Dec
30
So to help you through this process and help keep you safe from getting taken advantage of, here is a guide to shopping for a credit repair service. Below are some tips you can use to make sure you end up choosing a legitimate credit repair company to help you work towards achieving your credit goals.
Know how the credit system and credit repair work
Before you even begin searching for a credit repair service, you should know the basics of how the credit reporting system works. After all, you wouldn’t go shopping for a new car if you didn’t know anything about how to drive or how cars operate. So make sure before you begin looking for a credit repair service you understand the basics of how the credit bureaus operate, how your credit reports are created, and how they are used, and why it is your responsibility to ensure their accuracy.
Know what a credit repair company can and cannot do
Despite what some credit repair providers would like you to believe, there are no secret tricks to repairing your credit. Credit repair companies use the same methods to clean up your credit reports that are available to you as a result of the numerous consumer protection statutes enacted to help protect you from being taken advantage of by creditors and the credit bureaus. The only difference is that an experienced credit repair company already has the knowledge and experience necessary to take advantage of these credit repair tools. In comparison, it may take you many hours of research and a few months of practice to figure out how to go about effectively restoring your credit.
Look at the services being provided
A credit repair company is legally able to provide all the same credit repair services you can perform for yourself, but this does not mean that all do. Many credit repair services only provide credit bureau disputes which can be effective for some people, but are typically less successful and take more time than pairing credit bureau disputes with other credit repair tactics.
Look for experience and results
While no credit repair company is perfect and ultimately the success of any credit repair effort is dependent on your creditors and the credit bureaus, an experienced company will likely produce faster and more meaningful results than a relatively new company that is still learning the nuances of the system.
Look at the price tag
The goal is then to get the best value for your dollar. To determine this, take into account what services you will be getting for your money and make a best estimate of the relative quality of these services. This should help you get a feel for how companies compare to each other. For example, if one service charges $49 per month for credit bureau disputes and has been operating for only 2 years, you are probably better off using a competing service for $20 more per month that also provides creditor interventions and has been in business for a decade.
Use your common sense
Just as you would at any other time when someone is asking you to part with your hard earned money, when you are looking at a credit repair service, trust your instincts and remember the old adage of anything that sounds too good to be true, probably is.
You should be completely confident that you are making the right decision. It is your credit that is on the line and your money that is being invested. Don’t let anyone pressure you into something that doesn’t feel right.
By: Stuart Hunter
About the Author:
Based on these criteria for finding a credit repair service, the obvious choice for most people is Lexington Law. Lexington Law is a legally compliant credit repair law firm that has helped over half a million people take control of their credit.
Dec
30
Your credit history is a wonderful privilege to make and many individuals take it for granted until it’s excessively late and they have ruined their good credit and normally people find out when they least expect it. A sound example is when you have applied for a number of loans because your bills were collectible but realize it is too late. No one plans to ruin their credit but life occurs and we possibly have difficulties that limit our ability to stay above water but know on that point are credit repair services that allow you to modify a ugly situation and avoid bad credit. This is where credit repair help can be handy and in turn your credit score will reflect, if you take it upon yourself to repair your credit because you can’t merely wish it aside because it still needs fixed. There are many credit forms obtainable to you within a credit repair service to assist consumers to fix their credit history.
You may have fallen ill and every bit a result were unable to function so you could not pay your bills on time and those consumer reporting agencies will then report your delinquencies. Perhaps you were laid off from work or lost your job and learning the difficulties of getting a another job or let’s say you pull your credit report and find out in that respect are faults that need to be disputed based on the info you researched. Whatever the causes that put you in the spot that you are in now just don’t permit your credit to go down the toilet. The significant affair is to try to get your credit scores where you want them and it all starts with the credit report and how to fix it.
In order to rebuild your credit to good standing searching credit repair help and a strong hope to amend your credit rating by getting your life back in order will be a top priority. You can check with local credit repair companies that can walk you through the entire procedure of obtaining the correct legal credit services that will first accommodate you by cleaning up the errors you may have made by starting to rebuild it. They will help you to discover the right path to reach creditors so that you can negotiate improved terms and payback selections which will guide you with the particular tips to take for complete credit help and remember those credit cards may have to be dealt with first because numerous times those have the highest intrest rates. In numerous cases these credit repair companies can help you to lower your finance charges or even eliminate them all at once as long as you are producing your payments as agreed upon in the credit settlement.
You can also check credit repair help online where you can receive the choice of getting the help from the comfort of your house. You want to apply a bit of care going with an online credit repair help website although you should make a point to check the web site is credible. There are numerous internet sites out there that are fake and will want you to hand your paycheck in order for them to pay your bills for you and while that seems great make certain on that point are credit repair letters sent off on your behalf explaining this full settlement. You just require to be certain that the company is legit and are really performing what they say would be done and with that said make for certain your credit scores are reflecting these legal actions.
Everyone requires a little help every now and then so obtaining credit repair help is nothing to feel bad about because improving your credit is a very crucial issue and shouldn’t be viewed as a failure, it is really personal emergence that will generate good results if you follow all the steps that your credit counselor renders. It is a means for you to educate yourself and again bankruptcy is not the alternative here good credit is your supreme goal. Your credit is very important and you need to take good care of it by repairing this hard situation to complete the clean up of your credit history. If you find that you are suffering financial difficulties then search credit repair help to get back up on your feet again.
