Helen Hecker asked:
If you want to get rid of negative credit you can easily take a few steps to completely turn it around and see a significant improvement in your credit score. Thousands of people face the same problems and assume it takes a credit professional or credit repair service to do it for them. These offline and online credit services don’t come cheap and often people spend their hard-earned money trying to fix negative or bad credit.
First of all you may not know what is actually on your credit report today. You may assume you have bad credit based on your payment history in the past or you haven’t had the courage to get a copy of your credit report even though it’s free. Many resist this because of the fear of what they think they may find. However you may be surprised. There may be entries on your credit report that are totally false and can be easily corrected or there may be entries you can easily change with a little documentation.
Really it’s not that difficult to get these corrections taken care of on your credit report. You can actually take care of it pretty fast and it won’t cost you a dime other than a first class stamp. In actuality you can do a better job than any credit repair clinic because you’re in the position to actually add some positive credit marks to your report if you know how to do it and I’ll explain below.
Okay these are the 3 simple steps to repair your credit history.
1. First get a copy of your free credit report if you don’t already have a CURRENT copy. Everyone is entitled to a free credit report every year according to federal government laws. You can get an absolutely free annual credit report online instantly at the approved Web site: type in ‘annualcreditreport’ and then a dot and then com. You’ll be able to print it out as soon as you provide identification.
You can also call 1-877-322-8228. When you call you’ll get an automated service. Know what phone number you’re going to use as that is a requirement in the process. However it will take about 15 days to get the report. You can also write but instant online or calling is easiest. This free service is sponsored by the three credit reporting agencies – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
Now you must know that you won’t get your credit rating or score when you get the report. There is an additional charge to get a score. However if you recently applied for credit and were turned down, call the lender and ask what your score is. You can usually find out that way for free.
Once you have your credit report in hand, sit down and note any negative items or anything that doesn’t seem right to you. You may find a few mistakes, sometimes even with your birth date or other personal information. These are easily corrected. There can be some totally false information such as credit information for someone else with the same name or similar name.
2. Write a dispute letter. It’s easy to write a dispute letter. If you’re not sure how to do this, sit down and pretend you’re writing a letter to a friend. It does not have to be fancy and it can be in your own handwriting if legible or typed out. Don’t make it too hard. Make a list of the bad credit marks or wrong information that you want to dispute. Make sure to keep it as short as possible and don’t add any fluff. Get the facts as you know them. If you have any documentation to include to ‘back you up’ then add this or include copies with your dispute letter.
When the credit bureau gets your letter they will do an investigation and will either verify the item in question and remove or fix it – or they will be unable to verify the negative credit information to remove it.
If they notify you that they are unable to verify any negative credit mark thus not removing it, then you can still dispute it by sending another letter asking how they arrived at their decision. This is called a ‘method of verification’ or sometimes ‘procedural request’. If the dispute is regarding a creditor the credit reporting bureau and the creditor must both provide you with adequate proof of their decision. Otherwise they are required by law to remove the negative credit mark from your credit history.
3. How to get positive credit marks on your credit report. This is simple to do over a period of a few months to start building a positive credit history. Get department store and/or gas credit cards and use them. Pay them off on time. Make note that these usually come with higher interest rates so compare rates first. Pay a little more than you owe and pay a little early. Paying online ensures that your payment arrives and is not lost in the mail.
Keep a bill calendar and write on it when payments are due and another notation on the calendar a few days before so that you make the payment online early. If you wait till the last minute, the Web site may be down for maintenance or their may be other network issues. But in any event make sure to make the payment before it’s due. Try to get an installment type of loan or automobile loan through your bank or credit union.
Be aware that if you try to buy a car or other vehicle that the car dealer will contact several lenders to get the best interest rate and EACH one of these will contribute a mark to your credit report. This can affect your credit score, also called FICO. So try to get a pre-approved loan before you head to an auto dealer. If you can do this over a few months you will build up a recent and good credit history fast. No credit repair service will be able to build up this positive history for you.
For additional help removing or erasing negative credit you can easily get a good credit repair guide that will help you read and dispute the report and will cost pennies as opposed to a credit repair service which can cost you significantly. And a service can’t do it as well as you can or add positive credit marks to your credit history. Sit down now if you already have the credit report right and do a quick letter before you start dwelling on it. You can do it! And YOU can do the best job. The faster you take action the sooner you’ll see a turnaround.
