Credit Repair: Is Self Help Best For You

Posted by Nick Niesen on November 8th, 2010

It now seems almost impossible to turn on the TV or open a newspaper any more without seeing another advert for some credit repair service. My email box is overloaded with subject titles like ?Credit problems? No problem!? or ?We can erase your bad credit ? 100% guaranteed.?. This must be a great business to be in, some of these companies are now using telemarketers to offer their services. They all seem to make the same misleading claims, ?Create a new credit identity ? legally.? or ?We can remove bankruptcies, judgments, liens, and bad loans from your credit file forever!?

Don?t for one moment believe these misleading statements they are nothing more than a scam, lies designed to get their hands on your hard earned money. These companies appeal to anyone who has a poor or bad credit history. They will often promise, for a fee of course, to clean up your credit report. This will then allow you to get that car loan you wanted or that mortgage you were turned down for, maybe you need a higer score to secure a job. The real truth is, most of them can?t or won't deliver what they promise you. Once you have paid them hundreds or sometimes even thousands of dollars in fees these companies normally do nothing to improve your credit score what so ever. Some will simply just vanish with your money. There really is only one way to clean up your credit report and that takes time, a conscious effort on your part and a personal debt repayment plan that will improve your credit score over time.

Here are some warning signs to look out for should you decide that you would rather use the services of a credit repair company rather than do the work yourself. Stay away from companies that fail do tell you your legal rights, they must by law tell you what you can do for yourself for free. A big red flag to watch for are companies that recommend that you do not contact a credit reporting company directly. Do not give your money to any company that suggest you try to invent a ?new? credit identity, with a new credit report ? by applying for an Employer Identification Number to use instead of your Social Security number.

Please keep in mind you could be charged and prosecuted for mail or wire fraud if you use the mail or telephone to apply for credit and provide false information. It is a federal crime to lie or give misleading information on a loan or credit application, to misrepresent your Social Security number, and to obtain an Employer Identification Number from the Internal Revenue Service under false pretenses.

The Truth, The Whole Truth and Nothing But The Truth

It is not possible to legally remove any negative information from your credit report that is accurate. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) does allow you to ask for an investigation of any information listed on your credit report file that you dispute as inaccurate or incomplete. There is no charge to you for this service. Everything a credit repair clinic or service could do for you legally, you can with alittle time and effort do for yourself at little or no cost.

According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), You are entitled to a free credit report if a company takes adverse action against you, like denying your application for credit, insurance, or employment, and you ask for your report within 60 days of receiving notice of the action. The notice will give you the name, address, and phone number of the consumer reporting company.

You are now also entitled under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to one free credit report from each of the consumer reporting companies, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnionreport once a year, the year runs from September to end of August. You will also receive an updated report every time to submit a change to your report or ask for an item to be investigated, giving you the results of the investigation. The free credit reports will list all of the items shown on your credit report but will not come with your credit scores, these you are required under the Act to pay for, normally around $5.00 from each provider.