You can learn to set up a budget that will both help you catch up bills that are behind while preserving with the regular bills that you have to keep on that course of positive credit repair. You will discover that you can establish a plan and in time you will discover your credit problems start to get better and your credit score will simultaneously improve. Debt surely isn’t going away most everyone on this green earth has to deal with this so make sure to repair yours so you don’t have to find a company or yet a credit repair lawyer who has to deal with a possible bankruptcy. A good credit rating can be acquired with the right credit services offered so make sure not to permit your credit spot to decline from fair to bad.
Good credit scores can be a realization if you make a point to get the proper help. Merely keep in mind there are so numerous services out there that will assist you with personal credit repair. Bad credit isn’t one of those unbearable to get out of states of affairs so make a point to get the proper credit repair help that extends the personal services to better your credit history.
If you would like more information on this topic and Credit Rating Repair or if you are in need Free Credit Repair, Beatlands Credit Repair has many credit repair topics and tips that can be very useful.
By: Lee Beattie
About the Author:
Lee Beattie the creator of Beatlands Credit Repair site. I have written this site for those who have fallen on hard times and haven’t always thought of the right ways to get out of a credit blunder. I wanted to educate and help out those who do not know the right direction to take during hard times.
Dec
30
Easy Credit Repair - How to Repair Your Credit in Three Simple Steps
Filed Under Credit | Leave a Comment
The following two quotes are from the Federal Trade Commission:
“Your credit repair: self help may be best.”
“Credit repair services have been a big problem for consumers. Credit repair firms typically charge hundreds of dollars for their ongoing services, but don’t deliver on their promises.
The Scam: Everyday, companies nationwide, appeal to consumers with poor credit histories. They promise, for a fee, to clean up your credit report so you can get a car loan, a home mortgage, insurance, or even a job. The truth is, they can’t deliver. After you pay them hundreds or thousands of dollars in fees, these companies do nothing to improve your credit report; most simply vanish with your money.”
End of Federal Trade Commission quotes.
You don’t need to pay firms or attorneys to send out form letters once a month that get limited results. Credit reporting agencies recognize these form letters, and treat them accordingly. It’s better, cheaper and faster if you do your own credit repair.
Below is a complete advanced strategy that anyone can use to repair their credit. It should be sufficient to for most credit repair situations.
Here are the three simple steps you will use to repair your credit. It’s easy. I’ll go into detail later in this article.
1. Obtain your three credit reports. Each credit bureau must furnish everyone with a credit report once a year, if it is requested.
2. Review the reports and locate the negative items. Reading the information on a credit report takes a little effort, but it’s not hard.
3. Dispute the items that you want removed or corrected.
Repairing your credit is not as intimidating, or difficult, as it might seem. It’s as easy as writing a few very simple letters. The best letters are short and direct. This point is very important, and I want you to remember it: “the best letters are short, simple, direct, AND DO NOT look like form letters.” Never offer any explanations whatsoever, unless you are giving an explanation of a negative entry in a credit bureau file that you have been unable to repair.
Your BIG GUN is “Debt Validation.” It is the primary tool you will use when repairing your credit. If a credit reporting agency does not properly validate a debt within thirty (30) days of your request, they must remove the entry from your file. “The time limit is often the key to success for repairing your credit.”
Credit bureaus are merely big filing cabinets that take in vast amounts of information every day. They don’t have the time or resources to check all of the information which comes in on a daily basis. Frequently, the information is wrong, and they never question it!
Here are some things that they would rather you don’t know.
- Credit reporting agencies are subject to the Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1971 and the Consumer Credit Reporting Reform Act of 1996.
- Each item in your credit file must be proven or it cannot remain in the file. If the credit bureau cannot validate the item, it must be removed from your file, whether it’s true, or not. Validation is not simply, “yep, they said it’s yours.” It takes some actual effort.
- Every negative entry on your report can be denied or challenged at any time. The bureau must reinvestigate and if that item cannot be verified within a “reasonable amount of time”, (30 days) it must be removed from the file. However, they do have an option to deem your request “frivolous” under certain conditions.
- Many times the creditor does not re-validate in the time allowed, or the credit bureau is busy and does not handle your dispute properly. The disputed entry must then be deleted.
- The older an item is, the more difficult validation is. It is possible it cannot be validated because records may no longer exist after a year or two.
- As of September of 2005, all credit reporting agencies must provide one copy of each individual’s credit report every year, upon request. The three major nationwide consumer reporting companies have set up one central website and a toll-free telephone number, through which you can order your free annual report.
To order your free credit reports, go to www.annualcreditreport.com or call 877-322-8228. You must obtain copies of your credit report from all three of these major credit reporting agencies. You should do this every year.
NOTE: These companies ARE ALLOWED to charge you for your “credit score.” They don’t like doing anything for free. But, you DO NOT need your credit score.
A free report is all you need. You only need to see the entries that other people have put in your file. Remove negative entries, and your credit scores will automatically improve.
The Credit Bureaus want you to do everything online. Other than getting your reports online from www.annualcreditreport.com, DO NOT contact the Credit Bureaus online at any time. You must use the postal service for ANY credit repair strategy to work.
