Professional Credit Repair Companies and Self Help Tips
If you are having problems with your credit there are steps you can take to improve it on your own for free. This is better than using a credit repair agency that may charge you. Use the tips in this article to get on your way to repairing your credit.
One of the best self-help tips for credit repair is to become pro-active as soon as you realize that your money is just not going to spread far enough to cover all of your monthly bills. You should immediately contact creditors at the first sign that you are not going to be able to make ends meet. Explain your situation and see if you can structure a modified payment plan which reduces your payments to ones that you can pay. This will cause less damage to your credit than having your account turned over to a debt collector.
Credit Repair Company
If you have signed up with a credit repair company and realize that you have been scammed, you should immediately file a complaint with the Fair Trade Commission. If the offer you accepted was deceptive and/or illegal, you may have legal recourse to get back any fees you have paid.
Before choosing a credit repair company, research them thoroughly. Credit repair is a business model that is rife with possibilities for fraud. You are usually in an emotional place when you've reached the point of having to use a credit repair agency, and unscrupulous agencies prey on this. Research companies online, with references and through the Better Business Bureau before signing anything.
Recognizing tactics used by disreputable credit repair companies can help you avoid hiring one before it's too late. Any company that asks for money in advance is not only underhanded but criminal. The Credit Repair Organizations Act prohibits credit repair companies from accepting payments before their services have been rendered. In addition, they neglect to inform you of your rights or to tell you what steps you can take to improve your credit report for free.
When trying to repair your credit, keep a keen eye open for possible credit repair scams. For example, any company that wants money up front for services is likely a scam. This is because the Credit Repair Organization's Act says credit repair companies cannot require you to pay until they have completed their services.
If you file bankruptcy, ignore the calls you receive afterwards from credit repair firms. A bankruptcy is a public record and many scams are run by companies preying on your weakness after having to file a bankruptcy. Avoid this issue by only working with companies that you make the initial contact with.
Don't ever pay a credit repair service anything, especially a large deposit, up front. The Federal Credit Repair Organizations Act actually prohibits any agency from accepting payment before the credit repair services are rendered. Any company demanding payment up front is by definition breaking the law, and is probably only a scam.
People who are trying to repair their credit by looking for credit repair services should be wary of credit repair scams. There are a number of companies who claim to offer free advice from credit experts while they are overcharging you greatly for information you can get freely on your own.
Credit Repair Service
When using a credit repair service, be sure not to pay any money upfront for these services. It is unlawful for a company to ask you for any money until they have proven that they have given you the results they promised when you signed your contract. The results can be seen in your credit report issued by the credit bureau, and this could take six months or more once the corrections were made.
Since there are so many companies that offer credit repair service, how can you tell if the company behind these offers are up to no good? If the company suggests that you make no direct contact with the three major nationwide consumer reporting companies, it is probably an unwise choice to let this company help repair your credit.
There are steps you can take on your own to improve your credit for free instead of using a credit repair agency. By using the tips provided above they will give you a chance at repairing your own credit free of charge and without using a costly credit repair service.
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For more about credit repair companies and how they will work with you to clean credit and win your credit report dispute to erase derogatory items on your credit file visit us - http://www.howtoimprovemycreditfast.com/2012/03/best-credit-repair-company-what-they.html
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