LARA
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Ryan asked:
If you’ve recently discovered that that you need to dispute credit report errors, you are not alone. Research shows that 75 percent of credit reports have errors on them, and 1 in 4 credit reports include errors that actually have a negative impact on your credit score. This is no surprise considering that credit report agencies have to manage data for millions of people on a daily bases, and rely on lenders and creditors to provide accurate information.
As a consumer, however, your best interest is protected by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which mandates that if you dispute credit report errors, any information that is erroneous must be acknowledged and removed from your credit report within 30 days.
So how do you go about fixing errors on your credit report? The first thing to do is to access copy of all three of your credit reports from each reporting agency, Trans Union, Equifax and Experian. You will want to compare the information on all three reports since it is likely that some information will be included on one report but not the others.
Once you have reviewed your credit report and found the errors, you will want to contact the credit reporting agencies in writing. Highlight each of the errors on your credit report and attach a copy to your dispute letter. Keep a record of everything you send in case you need to refer to it when following up.
The credit reporting agency is then obligated to contact the credit/lender that indicated the negative information to validate your claim. If the creditor/lender is unable to come up with conclusive evidence that supports their claim, the items will be removed from your credit report and your credit score will immediately improve.
HARE
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Shelley Green asked:
Before applying for any loan you should always make sure you know your credit rating and are aware of the state of your current credit report. You are entitled to one free credit report per year. You can also get details of your credit score for a nominal fee.
So you bought a new car last year and got credit for 5 years at 8.9% interest. It isn’t that low is it? You can say that again, but at the time of your purchase your credit score was quite bad. But that was a year ago. You ran your credit report today and found out both your credit score and rating are now much higher. In fact they are now excellent. So having obtained such a good rating isn’t now the time to refinance? Why keep paying a loan with a high rate of interest when you can refinance and get a loan with a much lower rate of interest?
Before applying for a loan for the first time or when you are refinancing you should review your credit report. You can normally get a cheaper loan with a better credit score and rating. Review your credit report and search for any issues. If there are issues try to remedy them. Once you are taken the appropriate steps to improve your credit rating and score then check that they have worked by review your report again.
It is still possible to get credit even if you have been made bankrupt but timing is important. Once you have been discharged from bankruptcy get a copy of your credit report to check your bankruptcy has been properly discharged. You then need to wait for six months because you will not get a loan during this period. You should be careful not to apply for a loan during this period because it will probably be turned down and this fact could be noted on your credit report. You may also want to put a letter with your credit report to explain the circumstances of your bankruptcy which can improve your chances of getting finance. Finally, ensure your accounts are up to date and accurate.
If you are declined credit you should get a copy of your credit report. It may be the case that your report contains entries that are not accurate. It is possible to improve your credit rating by getting these inaccuracies removed from your report.
One of the problems with shopping around for credit is that multiple inquiries as to your credit score may actually reduce your credit rating. Getting quotes online may help because lenders will estimate rates and fees without looking at your credit report. You can then focus on the lenders who provided the best estimates and only now will they look at your credit report.
HARBIN
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Mike Clover asked:
it report is accessible 24/7 on the internet in a few clicks. Equifax just released how the internet is a great resource fore accessing anything about your credit. The internet is amazing in regards to how you can get the information you need to fix just about anything. You can get recipes, commons household items, cars, credit cards, insurance, mortgages, or any common question answered. The internet is so powerful that you could actually stay home and never leave using the internet to buy what you need.
The internet being the best channel for credit reports, credit scores and getting free credit repair help, you can rest assure you will have access to what you need securely in a few clicks. If you want to access your credit report, and did it the old fashion way, you would have to wait for your report to come in the mail. I don’t know about you, but I know the mail is not safe anymore. You definitely don’t want anything with your social in the snail mail if you can avoid it. With the security that has been implement on the internet to get your credit report and credit scores safe and securely.
Most people don’t know how convenient the internet is. The internet has revolutionized the way we all do business and function in society currently. Let’s assume you have credit issues, and you don’t know what to do. Most people will search for credit repair sites. You will find that most credit repair sites charge horrendous fees for something you can do yourself for free. If you were to take the time to do some research, you will find that with a little credit education and implementation of what you learn your credit will improve on its own. The internet is just like your local library, it has all the information you could imagine.
How easy is it to get credit report on-line?