When you have received and reviewed your credit report, follow these instructions for any negative entries. Send a very brief letter by certified mail with the following information.”I am disputing this item (or these items) on my credit report. (insert a sentence here which explains why you are disputing the items, ie “you are mis-reporting the information,” or “this account is not mine,” etc.) Please verify and validate it (them).”
NOTE: the word “verify” is a very special and strong legal word. In Black’s Law Dictionary, fifth edition, it is defined, “To confirm or substantiate by oath or affidavit.”
Always use the word verify, in any type of dispute letter. You will probably never go to court over a credit dispute, but if you do, it may be important that you have used the word “verify” in your letters. You will need to make it part of the court record that you asked for verification, and that you know its legal definition.
VALIDATION: A COPY of the original contract with your signature on it is NOT validation. It is no more valid than a copy of a $100 bill, or a copy of one of your checks. Anyone can copy your signature.
There is case law involving The Fair Debt Collections Practices Act, which states that validation of the debt can either be a signed judgment order, or an accounting which is signed and dated by the person responsible for maintaining the account general ledger. Credit reporting agencies should be held to the same rules for validation. I’ve never had to go to court for this, but I have successfully used these validation standards for my own clients.
Back to your own credit repair. When the credit reporting agencies receive your dispute letters, they will check the item, or items, that you dispute, and give a brief reply. They have a total of 30 days from the receipt of the original certified mail you sent to them, asking for verification. Wait until there are only 10 days left, and send another certified letter stating: Your alleged validation is not sufficient to show that I am a debtor to that creditor. Remove the entry from my file.
They will have insufficient time to check it out, and they must remove it from your file. If for some odd reason they do provide sufficient validation, it must be 100% accurate, or they must remove that information from your file.
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS - only communicate with these people in writing thru the mail. An old axiom is “if it isn’t written, it wasn’t said.”
1. Always send certified letters that make them sign a card when they receive your letter.
2. Always keep copies of everything in a special folder, just in case you ever need to go to court.
3. Always demand an updated copy of your file after the negative items have been removed.
About dispute letters:
- You want to make your letters to look “unprofessional,” so that you don’t raise any Red Flags with the credit bureaus.
- Do not use dispute forms or file numbers provided by the bureau.
- Do not use a “fill in the blanks” form letter.
- Do not use a letterhead.
- Instead, send a simple handwritten letter, or a letter printed from your computer.
WARNING: Do not dispute more than three (3) items on your credit report at any one time. Also, wait sixty (60) days before disputing any other items on your report. There are laws in place which allow the credit reporting agencies to deem your disputes as frivolous if they detect that you are trying to eliminate all negative information on your file.
A word about bankruptcy and other legal items in the public records on your credit report. These items are almost impossible to get off your report without using more advanced strategies.
It is unlikely that you will vastly improve your credit score in thirty days as some promise, but you should see some solid improvement in thirty days. Everyone’s situation is different. In some cases that need only two or three corrections, thirty days might do it.
By: Curt Dillion
About the Author:
Curt Dillion has been successfully helping people with credit repair and debt collection problems for many years. His site at Secrets Of The Credit Industry offers advanced strategies and solutions, as well as credit repair writing services.
Dec
29
Why Fast Credit Repair Can Help You
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Fast credit repair is manageable but the unimaginable is not going to take place unless you choose to fix it. It actually depends on how bad your credit is or how far behind you are on you mortgage or possibly even struggling to make your credit card payments and it is drastically affecting your credit history. This is not to point out that if your credit is truly bad and it cannot be fixed because in that respect are plenty of services available you can employ to help one self.
It will just take longer and bankruptcy can always be an option if you are in over your head but, keep in mind if you have a home your equity can be applied to receive that loan and this is one of many ideas that can be used to rebuild your credit. If you are searching right now or not able to take action now but want to acquire an advantage by discovering what sort of services that each of these credit companies offer up then by far this is believably your best bet. Fast credit repair may not work here because on that point are some steps to consider depending how bad your credit score is fallen.
Fast credit repair is fundamentally only going to work for people who do not receive credit or a history of credit that is not genuinely all that bad but could use improvement. If you have a couple of credit accounts on your credit file that have been paid on time and so continue to do that, at this point you need to focus on repairing the poor points that demand to be disputed directly. This is particularly true if you are planning on attaining a major purchase within the next year or so and want your credit history to beam for the potential companies who will look at giving you that loan. The sooner you get your scores up, the greater the opportunity of being approved for the credit you require.
If you require help to implement fast credit repair, in that respect are respective methods to repair bad credit. First of all, you can obtain help from a credit repair service. These companies are groomed to know precisely what it will take to raise your score to good levels. One way of managing this is by negotiating a settlement that is lower than the total you really owe and those respective calls made and credit repair letters sent on your behalf will in turn reflect on your credit report and your raised credit score will improve.
Another means to reach fast credit repair for individuals who do not have adequate credit or marginal established credit history may want to see into qualifying for a conventional credit card or loan. A secured card or loan can be applied for at your bank using money that you have in your account and if those monetary funds that you try to spend very little of are lower than anticipated and your debt to income ratio requires some help. Numerous companies have services that will help guide you on the right way to help you fix this dilemma.
Keep in mind that banks use credit reports from the major credit bureaus such as Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion to understand what you the consumer qualifies for. These bureaus will raise your credit score as these payments are produced on time based on the feedback presented by the various companies you established a credit line with. When you are generating more positive marks and so you will wind up with more good credit than bad evidently and in turn your credit score will raise. It is up to you whether you want to try a fast credit repair approach on your own or by using a credit repair company only it really depends on your circumstances. There are different good consumer groups that appear to execute miracles when it adds up to fast credit repair.
