copy of everything you send and screenshots of confirmations.
5) Tell the employer the report is under dispute
If you’re mid-hiring, send a short message to HR or the recruiter that the report contains an error and you’ve filed a dispute with Accurate. Many employers will pause a final decision once they know the report is being corrected.
6) If Accurate “verifies” the error anyway
If Accurate confirms information that’s clearly wrong, ignores strong proof, or the same mistake keeps reappearing, that’s when it may become an FCRA issue, especially if the error cost you a job or income. At that point, speaking with an FCRA attorney can be the fastest path to both correction and compensation.