Let’s assume you are getting ready to buy something, or just would like to know what your credit scores are. Getting your credit report is so easy that a caveman could do it. Typically when get your credit report you will need to know your credit scores. Your credit scores will typically cost you around $30.00 to have that piece of mind. But it’s worth having believe me. In a matter of a few seconds with validating who you are, you will receive your full 3-1 credit report. Pulling your consumer credit report does not affect your credit scores by the way.
Credit Repair on the web
Let’s assume you have credit issues, and you would like to start repairing them right away. You can find all kinds of articles about what the first step would be in the credit repair process. With your credit being the single most important part of your financial health, you can rest assure the answer is on the web. In a few keystrokes you can be reading an article that will pertain to your situation. This is the power and resourcefulness of the web today. Got questions about credit? Just Google it.
VERA
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Mike Clover asked:
Checking your free credit score report is probably one of the hottest topics these days. With the average American not being rich, and at times in need of a loan, they need to keep there credit score healthy. There will be situations where someone will need to pull your credit report. If you have bad credit, it may not be a good experience for you. There is lots of talk about annualcreditreport, but there is not much talk about not getting your credit score there. Annualcreditreport does provide you with a free credit report from all 3 credit bureaus, but you don’t get your scores. You can get this report once a year for free. A lot can happen to your credit report during a year’s time. Here are some examples.
Inaccurate credit report
Studies show that inaccuracies are common in credit reports and can harm your ability to get loans. Inaccurate information on your credit will cause harm to your credit rating. When your credit rating is jeopardized, so is the ability to get loans, good interest rates, or even that new “Dream Job.” Often there is human error involved in the reporting process. Creditors pay someone to report information about you. At times this information may have been keyed in incorrectly, and as a result your credit score drops.
Identity Theft Protection
Someone’s identity is stolen every 3 seconds. If you think about that, someone could be stealing your identity as you read this article. That is pretty scary. If an identity thief has got your information currently and is out using your credit, how would you ever find out without pulling your credit report? Maybe someone is out opening credit in your name, and charging up stuff. What ever the thief is doing, you are probably not going to find out about it until it’s too late. If you get credit report monitoring services set up, you would get e-mail alerts when critical changes take place to your credit report. Critical changes like someone opening credit in your name and out having a field day with your credit.
Conclusion:
Checking your credit report should not be a scary thing, it should be a positive thing. If you are managing your credit properly, then you will pull your credit in confidence. You will be able to go to creditors and get good interest rate loans with ease. Since a lot can happen to your credit in such a short time, you should get a copy of your free credit score report every 60 to 90 days. Checking your credit report once a year is asking for a disaster, and is total disregard for what is really going on out there Protect yourself by staying on top of your report. I would not wait for it to happen to you, check your free credit score report today.
ERICKSON
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James Peter asked:
Commercial credit reports give a business owner a decision to do a spending at the precise moment and without any major repercussions. The national credit bureaus give such commercial credit reports. However, the way one bureau gives result in comparison to another credit bureau slightly varies. The deviation in the result may give an owner of the business unit a skewed view of his business’s financial standing.
It is required that the commercial credit reports be confidential. Thus, a need for confidentiality and privacy of the contents of the report is required. Discrete nature of such report gives an end-user the much-needed advantage over his competition. Commercial credit reports may be all data and graph or it may contain detailed summary of the report along with data. Contents of these reports vary according to the user need and the credit bureau.
There are a number of sources from where a businessperson may find commercial credit reports. However, availing such report from an online agency is a great respite for them. One commercial credit reports come free of cost and saves a business person’s valuable time. Such an individual just needs to fill in some information on the business unit and he or she avails commercial credit reports.
With the usage of commercial credit reports as a benchmark to lend a business unit an amount, it is important that a borrower have this report before applying for a loan. Whether you wish to add a new facility in your business or wish to upgrade machines used in your manufacturing unit, information through commercial credit reports give you the chance to know your financial creditability.
To avail these reports, one should go for online commercial credit reports as these come with minimal charges. There are a number of online sources from where one may avail such reports at free-of-cost. Avail these reports today and see whether the lenders may finance your business expansion or not.
CYR
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Cathy Taylor asked:
So you ordered a copy of your credit report to check for inaccuracies and get the most from your credit score. Now how do you read it? Your credit report is read and used by any number of people you deal with on a daily basis, from your landlord to your employer to a potential lender. Fortunately, it has gotten easier to order a copy of your report, but it’s not so easy to understand what all those abbreviations and numbers mean once you’ve got it.