One general mistake that numerous people have suffered from is due to bad check writing only it can be fixed by paying back the check amount plus the bank fee for a returned check and sending a letter to that particular company that you have established credit with noting what took place. Another reason for sustaining bad credit are the many unintentional marks that may be reported credit delinquencies on your credit file that do not belong to you although you can handle this yourself or search out the advice of a counselor. And So this is going to require a dispute process in which you tell the credit bureau that you did not possess this debt at this point both you and the credit bureau will launch an investigation into the disputed remarks.
Another significant factor that is more common these days is identity theft. This is why it is really significant to keep up-to-date with your credit history by knowing what your credit score is currently because these terrible activities can ruin your credit to a point that you will spend an eternity trying to rectify. The fast credit repair can be started by numerous reputable companies that may be efficient to assist you with this if the debt is not yours. The debts on your credit report that in reality are not a issue of identity theft but are not yours can be taken care of as well. These are simply a couple of the choices accessible to serve you on the road to fast credit repair therefore if you suffer from a lack of credit or charged with bad credit on that point are numerous options accessible to help either rebuild your credit or generate credit.
If you would like more information on this topic and Consolidate Debt Loans or if you are in need of Consumer Debt Consolidation, Beatlands Credit Repair has many credit repair topics and tips that can be very useful.
By: Lee Beattie
About the Author:
Lee Beattie the creator of Beatlands Credit Repair site. I have written this site for those who have fallen on hard times and haven’t always thought of the right ways to get out of a credit blunder. I wanted to educate and help out those who do not know the right direction to take during hard times.
Dec
28
Whether or not You Believe Credit Repair Works, You are Correct
Filed Under Credit | Leave a Comment
The fascinating thing is that in most cases, whatever people believe to be true will be true for them.
The poster on the Yahoo! Answers forum who states that “there is NO SUCH thing as Credit Repair….it’s a scam….” will never realize any benefits from repairing their own credit. By believing that credit repair is impossible, they are fulfilling their own prophecy by ignoring their rights to dispute their own credit. By not believing it can be done, they are proving their own point. This person, and every other person who ignores the possibility of credit repair, will fall into the category of people whose credit scores will only improve through the passage of time.
The same is true of people who believe that credit repair companies do not work. Another poster on Yahoo! Answers stated that
“There is no such thing as repairing your credit through someone else. If they can, they are doing this via an illegal way and be extremely careful, as it can end YOU up in jail and fined.
The ONLY way to repair credit is to do it yourself.
Pay your bills on time ;o)”
Along with being misinformed about how the credit repair process works, this person is letting their flawed knowledge keep them from so much as investigating the possibility that a credit repair company may be able to help them out. Once again, in believing that it is impossible for a credit repair company to provide any value, this person has assured that they will never receive any value from a credit repair organization.
It is truly astounding how many people out there believe that credit repair cannot work and credit repair companies are nothing but scams. It is also unfortunate that it is these voices that seem to be the loudest because not only are they making credit repair an impossibility for themselves, but they are convincing so many other people to not even attempt to repair their own credit.
What is equally astounding is how these people can be so passionate about outing credit repair as a pipe dream and a scam when there are so many other people out there who are living proof that credit repair does in fact work. These are the people who have allowed for the possibility that their credit could be repaired and realized the truth about their credit reports.
It is hard to believe that anyone could completely dismiss the idea of credit repair when there are stories like this:
“I signed up for [credit repair firm] a couple of years ago. They basically write a couple of letters a month on your behalf to either businesses or credit reporting companies asking for verification of debt, that kind of thing, or if you instruct them, actually challenging the debt. After a few rounds of this, negative credit items start to fall off your report. You can totally do this yourself, but it’s been worth the cost to me (something like $40/month) since I am too lazy to regularly write this kind of letter. I also like how when the credit bureaus do bother to write back, they’re always pretty whiny and pissy about it.
Some people seem to think this is some kind of scam (like, paralegals write the letters on your behalf instead of attorneys, and some people don’t seem to understand that when you give an attorney “power of attorney,” they can write letters as you), but I think it’s a fair price for something I was too lazy to do myself. Ultimately, they pretty much got rid of all the negative items on my report except for the ones that were at least semi-legitimate. (I’m not going to pay a parking ticket I got five years ago in a state I’m not going back to.) The ones they did get rid of were things like AOL continuing to charge a credit card after a) I had cancelled the AOL account, and b) I had cancelled the credit card! It just wasn’t worth my time to chase this down with AOL or the credit card company.
It’s annoying that I’m responsible for fixing something that this bogus industry screws up in the first place, but other than that, I’m a happy “credit repair” customer.”
People who believe that credit repair is impossible will never see any benefit from it. People who believe that credit repair can only be done by themselves will only see the benefits of their personal efforts. People who believe that credit repair companies do not work will never invite the opportunity to have a credit repair company work for them.
Ultimately, when it comes to credit repair, we all create our own truths. All anybody can ask of you is to perform your own research instead of letting others choose your truths for you.
