Don’t use them, they’re a waste of money, because you can do all this yourself. Go to http://www.creditinfocenter.com to learn how to fix your credit yourself, for very little out of pocket money (just the price of postage).
If money isn’t an issue, and you would rather spend $500-$2000 on a credit repair company, I would recommend http://www.lexingtonlaw.com.
So-called credit repair companies have made credit even worse in many cases for people.
If you cannot afford your bills with how they are set up right now, you should first try to see what your creditors can do for you. If they won’t budge, go to credit counseling. If that doesn’t work for you, try debt management or debt consolidation. Each is different from another. Get educated to learn what kind does what.
I went with CareOne for my debt management plan. They helped to decrease the interest rate and eliminate late fees. And they didn’t promise me to increase my credit score, which makes them reputable because no one has the power to do that.
I really get a kick out of people who tell you not to use a credit repair company because you can do it yourself. I usually tell them they had better not use a mechanic when their car breaks down then because they can fix their car themselves, too. When undergoing credit repair, if you don’t know what you are doing, you can end up damaging your credit even worse than it was when you started. Therefore, like your car, you should let professionals do it.
Credit and Debt counselors are good for some people. Usually you only want to use these services if you are confident that you will NOT need your credit again for at least five years. Using those type of services will generally generate poor credit for up to 10 years.
What makes a company “professional”? Lexington Law is the largest credit repair firm in the country, are they professional? If you ask me, I would answer NO. They guy who sells those so called credit holy books, is he professional? Again, NO. So what determines a professional company from one that is not?
Read this article as a beginning point. It will tell you of 10 things to look for in a legitimate and professional company. The company you choose does not have to meet all 10 criteria to be professional but they should meet at least seven out of these 10 items.
The TRUTH about Credit Repair: Aren’t They All Scams or Illegal?
This topic is a really hot one right now. People are falling victim to so many scam artists out there who are taking people’s money and offering false hope.
What is credit restoration? It is a means by which one can have negative information removed from one’s credit file by using the more than 300 different laws contained in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). If you know how to use and manipulate those laws, you can successfully remove any information from your credit report, even if it is legitimate. This is possible because of many factors, but chief amongst these is that there is no law in any jurisdiction in the United States which REQUIRES information about you be reported for seven minutes, much less seven years. The truth is that anyone can write to the credit bureaus to have negative information removed from their file. But, like fixing your car’s engine, it is usually better to have a professional do it for you. If you don’t know what you are doing, you can end up doing more harm than good.
That is easier said than done. Currently in the United States, there are ONLY A FEW legitimate credit restoration companies. Each has their strengths and their flaws, but they are professionals with many years of experience backing them up. Unfortunately, this cannot be said about most people in the country who are performing credit repair. What has happened in many cases that I have investigated is a person bought a do-it-yourself kit over the internet and had some success with their own credit file. Problem is, now they think they can repair anyone’s credit. This is what worries me most. An untrained, unlicensed, un-bonded and uninsured person handling other people’s credit files. There is absolutely NO accountability if, or rather, when this person screws things up.
It is up to you to do the research. You should ask a lot of questions and perform your due dilligence. If you can’t do the bare minimum to protect yourself, then don’t come crying to me if you are taken for all of your money. But, to help you determine the scams from the legits, I have compiled 10 tips on how to tell the difference:
1: If they advertise that they will repair your credit in anything less than 18 months, you are not dealing with a legal company. The LAW requires that any credit restoration agency cannot advertise or represent that they can restore or repair your credit in less than 18 months. (Remember this number, it is going to come up again later.)
2: Check on how long the company has been in business. If they have been around for more than 10 years, you are probably dealing with a reputable company.
3: Do your due dilligence. Check with the BBB. The BBB will provide an unbiased report of how many complaints have been filed against the company in the previous three years. There are two things that you want to consider here. First, if there are more than a dozen complaints over the previous three year period, then this company has serious issues and you should be concerned. Also, if the BBB has no file at all on the business, just walk away from the business. Anyone who is hiding from the BBB should be looked upon with suspicion.