If you haven’t ordered your credit report yet, you will soon be entitled to a free copy from each of the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Some states can already take advantage of this new policy, but people living in eastern states will have to wait until September of 2005. Order your free yearly copies from all three agencies and check for the availability of the annual reporting program in your area at the same website: www.annualcreditreport.com . Each report will contain different information because retailers and creditors only report to the agency in their area or with whom they have an agreement.
Once you have your credit report in your hands, you will see that it is divided into four main sections:
• Consumer information
• Account histories
• Public records
• Inquiries
Double check the accuracy of your identifying information. This will include your name, address, phone number, previous addresses, date of birth, and Social Security number (SSN).
Next, for each account history, or trade line, you will see the following information:
• Date you opened the account
• Type of credit account (either installment, such as a car loan or mortgage, or revolving, such as a credit card)
• Name(s) on the account
• Total loan amount, credit limit, or highest card balance
• Amount you currently owe
• Amount of your monthly payment
• Account status (either open, closed, inactive, paid, or other)
• How promptly you have paid on the account
Credit agencies vary as to how they word various sections of the report and should provide you with a guide to reading their versions. One agency might report in the last column of an account history that you paid “on time” or “30 days late.” Another agency might use a numeric code to rate how well you paid off a debt. R1 is the code used for an excellent repayment history on a revolving charge account. I1 is the code used for an excellent repayment history on an installment account. Obviously, the higher the number next to either the R or I, the lower your repayment history is rated. So an R4 would indicate a history of late payments.
The public records section will include any tax liens, bankruptcies, judgments, or other financial-related legal matters. Depending on the type of action taken, these damaging records may stay on your credit report for up to 7 to 10 years.
The last section lists the inquiries made on your credit. Hard inquiries are those requests to pull your credit when you apply for such things as loans or lines of credit for services. Soft inquiries result when companies sending out promotional items to pre-qualified individuals check your history or when your current creditors check your payment status. The soft inquiries only show up on the report that you order, not on reports pulled by lenders.
While too many inquiries in a short period of time can signal a red flag to a lender, most credit scoring models are least affected by this portion of your report.
Check your report for any errors and report them immediately in writing. If you need more information about how to reach the three main credit bureaus, please go to www.apscreen.com.
Don’t forget that the credit agency providing your report is also a great source of information on not only reading your credit report, but raising your credit score.
MONTGOMERY
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Abhishek Agarwal asked:
Did you know that you can get a free credit report? Your credit report is the document that records all your credit transactions. It is what finance companies, banks and credit card companies use to judge whether you are a good risk. If you’ve had difficulty getting a loan or a credit card it may be because you have a bad credit report.
What is the point of knowing your credit report you may ask. If you can’t get credit what can you do about it?
Well there’s plenty you can do. Getting your free credit report can really help you turn the situation around. It is a way of taking control of your financial affairs. This is the starting point to improving your record score so that you can get loans.
When you get your credit report you can make sure that no one has stolen your identity and is running up bad debts in your name. This was one of the main reasons the legislation was brought in. The problem of identity theft is a serious one. The Fair And Accurate Credit TRansactions Act was passed in December 2003 specifically to prevent identity theft.
The FACT Act as it is known allows US citizens to see their credit report once a year. They can check it for accuracy and have mistakes changed.
There are three credit reporting companies: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. You can get a free report from any one of them. They are all similar but areproduced by slightly different methods.
You can go to the website of one these companies and apply for a free credit report. They can be found at www.experian.com, www.equifax.com, or www.transunion.com. Alternatively, you can visit www.annualcreditreport.com or www.freecreditreport.com. Follow the instructions to get your credit report.
They will check your identity by asking a few personal questions just as your bank would. But the process is not difficult. If you find no problems then there is probably no need to get the other reports. If you find problems then it is worth paying to see the others and correcting the mistakes.
Information that was once kept secret from consumers is now freely available. This is a resource and you should make use of it. It will help you to keep a good credit score and keep your finances in order. Since this legislation came into force checking your credit report has become one of the basic tasks of personal financial management.
You may not have had your identity stolen. The bad credit score may be all your own work. But once you know what the damage is you can set about putting it right. The worst thing you can do when the debts start piling up is to hide your head in the sand.
SUGGS
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Helen March And Karen Ciancio asked:
Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion are the 3 major credit bureaus and are required by law (Fair Credit Reporting Act – FCRA) to provide you with a free annual credit report at your request.