By: Stuart Hunter
About the Author:
For more proof that credit repair works, see the videos of actual credit repair clients at www.youtube.com/lexcredit. These videos detail the successes of clients of Lexington Law, the largest and most experienced provider of affordable credit repair services.
Dec
24
Do Something About Your Credit. Repair Credit Now so That You Can Have a Good Credit Score
Filed Under Credit | Leave a Comment
After twelve years of credit repair, credit score repair and writing credit repair letters to all sorts of creditors, collection agencies and credit bureaus, I realized that it was necessary to provide my services at a serious discount to consumers in need. I realized that not all consumers could afford my credit repair services. As a result, I created a hot line to answer credit repair and credit score questions. However, I noticed that it was becoming an overwhelming task for my staff and at much expense in order to provide the free credit repair services.
A little over two (2) years ago, a couple of my clients suggested I should write a booklet (20 pages) about credit score, how credit score is calculated, what to look for when calculating credit score, what is the best way to repair credit and some of the main topics of credit repair. They suggested I should provide this ebook for a price of $9.95. I thought about doing so for some time as I was thinking that 20 pages of credit repair ebook would not be enough to even touch the surface on so many subjects that needed to be covered. You see the entire idea of credit repair (credit score repair) or credit repair letter writing is not a simple task that even 50 pages would be enough. However, it was also bothering me to charge $9.95 for some limited number of pages.
Then I realized, I could sit and think and continue contemplating about writing a credit repair - fix credit summary pages until I turn blue, or if I truly want to help consumers with their credit repair and credit score issues, I must take a step and start now. That was two (2) years ago.
As I was writing, in August 2006, I realized, we’ll have a major problems with the mortgage loans being granted so easily due to the unethical practices of mortgage lenders, brokers and direct lenders. You must understand this point. For the past eleven (11) years, I was directly involved in assisting my clients get loans after their credit repair was reasonably completed and their credit score was around 740 or higher. Initially, I was just fixing credit and let them enjoy the luxury of such good credit score. However, after communicating with my clients a couple of months later, I noticed that they were getting rubbed by “mortgage brokers” and the so called “Direct Lenders” or even the loan servicing companies. It was unjust then and it continued to be unjust now. Since this is a separate issue of its own, that I must share it with you and teaches you what to watch-out for, I am going to create a separate article about Creditors, lenders, mortgage brokers and the “direct lenders.”
Let’s stick with issue regarding credit repair.
Most consumers fall in the trap of over extended credit when banks and credit cards companies offer one card or loan after another. The consumers think the best way to get-out-of debt is borrowing more. In other words, “steal from Pete to pay Paul.” This is one of the major misconception consumers have that puts them in a deeper debt and causes even more problems for them to the point that they have credit collapse (beyond credit crunch). They experience receiving a lot of called from collection agencies, having late payments, collections and charge off entries on their credit files (credit reports) and their credit score goes down to 400 or 500 level.
As I was typing my so-called ebook (according to push my clients given), I noticed that the summary book was expanding to over one hundred pages and I was not even touching half the issues. Then I decided to continue and make the book a “credit repair” book called “Your Credit = Your Life, Fix It Now!” Since August 2006 realization that we will have mortgage problems, my only option was to inform as many people as I could either by emailing or calling, I was not able to reach all consumers. However, “Your Credit = Your Life…” book addressed all issues.
Other misconceptions consumers have, is the fact that some of them think, a credit repair is a quick fix. They think, they can just wave a magic wand and their credit score will go up from 495 to 720 or more. That’s not how it works. A true credit repair or improvement in credit score takes time (several months to a couple of years). Don’t be fooled by what you hear as quick “credit repair fix.”
In order for you to do self credit repair which is the best method, your must follow several steps. Those steps are lengthy and require patience. It requires dedication, willpower and application of your own gradual experiences. For the past several years, I have a sign on my office door so that everyone can clearly see. I also have the quote on my business cards, letterhead, books I wrote and talk about it repeatedly. It says, “more is lost by indecision than by bad decision.”
Think about it for a couple of second and then relate these words to what has transpired in your life thus far. Just as I was contemplating to write 20 pages for an ebook and sell it for $9.95, I was thinking of two things:
a. It is not possible to write just 20 pages,
b. I wouldn’t have the heart to sell a summary book for $9.95.
I lost the track of my own quote. “More was being lost be my indecision…” I wanted to help teach others how to fix credit; I hired a staff teaching them the credit repair concepts, but wasn’t grabbing my keyboard to type what was in my heart and mind. As my clients were pushing me, I was lost in my indecision.
Most consumers do exactly the same as I did for a couple of months. Think with yourself. How many times were you planning to do something and you kept contemplating if you should do what was in your mind or suggested to you? I bet you did that a few times. I bet part of your problem was the same as mine. Where do I start? How do I approach it? What would be my next step? And, a long list of other questions. You know something. Unless you take the first step, you wouldn’t know what the next step is. Unless you set your goal, mind and heart to take an action, it will never happen. You will contemplate and continue in your indecision yet time passes you by and all you do get deeper and deeper in debt, pay more for simple loans, get drowned in debt to a point that you will take your credit or financial anger on your loved ones. ALL BECAUSE YOU DID NOT MAKE YOUR DECISION IN DOING SOMETHING TO TURN YOUR LIFE AROUND.