4: Ask for pricing when talking to one of their reps. If they hem and haw about what they charge, or say that it depends on how much they have to remove from your report, they are hiding something from you. A good rule of thumb, if the rep is unwilling to answer any question of yours up front and with honesty, you are not dealing with a legitimate company. This does not mean that if the rep states that they will answer the question in a moment, that they are hiding something. It just means that they are getting there and just need to lay a little groundwork first. Remember, reps are all salespersons. They are there to sell you their service. This is good, believe it or not. This encourages competition in the business and keeps costs down. (Which reminds me: DON’T PAY MORE THAN $1200 PER PERSON FOR THE SERVICE.)
5: Ask if the company is licensed, bonded and insurred. Ask for proof. If they will not provide you with their bond information, (which they MUST have in order to obtain their license and insurance) this should raise alarm bells.
6: Ask for examples of successes the company has had. A legitimate company will have copies of investigation results (with personal information blacked out of course) that will show you how successful they can be.
7: How long are they going to work for you? Yes, that’s right, remember that these companies work FOR you. If they are just going to maintain a business relationship with you for the length of time it takes to repair your credit, beware. What often happens in these cases is that after the company has cleared negative information from your credit report they sever their relationship with you and a couple of months later the information returns to your credit report. Now what are you going to do? Your options are to leave the negative information and suffer for 7-10 years or hire someone, again, to remove the information, again. A reputable company will stay with you for the FULL 18 months (I told you this number would come up again). This allows them to continuously monitor your credit reports and remove any negative information that may re-insert itself after the initial sanitizing.
8: What other services do they offer? If they are a legitimate company, they will have rescources that will help you to re-establish yourself in the financial world. Things like the ability to help obtain a debit card even if you can’t open a checking or savings account. (Yes, believe it or not, it can be done!) Can you call their credit advisors any time for advice? Is legal representation available if you have to go to court against the credit reporting agencies? ASK! If the company is letgitimate, they will have a team of lawyers that will handle these kinds of legal matters for the duration of your contract.
9: Does their contract advise you of your rights? If not, why? Because they don’t know the laws! And if they don’t know the laws that are designed to protect you, how can you expect them to know the complexities of the Fair Credit Reporting Act which has over 300 laws?
10: Is there a money back guarantee? In this business refunds are usually prorated. In other words, if you have 50 negative things on your reports and they can only have 30 removed, you are refunded 40% of your money since they were able to get 60% of the information removed. If there is no money back offer, run away! A company that has faith in their services will offer to refund the money if they can’t do the work.
If you have any further questions regarding this or any other credit issues, you may feel free to contact me at nebula7693@yahoo.com
I agree with Quickchek, in that you can easily do this yourself and the only cost would be time and postage. Creditinfocenter.com is an excellent site, as well as Creditboards.com. They both have great information, sample letters and forums that you can discuss credit with other knowledgeable people.
Believe me, it’s not that hard at all to learn this credit stuff. Sure, the FCRA is long and sometimes complicated, but there are plenty of places out there that break it down into laymans terms, and the part that consumers use mostly is confined to a one section generally.
I used a credit repair company before and spent alot of money for just a waste of time. They took about three months of my time and didn’t deliver what they said they would.
so now i just do it myself. Your best bet is doing it yourself, what i started using is credit matrix which is a software that helps people like you and me fix your credit on there own.
I only pay $19.95 a month which is way less than what i had to pay with the credit repair company. Its really easy to use you don’t have to download it. Not only does the software help with fixing your credit it also has tools to help with debt negotiation and soon they will be adding loan modification to there software!
All of this for only $19.95 a month!
F.Y.I I am not trying to sell anything im just sharing my experiences.
if you don’t believe me just check it out for yourself or give them a call there a really good company they don’t just focus on credit repair or selling a product there a company that really cares about helping people get out of there financial problems. I’m so blessed to have come across them so give them a try. Its better than paying someone $500 dollars for something that you can do yourself.
Don’t use them, they’re a waste of money, because you can do all this yourself. Go to http://www.creditinfocenter.com to learn how to fix your credit yourself, for very little out of pocket money (just the price of postage).