Once every 12 months you can request a free copy of your credit report. Your credit report includes information on where you live, how you pay your bills, whether you’ve been sued, arrested, or whether you have filed for bankruptcy.
The 3 major credit bureaus sell the information in your report to your creditors, your insurers, employers, and other businesses. Those businesses use your report to assess and evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, or even renting a home…
You are also entitled to one Experian, TransUnion or Equifax Free Credit Report during any 12-month period no matter where you live, if:
You are unemployed and intend to apply for a job in the next 60 days.
You are on public welfare assistance.
You believe your credit report contains inaccurate information due to fraud.
You have received notice of an adverse decision within the past 60 days:
You were denied credit
You were denied insurance coverage
You were denied employment
Otherwise, each of these 3 major credit bureaus may charge you up to $9.50 for another copy of your report within a 12-month period.
You can request a copy of your Equifax free credit report here:
Equifax Information Services LLC
P.O. Box 740241 Atlanta, GA 30374
or call 800-685-1111
Another alternative is to print out the Annual Credit Report Request Form at the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) site and when filling out the form, be sure to mark only the Equifax free credit report. (Save the free report requests from TransUnion Credit Bureau and Experian Credit Bureau for another time.)
The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) recommends that you obtain an application for the free annual credit reports through:
annualcreditreport.com or
Call: 1-877-322-8228 or
Mail the request to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service,
P.O. Box 105281,
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.
For more information on your rights and application to access to your Equifax free credit report, visit the FTC site at ftc.gov.
Your Equifax free credit report is a snapshot of your borrowing and bill paying behavior over the last 24 months. The report will provide you with a credit score. With careful planning and as time goes by you have the power to change it for the better.
FINN
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S. Michael Windsor asked:
Correcting Errors on Your Credit Report
So what do you do if you receive your credit report and there are negative marks on it that you never even had any part in? This very situation has occurred for many individuals already and may very well occur again on someone’s credit report in the near future. If this ever happens to you, what are you supposed to do about it? The road is never easy in this case, but there are indeed ways to correct any errors on your credit report.
If you discover an error on your credit report, the very first thing you should do is contact your consumer credit reporting company that issued your report in writing. Yes, the FTC recommends a written statement be sent to the reporting company. In the letter you should include copies of all the relevant documents required as evidence that it is indeed an error. In addition, the required elements such as your name, address, an explanation of the erroneous situation at hand and why you are disputing the error with all errors that are being disputed circled on the copy of the credit report. Also in the letter, the suggested correction, such as a request to delete the item completely, should also be stated in the letter.
When delivering the letter off to your reporting company, remember to send it via certified mail in order to make sure that you get confirmation that they had indeed received it in the case there is a dispute in regards to someone not even getting the letter. In addition to a certified letter, make sure you make copies of the letter(s) as well in order to keep record on file in the case that there may be a dispute on their end.
After the reporting company receives your dispute letter, they will begin their investigation on the matter, that is, if they deem the dispute as not being frivolous. They will normally begin their investigation within 30 days of receiving your letter. During the investigation, the reporting company will forward all documents and disputes to the organization(s) in question in order for the disputed organization to do their own investigation of why they placed that item on your credit report. Once they complete their investigation, they must then send back their statement on whether it is truly an error or not and support that statement with further evidence of their own.
In the case that the information is indeed inaccurate, then the organization at fault must inform all credit reporting companies of their error and have it corrected. Once this is complete, the credit reporting company will send you a new, updated credit report after the inaccuracy has been corrected.
Now, if your item in question is indeed correct and the organization has the evidence to back it up, then you will also receive a written statement in regards to this issue and you will have an option, for a slight fee, to place a note in your credit report in regards to your dispute about the item. This statement will be provided to all who see your credit report in the future as well as those who already received your credit report.
WILLIS
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Ray Eddings asked:
The yearly summary of your annual personal credit report, the report which tells how the consumer is basically paying the companies to which he or she owes money, is a major factor to judge your credit worth. The annual credit report for every person is maintained by the financial institutions and the loan providing companies. The various companies include their outputs in the credit reports. These reports are a collective effort of the creditors or the landlords etc. who are a major part as loan providers. The annual personal credit score and report is the indicator of your borrowing habits throughout the year. The annual credit report for any person influences the creditors and the lenders to extend or cancel your loan.