My dear friend, stop feeling sorry. Here, I am pushing you to do something. Make a decision and do something about it NOW. It is never a bad idea to have a better credit so that you could have a better life and save more money. It took me several months to prepare the book that offers all you need to know about your credit. Believe me, I have seen so many credit reports that yours would not be half as bad as what I’ve seen. There is hope for everyone, especially you. You only become hopeless when you don’t get up, shack off feeling sorry and do something to turn your credit life around.
Please let it be now. Here are a few steps in what you can do.
1. Get copies of your credit reports. You must obtain recent copies for all three (3) credit bureaus. One credit report won’t do. Why? Different creditors and collection agencies report to different credit bureaus. See the book.
2. Compare each entry shown on your credit reports with the account statements you have. Whether it is an open account, closed account, a collection, a charge off or late payment account. You don’t know how many times, I seen credit reports where the consumer did not have any such account and it was creditor or credit bureaus mistakes. Read the book.
3. When you notice inconsistencies (whether it is an account you don’t recognize or misinformation about an account), call creditors and credit bureaus. Discuss, dispute and be persistent.
4. Ask for a conclusion, removal or correction letter.
5. Do NOT settle with collection agencies. If you do or have no other choice, you must do two things, settle for less or don’t pay unless they agree to correct the entry by removing it.
6. Do not trust a collection agent. They do NOT mean well.
There are so many things to talk about and so many techniques to offer. It is impossible to discuss all in this article. So, I ask you to do something useful and quick to improve your credit score, which is as a result of your steps in your credit repair. You don’t know how good it will do for you.
For a complete details of the list above and other topics use the knowledge base provided at link and pick up a copy of the book “Your Credit = Your Life, Fix It now!”
Best wishes
Mike Samadi
Any questions? Go to Q & A of www.MasterCreditRepair.net, read and post. Go to the “Comment” page and post your story or comment.
By: Mike Samadi
About the Author:
Mike Samadi is an author of several books and is widely known as a credit repair expert. Read Mike’s book (“Bad Things happen to Good People. Your Credit = Your Life, Fix It Now!” or “Saving Your Money”) to gain knowledge and experiences needed to overcome your problems. You should also visit the website at http://www.MasterCreditRepair.net to find out more and fix your credit.
Dec
23
What is credit report repair or software? The best kept “secret” is that creditors and credit reporting agencies (commonly referred to as the credit bureaus) make mistakes. What can you learn in a credit repair course? You can learn the basics of bad credit repair, without paying a penny. If you cannot achieve results on your own, then you may need to hire a credit repair lawyer to help you. If you feel that you have exhausted all of the free options, identify what information that you still need and make sure that the credit repair course or software program that you are considering includes that information.
A secret may be defined as “beyond simple understanding”. Using this definition, credit report program is credit report repair that is beyond ordinary understanding. The average person does not understand how credit scores are calculated. Most people do not know what information is on their credit reports. Many people do not know their rights under the law.
Credit repair is a popular subject. It seems that almost everyone wants learn about credit repair. Books and software programs that claim to contain everything you wanted to know about credit repair are being sold on the internet and in retail locations all over the country. There are some questionable credit repair schemes and some companies suggest action which is illegal. Consumers can learn to repair their own credit, but it takes time and patience. The safest bet when hiring someone to do the work for you is to hire a credit repair attorney. In this way, you can be sure that you will achieve results; they know everything there is to know about credit repair. You can also be sure that a credit repair attorney will not advise you to do anything that is illegal. Most of the popular credit repair lawyers do not charge more than the other credit repair companies and some offer money back guarantees.
The Federal Trade Commission regulates credit repair organizations and states that “certain advertising and business practices of some companies engaged in the business of credit repair services have worked a financial hardship upon consumers, particularly those of limited economic means and who are inexperienced in credit matters.” Under the laws regulating credit repair organizations, any company that advertises secret credit report repair or credit repair in general must provide the consumer with certain information. These regulations do not apply to companies that offer a credit repair course or seminar. Most of these are simply rehashing information that has been available for years. If you look in the public library, you will see that individuals have been writing books about credit report repair for years.
There was an individual who advertised his informational packages on TV. One of his reports was “how to get AAA credit” or something like that. This was not any spectacular secret credit report repair. It was not a credit repair course. He advised consumers to make a $500 deposit into a savings account at any bank. Then, using the deposit as security, apply for a loan. Repay the loan and according to him, you would have great credit. This may be information that the average person does not know. It is similar to the secured credit card programs that so many companies offer. The thing about credit is that, it is harder to get, if you really need it. If you have $500 to deposit into a savings account or a secured credit card program, if you have the money to pay off the debts that you owe, you can improve your credit score over time.
Companies that advertise quick free credit report repair are banking on the theory that you do not know how to review your credit reports for inaccurate information. If you have inaccurate, obsolete, misleading or unverifiable information on your credit reports, then the credit bureaus must delete the information. You must “dispute” the information. In other words, you must notify the credit bureaus about the negative information that needs to be deleted. This is the credit report repair that is often the subject of a credit repair course.
By: John Cena
About the Author:
About Author:
John Cena is the author related to creditrepairsoft.com - Credit Repair Software | Credit Repair Kit | Bad Credit Repair creditrepairsoft.com. Credit Repair Software Kit only at creditrepairsoft.com. Buy Credit Repair Software to repair your credit rating, to raise your credit score and to maintain an excellent credit score.
