Credit Information

Dont Fall for Credit Repair Scams


We've all seen the ads on television or in magazines, shouting, "Erase bad debt!" or "Remove negative entries from your credit report!" If you're a person suffering from a less-than-stellar credit rating, those headlines may seem like the answer to a prayer.

The only problems is, those programs don't work, and to add insult to injury, you'll find yourself paying hefty fees to those companies, only to end up right where you started, or worse. Sometimes, what is couched as a credit repair program may actually be an attempt to steal your identity by gaining information about your social security number, bank accounts, and credit cards.

Here's how the credit repair scam generally works:

First, the company will contact the various credit bureaus and tell them that the negative information contained in your files is false. Since they want to accurately reflect your credit information, the credit bureaus will temporarily remove the negative information while they investigate the claims. Meanwhile, the scammer sends you a copy of your credit file, showing that the negative information has been removed, claiming that your credit history has now been repaired.

It will seem like a miracle, until you learn that as soon as the credit bureaus have completed their investigation, any accurate negative information will be returned to your credit report, and you'll be back where you started, minus the fees that you paid to the scammer.

The key concept to remember when it comes to your credit report is that accurate entries will stay on that report for seven years from the time they're reported to the credit agencies. Bankruptcies stay on a report for fourteen years.

There are many honest companies that can help you with debt problems. But how can you know if a company is legitimate? First, scammers will ask for their money up front, while legitimate credit repair companies can't require payment from their clients until they've performed the services they've promised. In many states, they must also give you a detailed written contract, clearly explaining your legal rights and giving you the option to cancel within three days.

The bottom line: know who you're dealing with when it comes to trying to repair your credit. Mistakes can cost you dearly, doing even more damage to your credit, creating even more debt problems, and sometimes costing large amounts of money.

Copyright © 2005 Jeanette J. Fisher - All Rights Reserved.

Forget what you've been told about credit. "Credit Help!" author Professor Jeanette Fisher was forced into becoming a credit expert. She loves helping people buy houses. Get the credit you need to buy one house or twenty. Visit Real Estate Credit Help Center: http://www.recredithelp.com

  


MORE RESOURCES:

BBC News

Former Credit Suisse broker arrested in US
Swissinfo, Switzerland - 6 hours ago
A former Credit Suisse broker has been arrested for fraud and conspiracy over deceptive sales of subprime-related auction-rate debt in the United States. ...
Former Credit Suisse broker charged with subprime-linked fraud in ... International Herald Tribune
UPDATE 1-FBI arrests ex-Credit Suisse broker Reuters
Criminal charges for ex-Credit Suisse brokers Independent
Washington Post - Forbes
all 468 news articles


CEP News

S&P upgrades Raytheon credit ratings 1 notch
CNNMoney.com - 18 hours ago
S&P upgraded the company's long-term corporate credit rating to "A-" from "BBB+." The outlook is "Stable." The Waltham, Mass. ...
Credit rating soars in District 300 Northwest Herald
Starbucks downgraded to 'BBB' on weakening credit metrics - S&P Hemscott
Standard & Poor’s reviews Fifth Third, Regions, Synovus, Colonial Milwaukee Business Journal
Wall Street Journal - The Plain Dealer - cleveland.com
all 91 news articles


Credit Crunch: The Sequel
U.S. News & World Report, DC - 22 hours ago
And that certainly seemed to be the case in March when investment bank Bear Stearns became the highest-profile victim of the credit crisis. ...
UPDATE 1-US banks' direct borrowing hits record in week Reuters
UPDATE:Comml Bks Set Record For Avg Discount Window Borrowing FXstreet.com The Foreign Exchange Market
The Market: What the Pros Are Saying BusinessWeek
The Associated Press - San Jose Mercury News
all 78 news articles


Legg Mason's stock hit by Credit Suisse downgrade
Reuters - 17 hours ago
Credit Suisse analyst Craig Siegenthaler downgraded Legg Mason, the No. 2 publicly traded US asset management company, to "underperform" from "neutral," ...
After Credit Suisse downgrade, Legg shares fall Daily Record (subscription)
Legg Mason leads financials lower MarketWatch
Legg Mason shares slide after ratings downgrade Forbes
Baltimore Sun - 24/7 Wall St.
all 20 news articles


To Your Credit, Two Cards
Washington Post, United States - 6 hours ago
Dear Heloise: My suggestion is to carry two (different type -- Heloise) major CREDIT CARDS. When in a foreign country recently, I found an airport desk that ...


MOVES-Unicredit, Pacific investment, Credit Suisse
Reuters - 2 hours ago
Sept 5 (Reuters) - The following financial services industry appointments were announced on Friday. To inform us of other job changes, please e-mail ...
In praise of… Pimco FT Alphaville
Pimco Names El-Erian CEO Of the Bond-Investing Giant Wall Street Journal
all 33 news articles


Police seek credit union robber
Salt Lake Tribune, United States - 14 hours ago
Posted: 3:57 PM- Salt Lake City police are seeking the man who robbed a credit union Thursday. The Mountain America Credit Union at 1225 S. Redwood Road was ...
Man robs credit union KSL-TV
Officers searching for man who robbed credit union Deseret News
all 3 news articles


Washington Post

Lehman credit spreads narrow amid KDB speculation
Reuters - 22 minutes ago
Lehman's credit default swaps narrowed 20 basis points to 325 basis points, or $325000 per year for five years to insure $10 million in debt, according to ...
Credit crunch: Small Korean bank in $6bn bid to rescue Lehman guardian.co.uk
Southpaw: Blood now, pay later: banks get ready for bonus season Euro Week
Lehman nears rescue deal with KDB Financial Post
Bloomberg - MarketWatch
all 847 news articles


Washington Post

Agent's credit cards led to arrests
Houston Chronicle, United States - 11 hours ago
By PEGGY O'HARE Authorities have arrested two people linked to credit cards stolen from a Woodlands federal agent who died after he was severely beaten ...
Thomas J. Byrne; DEA Supervisory Agent in Houston Washington Post
all 3 news articles


UPDATE 1-US credit problems far from over - FDIC's Bair
Reuters - 12 hours ago
"You simply must accept that the credit downturn is far from over," Bair said in prepared remarks to a banking group in Florida, a state where the US ...
On credit watch RightSide Advisors
Bank Failures Rising How to Protect Your Money Inglewood Today
FDIC Quandary Could Stick US Taxpayers With the Tab for the US ... Money Morning
InvestmentNews - Sarasota Herald-Tribune
all 17 news articles

credit - Google News

Article List | Index | Site Map
All logos, trademarks and articles on this site are property and copyright of their respective owner(s).
The comments are property of their posters, all the rest is Copyright © 2006 CanadaSEEK.com - All Rights Reserved.