There are lots of uses for which a personal credit report is maintained. The major uses of these reports are:
-By looking at the report, various companies decide the status of your coming loans. The companies decide whether to continue your loan or not. The report suggests the financial institutions about the risks that are involved if the finance group gives you a loan.
-If your existing lenders move away and do not provide you with the loans then finding other lenders can be a tough job if your annual credit report is not good.
-Credit cards also will turn more expensive for you if you are not able to maintain a good annual report. Sometimes a bad report or score would not allow you to access your credit card and even getting a new card would not be possible.
-Sometimes, renting a house would become even more difficult because some house owners check the credit report of the paying guests.
There are a few factors that you need to know so as to maintain your annual credit report and give it a good shape. Keep in mind that FICO system is considered by many financial banks and institutions. You need to maintain a good FICO score. To maintain a good credit score, these scores are required to maintain a good annual report. Keeping a regular check of your annual report can help you maintain a good report and scores.
Many financial institutions provide free credit check for your credit reports. These are provided to any person by these institutions so they can easily maintain their credit scores to a good level.
The importance of annual reports and scores are clear and these are required to you in stages when you need money the most, so also keep your payments on time. Never delay your payments to the lenders. Even your monthly installments and your loan repayments, be it monthly, yearly or quarterly must be paid well in time just to maintain goodwill and also a good annual credit report by a person.
So try and consult financial institutions and maintain a good credit report for your benefit.
KLINE
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Lisa Nichols asked:
Your credit report and your credit score are used by a variety of businesses to help them learn more about you. Anyone with a business need and your permission is allowed to see your credit report or credit score. In some cases, your permission isn’t even needed for someone to view your credit history.
When Your Permission Isn’t Needed to View Your Credit Report
Lenders and credit card companies partner with the credit bureaus to be able to send customers promotional offers. These companies don’t need your permission to view your credit report. You’ve already provided them with tacit permission to review your credit history by not submitting a request to be taken off their mailing lists. This request form is available from each of the three credit bureaus.
Prospective Landlords Can See Your Credit Report
Landlords are allowed to run credit reports and background checks on prospective tenants. Landlords use this information to decide if they want to rent to applicants. If a credit report has issues or problems, a landlord may still choose to rent to the applicant, but he or she is legally allowed to charge an additional fee or increased security deposit.
Hiring Companies and Insurance Companies Can See Credit Reports and Scores
Hiring companies and insurance companies can see your credit score or credit report. Hiring companies use the information contained in a credit report to get a big picture view of prospective employees. Insurance companies use information they see on a credit score or credit report to help determine rates and eligibility for insurance. Both types of businesses must request permission in writing before reviewing a credit report; this is usually part of a job application or an application for insurance.
Lenders and Creditors Can Review Credit Scores
Lenders and credit card companies can review credit scores and credit reports to determine credit worthiness when you’ve applied for a loan or a credit card. In addition, if you have open loans or credit card accounts, those lenders and creditors can also review your credit to monitor changes.
Experian Triple Advantage Allows You to Review Credit Report
See what others are seeing when they review your credit report with Experian Triple Advantage. Order a copy of your credit report and credit score online. Then, use customized tips provided by Experian Triple Advantage to improve your credit score.
FAIRBANKS
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Ryan asked:
If you are about to dispute credit report errors, here are some tips to get the results you want quickly.
1. Review your credit report periodically and be prepared to dispute credit report errors. It is common for information on your credit report to be inaccurate, and it can affect your ability to get a loan and the amount you have to pay to borrow money.
2. Only order your credit report form the official Annual Credit Report site. Any other website that offers a “free annual credit report” only does so when purchasing one of their products or signing up for a free trial that will automatically bill you after 30 days. The Annual Credit Report site is completely free and allows instant access to your current credit report.
3. After reviewing your credit report contact the credit reporting agency, in writing, about the information you believe to be inaccurate. Send a copy of your credit report to support your claim, and keep copies of all documentation for yourself.
4. Send your letter via certified mail so you have proof that the information was sent and a record of when the reporting agency received it. By law they have 30 days to review your claim and get back to you with a final determination.
5. If your claim is accepted, the information on your credit report will be removed and your credit score should improve. Upon request, the credit reporting agency must send a notice of the corrections to anyone that received your report within the last 6 months.
6. Keep an eye on your credit report going forward. Just because you dispute credit report errors and win, that does not prevent the creditor or lender to put the negative information right back on your file. If this occurs, you will have to start the process all over again.
AVILES
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