Dec
21
Credit Repair Now Is The Time!
Filed Under Credit | Leave a Comment
Credit repair is the process of cleaning up your credit report and optimizing your scores. Credit repair has never been so important. Your credit score will determine the outcome of any loan application you make. This was not always the case. You might be surprised to hear that credit scores were not marketed to lenders until 1989. And from 1989 until 1995 credit scores were used almost exclusively by a handful of credit card issuers. It wasn’t until 1995, when mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced that they were to going to begin using FICO scores as an underwriting criterion that this all-important three digit number came into widespread usage.
Your Critical FICO Score
Credit scores began to grow in importance after 1995, but in 2007 there was a major shift in the credit markets that would make credit repair infinitely more vital than ever before. The pivotal moment occurred in June of 2007 when two Bear Sterns hedge funds collapsed and caused a mass exodus of secondary sub-prime lenders from the mortgage market. From that moment until now the credit markets have continued to tighten. And, although one would expect a cyclical loosening at some point, there is no sign of that in the immediate future. And for now, the issue is so critical that if your FICO score is low you may find that you cannot get approved for anything. And just as important, if you are approved you will find that the interest rate you receive will be based on your score. Credit repair, when done right, will optimize your scores and help you meet future lender requirements.
Credit Score Optimization
It is critical to understand that the FICO scoring model has evolved to the point that there is considerably more involved than paying your bills on time. In fact, it is quite possible to have a perfect payment history for years on end, and still have dismal credit scores. Credit score optimization, as an essential aspect of credit repair, requires an understanding of all of the factors that can influence your scores. Some of the important issues include account types, number of each account type, account balances, and age of accounts. And this is just the score optimization aspect of credit repair; when it comes to cleaning up the content of your reports you have a number of legal rights that can give you significant leverage with creditors and the credit bureaus.
Credit Repair, the Credit Bureaus and the FCRA
The majority of legal rights that you will utilize in your credit repair effort are embodied in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Your credit repair effort should always focus on areas in which you have legal leverage. There is little point in pursuing an avenue of redress if the offending party has no obligation whatsoever to respond. The FCRA puts a burden of accuracy and fairness on the credit bureaus. The responsibilities of the credit bureaus include providing consumers with copies of their credit files, researching the accuracy of information when requested, limiting the reporting period of derogatory information, and providing identity theft relief measures. Taken together, these responsibilities provide consumers with all of the legal rights necessary to dispute and correct inaccuracies on their credit reports.
Credit Repair, Collectors, and the FDCPA
Together with the FCRA, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) provides the foundation for consumer credit rights in the United States. The FDCPA can play an important role in any credit repair effort as it gives consumers limited, but powerful, rights in dealing with collectors. These rights provide the leverage necessary to stop abusive collection practices, gain an advantage in payment negotiation, and when dovetailed with specific state statutes of limitation even give you the ability to make bothersome collectors vanish from your life forever. A professional credit repair service will have an intimate working knowledge of the FDCPA and will insure that all of your rights are exercised. And if you are managing your own credit repair effort, make sure to study up on this crucial legislation.
Putting it All Together
Your credit score has a major influence on your financial wellbeing and hence, on the quality of your life. Credit repair is the process of cleaning up your credit report and optimizing your credit scores. In today’s economic environment credit repair is more important than ever. You can no longer afford to ignore your credit scores. Even small differences in your scores can translate into hundreds and even thousands of dollars in the amount of interest you will pay each year. And when it comes to credit repair every detail matters. If you are going to attempt the process on your own take the time to educate yourself. If you don’t have the time or inclination to learn everything necessary to do a thorough job yourself, hire a professional credit repair service. It’s your credit, and now is the time!
Copyright © 2009 James W. Kemish. All Content. All Rights Reserved.
By: Jim Kemish
About the Author:
Jim Kemish, a nationally recognized consumer advocate, is the president and founder of Sky Blue Credit Repair, a leading credit repair service since 1989. Jim is also a regular contributor to The Credit Repair Blog, a prominent consumer resource.
Dec
21
Credit repair, in the final analysis, is about your financial health. You may start a credit repair program with concerns about the accuracy of your credit report, but in the end the real benefit of healthy credit is money in your pocket. Credit repair translates into a lower cost of borrowing, and consequently more room in your budget for saving.
Accelerate the Process
Are you ready to leave your financial stress behind? You can do this. Regardless of the current condition of your credit, a proactive approach can transform your financial life, and sooner than you think. Don’t make the mistake of believing that you are destined to spend years in credit limbo waiting for time to heal the issues of the past. An intelligent approach to credit repair will accelerate the process dramatically.
Two Basic Credit Repair Steps
There are two basic steps involved in the credit repair process. Each is as important as the other and cannot be ignored. When it comes to credit repair this balanced approach is required. Done right the results are dramatic. Are you ready to change your life, clean up your credit reports, boost your credit scores and enjoy all of the benefits that come with great credit? Let’s get started.
Understanding the Errors
The first step in the credit repair process is a methodical clean up of your credit report. Does this sound too obvious? You will be surprised. Most people imagine that if they recognize an item on their credit report it is accurate. This is far from the case. If you really want credit repair success you have to get rid of your preconceptions. An enormous percentage of derogatory information on consumer’s credit reports is reported in error.