If money isn’t an issue, and you would rather spend $500-$2000 on a credit repair company, I would recommend http://www.lexingtonlaw.com.
Good luck!
So-called credit repair companies have made credit even worse in many cases for people.
If you cannot afford your bills with how they are set up right now, you should first try to see what your creditors can do for you. If they won’t budge, go to credit counseling. If that doesn’t work for you, try debt management or debt consolidation. Each is different from another. Get educated to learn what kind does what.
I went with CareOne for my debt management plan. They helped to decrease the interest rate and eliminate late fees. And they didn’t promise me to increase my credit score, which makes them reputable because no one has the power to do that.
Good luck.
I really get a kick out of people who tell you not to use a credit repair company because you can do it yourself. I usually tell them they had better not use a mechanic when their car breaks down then because they can fix their car themselves, too. When undergoing credit repair, if you don’t know what you are doing, you can end up damaging your credit even worse than it was when you started. Therefore, like your car, you should let professionals do it.
Credit and Debt counselors are good for some people. Usually you only want to use these services if you are confident that you will NOT need your credit again for at least five years. Using those type of services will generally generate poor credit for up to 10 years.
What makes a company “professional”? Lexington Law is the largest credit repair firm in the country, are they professional? If you ask me, I would answer NO. They guy who sells those so called credit holy books, is he professional? Again, NO. So what determines a professional company from one that is not?
Read this article as a beginning point. It will tell you of 10 things to look for in a legitimate and professional company. The company you choose does not have to meet all 10 criteria to be professional but they should meet at least seven out of these 10 items.
The TRUTH about Credit Repair: Aren’t They All Scams or Illegal?
This topic is a really hot one right now. People are falling victim to so many scam artists out there who are taking people’s money and offering false hope.
What is credit restoration? It is a means by which one can have negative information removed from one’s credit file by using the more than 300 different laws contained in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). If you know how to use and manipulate those laws, you can successfully remove any information from your credit report, even if it is legitimate. This is possible because of many factors, but chief amongst these is that there is no law in any jurisdiction in the United States which REQUIRES information about you be reported for seven minutes, much less seven years. The truth is that anyone can write to the credit bureaus to have negative information removed from their file. But, like fixing your car’s engine, it is usually better to have a professional do it for you. If you don’t know what you are doing, you can end up doing more harm than good.
That is easier said than done. Currently in the United States, there are ONLY A FEW legitimate credit restoration companies. Each has their strengths and their flaws, but they are professionals with many years of experience backing them up. Unfortunately, this cannot be said about most people in the country who are performing credit repair. What has happened in many cases that I have investigated is a person bought a do-it-yourself kit over the internet and had some success with their own credit file. Problem is, now they think they can repair anyone’s credit. This is what worries me most. An untrained, unlicensed, un-bonded and uninsured person handling other people’s credit files. There is absolutely NO accountability if, or rather, when this person screws things up.
It is up to you to do the research. You should ask a lot of questions and perform your due dilligence. If you can’t do the bare minimum to protect yourself, then don’t come crying to me if you are taken for all of your money. But, to help you determine the scams from the legits, I have compiled 10 tips on how to tell the difference:
1: If they advertise that they will repair your credit in anything less than 18 months, you are not dealing with a legal company. The LAW requires that any credit restoration agency cannot advertise or represent that they can restore or repair your credit in less than 18 months. (Remember this number, it is going to come up again later.)
2: Check on how long the company has been in business. If they have been around for more than 10 years, you are probably dealing with a reputable company.
3: Do your due dilligence. Check with the BBB. The BBB will provide an unbiased report of how many complaints have been filed against the company in the previous three years. There are two things that you want to consider here. First, if there are more than a dozen complaints over the previous three year period, then this company has serious issues and you should be concerned. Also, if the BBB has no file at all on the business, just walk away from the business. Anyone who is hiding from the BBB should be looked upon with suspicion.
