Why are you supposed to mail credit bureau disputes?

A lot of sites recommend mailing dispute letters to the credit bureaus instead of using the websites or calling customer service even though it seems like snail mail is much more inconvenient.

Answers...

Mailing disputes creates a paper trail, especially when you send them via certified mail. The credit bureau have a well earned reputation for being difficult to work with so you're going to want to have copies of your disputes and proof that they were received by the bureaus. If you submit a dispute online or over the phone, you don't have either which will make things harder if you decide to pursue legal options.