There are few topics as polarizing as credit repair. Depending on who you talk to, credit repair is usually thought of as impossible, illegal, something you can only do yourself, or something you need professional help to perform. Rarely do you find someone with a perspective on credit repair that is not at the far end of one of these extremes.

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.



Thanks to Stuart Hunter for contributing this article to our Credit Repair blog:

Credit Card For Rebuilding Credit

Credit Repair Software

Some people believe that credit repair software is a great way to help a person get organized in a journey to a debt-free life. They might also believe that these computer programs offer ways to get organized with bill paying and valuable information for reaching financial goals. But in reality, only an experienced credit repair service can factually improve your credit score.

Selecting a credit repair company to help you improve your credit score is a big decision. A typical credit repair service will cost you a few hundred dollars and will take up to a year to complete their service. Choosing the wrong credit repair company can end up wasting money and perhaps more importantly, your time. Choosing the right credit repair company, however, may be one of the best things you can possibly do for your financial future.

What do you need a credit repair company to do for you?

A good place to start when determining which credit repair company is best for you is to figure out what needs to be done to improve your credit. The process of repairing your credit can involve much more than simply disputing your credit with the credit bureaus.  You should make sure to use a credit repair company that can fulfill all of your credit needs.

When most people think of credit repair they think of a process that has become known as credit report repair. When working to repair your credit using credit report repair, a credit repair company is using your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act to dispute certain items in your credit reports directly with the credit bureaus. This element of credit repair has helped many people with erroneous, incomplete, or unverifiable information on their credit reports improve their credit scores.

While credit report repair is a good start, many people find that it is not enough. Many leading credit repair companies will also work directly with your creditors using a variety of tactics to get them to stop reporting the negative accounts to the credit bureaus. They may also work with collections agencies and others to get them to stop reporting negative accounts or change the way the accounts are reported. A credit repair company may even go so far as to challenge the legitimacy of a reported debt.

Depending on your current credit situation, you may be best served by a credit repair company specializing solely in credit report repair or one that can also provide a full catalog of credit repair services.

How can I tell if a credit repair company should be trusted?

Unfortunately, credit repair is an industry that has received a bad reputation because of the publicity afforded to credit repair scams. While fraudulent credit repair firms tend to be shut down quickly, it is still in your best interest to learn how to identify the differences between a legitimate credit repair service and a credit repair scam.

An easy way to do this is to know a few of the laws that govern credit repair companies. These laws as defined in the Credit Repair Organizations Act were designed to protect you from credit repair scams while also protecting your right to get help with repairing your credit reports. 

Another way you can find out about a specific credit repair company is to look up their BBB (Better Business Bureau) reports. The BBB keeps notes on complaints made against companies. If the BBB report for a credit repair company lists multiple unresolved complaints or an overall low rating, you should be wary of the company. In addition, beware of any credit repair company that does not list credit repair services as one of their offerings in their BBB filing. The BBB has very strict standards for credit repair companies so many fraudulent companies will not report to the BBB that they offer credit repair.

Debt-free living is definitely the goal. A Christian must be wise in the choice he makes concerning his financial history and his ongoing financial dealings. Every financial decision needs to be a well-researched, well-thought-out decision. As Christians, we have additional resources for dealing with our bad spending habits. He can consult a local pastor or a trusted friend. Becoming debt free will not happen overnight so patience and perseverance are keys to success. Romans 15:5 says, “God of patience grant you be like-minded.” God will help us gain the patience and perseverance we need to follow through with our plans to be debt free, and that may entail credit repair software programs.



Thanks to John Chase for contributing this article to our Credit Repair blog:

Bill Collector Harassment

If you have decided to fix your bad credit, there are credit repair companies that can help. This is a big decision and not one you should take lightly. On average, a credit repair company will charge you a few hundred dollars and their program usually takes a year to complete.

You don’t want to pick the wrong company and find yourself deeper in debt and nowhere closer to improving your credit. On the other hand, if you find a great company to help you that might be one of the smartest financial decisions you can make!

Let’s first of all take a look at what you should hope a credit repair service will do for you. Take a look at your credit and ask yourself what you think needs to improve. Credit repair goes beyond disputes with your credit companies and the credit bureaus.

Credit repair has been seen as something that is repairing the credit report. Now, working to repair your bad credit can also help to fix your credit report. You have rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act to dispute any items that you feel are inaccurate.

This part of repairing your credit has been very beneficial to people who have incomplete or inaccurate information on their credit reports. This will of course only help your credit score once you get the items corrected.