Spotting Compliance Issues
In many cases these errors are compliance issues. Compliance issues are, by definition, based on some real event, but should not be on your report as a matter of law. Examples include duplicate accounts, derogatory information reporting beyond the reporting period limit, and collections reported by collectors whom no longer own the debt (having sold it to another collector, or returned it to the original creditor). Credit repair is about the details. And every detail matters. If you are confused you should hire a reputable credit repair service to manage the cleanup process for you.
Credit Restoration Time
The second step in the credit repair process is the rebuilding of your credit. Here also there are important details many people miss. A misstep can mean the difference between success and failure. Your credit score is determined by both the positive and negative information on your credit report. It is not enough to eliminate the erroneous derogatory information on your report. If you don’t rebuild your credit your credit repair efforts will fail. But you must rebuild it in a certain way.
The Key to Your FICO Score
You may think that if you pay your bills on time you will have good credit scores. Sadly, this is not true at all. The FICO scoring model is not designed to grade you on past behavior. Many people are horrified after a lifetime of perfect payments to discover that their credit scores are awful. This can be shocker. The FICO scoring model is a predictive model designed to measure the risk of future default and puts weight on such factors as account balances, the age of accounts, and even the type of accounts you open. Your credit repair efforts will succeed or fail based on your ability to shape your credit according to this predictive model.
Revolving Debt as a Credit Repair Tool
I suggest that you focus initially on your revolving debt. Stay away from store cards and consumer debt, such as furniture store accounts. Build your credit with MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover Cards. If you don’t have any credit and can’t get a regular credit card, get two secured cards as soon as possible, and keep your balances low. A single maxed our credit card can knock one hundred points from your credit score. For comprehensive advice on balancing your credit contact a credit repair professional.
It’s Up To You
Aside from these two essential steps in the credit repair process there may be other credit repair tools that can add significant value to your efforts. Many lenders offer rehabilitation programs that can bring your accounts current and even remove the derogatory history from your report. If you have active legitimate collections, knowledge of your state statute of limitation is essential and can put you in control. Used properly credit repair can transform your credit and change your financial outlook, but you have to take action. It’s up to you. Good luck!
Copyright © 2008 James W. Kemish. All Content. All Rights Reserved.
By: Jim Kemish
About the Author:
Jim Kemish, a nationally recognized consumer advocate, is the president and founder of Sky Blue Credit Repair, a leading credit repair service since 1989. Jim is also a regular contributor to The Credit Repair Blog, a prominent consumer resource.
Dec
18
Tips for Finding the Best Credit Repair Company.and Avoiding a Credit Repair Scam
Filed Under Credit | Leave a Comment
Choosing the right credit repair company to help you achieve your credit goals is pivotal. What follows are tips and things you should look for when choosing the best credit repair company for you.
1) Look for a credit repair company with experience
An experienced credit repair company will have taken the time to learn what tactics work best for each type of dispute. Having a large number of clients and a track record of removing many items means that a credit repair company has enough information to know what works and what does not.
2) Look for a credit repair company that has been in business for a while
Credit repair, like many other industries, has it’s fair share of scammers. Preying on desperate people who long for a better credit score, fraudulent “credit repair” companies promise amazing results but the only thing they manage to do is take off with your money.
Fortunately, these companies never last very long. They are either run out of town or shut down by the FTC or local law enforcement. What this means for you is that you can usually trust a credit repair company that has been in business for a number of years.
3) Check out the company’s BBB report
To start with, look for the BBB’s rating of the company and their explanation of this rating. For example, the BBB report for the credit repair company Credit Bureau Experts shows the company as having an unsatisfactory rating because of unsubstantiated advertising claims made on their site.
Also look at the number of unresolved complaints to see if the company has been responsive to their customer’s problems. Almost all companies will have some complaints, and the larger the company the more complaints it will have, but it is how they deal with these complaints that is important. Look for a company that addresses the concerns of its clients as opposed to a company like Credit Fix Now (see BBB report) who has an unsatisfactory rating with the BBB for not responding to to complaints.
4) Get the details on the company’s payment policy
A common tactic of fraudulent credit repair companies is to charge you a large fee upfront and then either disappear with your money or otherwise not perform the agreed upon work. Many of the companies have been known to charge several hundred or even thousands of dollars before they will do any credit repair work.
Even though the practice of charging large upfront fees is illegal, there are still a number of smaller credit repair companies that try to get away with it. For example, the companies Credit Clean and Today’s Credit Solutions are perfectly content to charge you one time fees of $1223 and $499.99 respectively for a year’s worth of credit repair service. Granted, these companies may offer money back warranties, but that will be of little use to you if the company goes out of business or otherwise disappears.
5) Watch out for companies that guarantee to raise your credit score
To help protect you against credit repair companies who make impossible claims, the Credit Repair Organizations Act also forbids any credit repair organization from making guarantees about the results of their service when it pertains the the effect it will have on your credit reports.
While searching for a credit repair company, take note of any claims to “increase your credit score by 100 points”, “lower your interest rates”, or “remove all negative items from your credit reports”. No company can legally make these claims and any company who implies they can should be avoided.
By: Stuart Hunter
About the Author:
Based on these criteria for finding the best credit repair company, the obvious choice for most people is Lexington Law. Lexington Law is a legally compliant credit repair firm that has helped over half a million people take control of their credit.