4: Ask for pricing when talking to one of their reps. If they hem and haw about what they charge, or say that it depends on how much they have to remove from your report, they are hiding something from you. A good rule of thumb, if the rep is unwilling to answer any question of yours up front and with honesty, you are not dealing with a legitimate company. This does not mean that if the rep states that they will answer the question in a moment, that they are hiding something. It just means that they are getting there and just need to lay a little groundwork first. Remember, reps are all salespersons. They are there to sell you their service. This is good, believe it or not. This encourages competition in the business and keeps costs down. (Which reminds me: DON’T PAY MORE THAN $1200 PER PERSON FOR THE SERVICE.)
5: Ask if the company is licensed, bonded and insurred. Ask for proof. If they will not provide you with their bond information, (which they MUST have in order to obtain their license and insurance) this should raise alarm bells.
6: Ask for examples of successes the company has had. A legitimate company will have copies of investigation results (with personal information blacked out of course) that will show you how successful they can be.
7: How long are they going to work for you? Yes, that’s right, remember that these companies work FOR you. If they are just going to maintain a business relationship with you for the length of time it takes to repair your credit, beware. What often happens in these cases is that after the company has cleared negative information from your credit report they sever their relationship with you and a couple of months later the information returns to your credit report. Now what are you going to do? Your options are to leave the negative information and suffer for 7-10 years or hire someone, again, to remove the information, again. A reputable company will stay with you for the FULL 18 months (I told you this number would come up again). This allows them to continuously monitor your credit reports and remove any negative information that may re-insert itself after the initial sanitizing.
8: What other services do they offer? If they are a legitimate company, they will have rescources that will help you to re-establish yourself in the financial world. Things like the ability to help obtain a debit card even if you can’t open a checking or savings account. (Yes, believe it or not, it can be done!) Can you call their credit advisors any time for advice? Is legal representation available if you have to go to court against the credit reporting agencies? ASK! If the company is letgitimate, they will have a team of lawyers that will handle these kinds of legal matters for the duration of your contract.
9: Does their contract advise you of your rights? If not, why? Because they don’t know the laws! And if they don’t know the laws that are designed to protect you, how can you expect them to know the complexities of the Fair Credit Reporting Act which has over 300 laws?
10: Is there a money back guarantee? In this business refunds are usually prorated. In other words, if you have 50 negative things on your reports and they can only have 30 removed, you are refunded 40% of your money since they were able to get 60% of the information removed. If there is no money back offer, run away! A company that has faith in their services will offer to refund the money if they can’t do the work.
If you have any further questions regarding this or any other credit issues, you may feel free to contact me at nebula7693@yahoo.com
I agree with Quickchek, in that you can easily do this yourself and the only cost would be time and postage. Creditinfocenter.com is an excellent site, as well as Creditboards.com. They both have great information, sample letters and forums that you can discuss credit with other knowledgeable people.
Believe me, it’s not that hard at all to learn this credit stuff. Sure, the FCRA is long and sometimes complicated, but there are plenty of places out there that break it down into laymans terms, and the part that consumers use mostly is confined to a one section generally.
Most are a waste my friend Sal got me hooked on http://www.creditrepairboard.com Credit Repair and debt forum. People like you and me… its awesome.
I used a credit repair company before and spent alot of money for just a waste of time. They took about three months of my time and didn’t deliver what they said they would.
so now i just do it myself. Your best bet is doing it yourself, what i started using is credit matrix which is a software that helps people like you and me fix your credit on there own.
I only pay $19.95 a month which is way less than what i had to pay with the credit repair company. Its really easy to use you don’t have to download it. Not only does the software help with fixing your credit it also has tools to help with debt negotiation and soon they will be adding loan modification to there software!
All of this for only $19.95 a month!
F.Y.I I am not trying to sell anything im just sharing my experiences.
if you don’t believe me just check it out for yourself or give them a call there a really good company they don’t just focus on credit repair or selling a product there a company that really cares about helping people get out of there financial problems. I’m so blessed to have come across them so give them a try. Its better than paying someone $500 dollars for something that you can do yourself.
Company information:
Your Easy Finance
http://www.youreasyfinance.com
888-412-0003