This is just the beginning, repairing your credit. Although some people are not satisfied with just working to correct their credit reports. If you find a reputable credit repair company then they should also work with your creditors to have them stop reporting negative accounts.

Another thing they should do for you is contact collection agencies to have them stop reporting negative accounts. Some credit repair companies will even dispute some debts reported and find out how legitimate those claims really are.

Now, it depends on each individual credit situation just how well a credit repair company can help you. Some people might only want to get help on fixing their credit reports, while others need more extensive help and look for a company that provides full credit repair service.

Here is an important question most people ask, how can you tell if this is a reputable credit repair company? There has been a bad rep given to this industry because of many scams that have taken place. Fortunately, the fraudulent companies have been shut down. I think it is still necessary that you take some precaution and figure out if you have found a legitimate company before working with them.

Familiarize yourself with some of the laws that surround credit repair companies. The Credit Repair Organizations Act was drafted to protect you, the consumer, from any credit repair scams. They also protect your right to get any help with credit repair for your report.

There is always the Better Business Bureau (BBB) reports, they keep all complaint on file made against companies. If there are multiple complaints against a company or a low rating, proceed with caution.

Also, if you come across a company that does not list “credit repair” in their services on the BBB then also be wary of them. The nice thing about the BBB is that they have high standards for credit repair companies. If you have found a company that is possibly fraudulent, the give away is that they have not listed “credit repair” with the BBB.

As with anything you do, concerning your finances and credit, take the time to do some research. There are many reputable companies available and thanks to the internet you can find them within minutes of searching! Credit repair is possible for everyone and good credit is definitely in your future.



Thanks to Christina Costa for contributing this article to our Credit Repair blog:

Help With Credit Problems

Getting started with repairing your credit is one of the very best things you can do for your financial well being. At the hands of the credit system, you are being abused in the form of inaccurate reporting and an unfair credit scoring model. Through credit repair, you can do your part to make sure you get the credit score you deserve - a credit score that is truly indicative of your credit worthiness.

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.



Thanks to Stuart Hunter for contributing this article to our Credit Repair blog:

Establish Credit After Bankruptcy

Selecting a credit repair company to help you improve your credit score is a big decision. A typical credit repair service will cost you a few hundred dollars and will take up to a year to complete their service. Choosing the wrong credit repair company can end up wasting money and perhaps more importantly, your time. Choosing the right credit repair company, however, may be one of the best things you can possibly do for your financial future.

What do you need a credit repair company to do for you?

A good place to start when determining which credit repair company is best for you is to figure out what needs to be done to improve your credit. The process of repairing your credit can involve much more than simply disputing your credit with the credit bureaus. You should make sure to use a credit repair company that can fulfill all of your credit needs.

When most people think of credit repair they think of a process that has become known as credit report repair. When working to repair your credit using credit report repair, a credit repair company is using your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act to dispute certain items in your credit reports directly with the credit bureaus. This element of credit repair has helped many people with erroneous, incomplete, or unverifiable information on their credit reports improve their credit scores.

While credit report repair is a good start, many people find that it is not enough. Many leading credit repair companies will also work directly with your creditors using a variety of tactics to get them to stop reporting the negative accounts to the credit bureaus. They may also work with collections agencies and others to get them to stop reporting negative accounts or change they way the accounts are reported. A credit repair company may even go so far as to challenge the legitimacy of a reported debt.

Depending on your current credit situation, you may be best served by a credit repair company specializing solely in credit report repair or one that can also provide a full catalog of credit repair services.

How can I tell if a credit repair company should be trusted?

Unfortunately, credit repair is an industry that has received a bad reputation because of the publicity afforded to credit repair scams. While fraudulent credit repair firms tend to be shut down quickly, it is still in your best interest to learn how to identify the differences between a legitimate credit repair service and a credit repair scam.

An easy way to do this is to know a few of the laws that govern credit repair companies. These laws as defined in the Credit Repair Organizations Act were designed to protect you from credit repair scams while also protecting your right to get help with repairing your credit reports.

Another way you can find out about a specific credit repair company is to look up their BBB (Better Business Bureau) reports. The BBB keeps notes on complaints made against companies. If the BBB report for a credit repair company lists multiple unresolved complaints or an overall low rating, you should be wary of the company. In addition, beware of any credit repair company that does not list credit repair services as one of their offerings in their BBB filing. The BBB has very strict standards for credit repair companies so many fraudulent companies will not report to the BBB that they offer credit repair.



Thanks to Anne Hammel for contributing this article to our Credit Repair blog:

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