Part 2: Discover The Truth About Credit Report Repair

Did you know that credit report repair may be one of the biggest scams ever perpetrated on you the American Consumer? This article part 2 is a continuation of Part 1 of “Discover The Truth About Credit Report Repair”.

Many of the companies and individuals, which have bilked you he consumer, out of thousands of dollars have been put out of business and locked up for fraud. However, for every one that has been shut down it seems as if 3 more pop up. The sad thing is when the feds or the local state has shut them down; they simply pack a suitcase and move across the state line.

In some cases they simply change the name of the company and file for a new business license. In most states it is relatively easy to get a business license and open for business.

It is important for you to understand there are legitimate credit report repair companies. These companies will charge you a fee for doing the same thing you can do.

Here are some truths that you can do yourself without paying some one else to do it.

1. Disputed Debt: If you believe the amount of the money owed, shown on your credit transcript is wrong, you have the right to challenge it. You contact the lender with a letter or phone call, they have 30 days to respond. If they fail to do so you have the right to have it removed from your credit report.

Once the 30 days have passed it is your responsibility to call the credit reporting company and request it to be removed. Be sure you have a record of when and where you contacted the lender; you will need this for the credit reporting company to remove it from your report.

2. Bad debt shown but loan paid in full: Again if the loan has been paid off you have the right to negotiate with the lender and have it changed to “Loan Satisfied” or “Loan Paid In Full”. Even though it will remain on the credit report it will show others checking your credit you made it right.

3. Loan Negotiation: If you have failed to pay a loan on time or have defaulted on the loan, you have the right to try and make it right.

You can call the collection company or the lender and negotiate a settlement of the loan. Often times this could end up reducing the loan to pennies on the dollar. Once you have the reduced amount paid off, it will appear on your credit report as paid. Although it will reflect a reduced pay back it will show you have taken the necessary steps to try to make it right.

Folks you need to understand that the only way to do a legal credit report repair is to pay your debts. The debts you have paid late and defaulted on are going to be around for 7 years or longer. You heard right or longer being the keyword.

An example of this would be say if you have a defaulted loan in the year 2000. Normally it could drop off your credit report in 2007. However, you started to trying to clean up your credit report in 2005 and started a new pay back. Guess what? Its going to be on your credit report until 2012. But yet if you clean it up it will be for your good.

Credit report repair can be a long road, but you will find when you work at it, it will all be worth while.