Are there any reputable credit repair services or agencies?

[Sensia]

I have been battling with the big 3 credit reporting agencies with a number of credit issues that span back 10-12 years ago. I am just getting tired of the going back and forth with letters and documentation. In the past I didn't have as much trouble as I am having right now with getting crap off my credit report and cleaning it up.

So I am considering paying a credit repair service, but I have just heard some stories of how many are not very reputable and some just do a temporary band aid fix that generally only works for a little while then your back dealing with creditors and their collection agencies again.

Has anyone had any experience with these credit repair agencies and if so do you have any recommendations to one or two who are listed with the BBB and have a good reputation.

Any input would be appreciated.

[Sidewinder]

To a first approximation, NONE of the credit repair services are reputable.

The Obama Administration just set up some kind of credit repair/oversight/whatever agency. (I seem to recall it took a phony recess appointment to name a director for it.) They're supposed to ride herd on the Big Three credit reporting agencies. I don't know whether that outfit will do consumer credit cases, but they're going to be under a HUGE amount of pressure from the Current Occupant Of The Oval Office (to use Garrison Keilor's term) to come up with some good results.

You can bet there'll be a media blitz of some kind as soon as the agency cranks up and opens their doors for business. Talk to them.

One thing that I have found that helps with recalcitrant bureaucrats of this ilk: Send your message by Registered Mail. Registered Mail tends to get noticed, as it is generally ONLY used when someone is laying the grounds for a major lawsuit: they NEED you to receive that missive, and they need to be able to PROVE, in court, that you received that missive. You will get some blowback from the Post Offal on it: they'll try to tell you to use Certified Mail. DON'T DO IT. Stick to your guns and specify Registered Mail. (If the clerk asks you if you know the difference, you say "Yes. Registered Mail is accountable. Certified Mail is not.") That's the answer directly out of the DMM.)

[Sensia]

Hmmm.. well I have sent certified mail. Didn't realize the registered mail would make that much difference. I have been reading online about these credit repair agencies and all I am simply trying to do is get old outdated credit issues off my report. These are the credit issues that were either paid but not showing as paid, or have been passed from one collection agency to another over the past 10 years. Some of these should have been dropped off my credit report a long time ago and far exceeds the 7 year limit. Some of these collection agencies are reapplying and old debt from month to month over and over again and it is infuriating. I have been fighting with one of the collection agencies about an old debt that was in fact paid off.

I have a ton of old medical bills from 7 some odd years ago as well. Anyway thanks for the info.

[Whirlaway]

Would a FedEx delivery serve as the same standard of proof of delivery as "Registered Mail" ????

[Doove]

Originally Posted by Sensia

Has anyone had any experience with these credit repair agencies and if so do you have any recommendations to one or two who are listed with the BBB and have a good reputation.

Ask CPTJohnstone, he should be able to help ya.

[Sensia]

Oh edit, duh I realized who you were referring silly me. Damn I am tired. Thanks again Doove!

[CJ7]

before you bite read this


http://ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre13.shtm

[Sidewinder]

Originally Posted by Whirlaway

Would a FedEx delivery serve as the same standard of proof of delivery as "Registered Mail" ????

It MIGHT, but I would not be willing to rely on it. I'd rather do it right the first time.

[Sidewinder]

Originally Posted by CJ7

before you bite read this


http://ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre13.shtm

Thank you VERY much for posting that.

[Sensia]

Thanks for that Cj7, very informative. What has me baffled is 2 old debts that are 10 years old and a collection agency putting it back on my credit report after it had dropped off at the 7 year mark. It was my understanding after 7 years the credit reporting agencies have to eliminate that information.

[Doove]

Originally Posted by Sensia

Thanks for that Cj7, very informative. What has me baffled is 2 old debts that are 10 years old and a collection agency putting it back on my credit report after it had dropped off at the 7 year mark. It was my understanding after 7 years the credit reporting agencies have to eliminate that information.

This may or may not pertain to your situation, but a couple points based on my understanding of how the system works.

1)The 7 year mark is based on your last acknowledgement of your owing the debt. In other words, if the debt is from 2001, but you paid it off in 2008 (or even made a small payment on it in 2008), it'll be on your credit report until 2015....7 years subsequent to 2008. If it was sitting there stagnant from 2001 forward, it should fall off in 2008.

2)If there was a judgement placed on you for the debt, the debt will still fall off your report after 7 years, but you'll continue to have a judgement on your credit report for 20 years. It might reference the debt the judgement is from, which might be confusing, but you'll have 1 item as opposed to 2 separate items for that debt (1 line item specifically for the debt and a 2nd line item being the judgement).

Maybe that helps, maybe not. Either way, you can always contact Equifax or Trans Union (or whomever) directly and they'll then get in touch with the organization reporting the debt, requiring them to justify the accuracy of the info they're reporting. If they fail after 30 days, it falls off.

[Sensia]

Originally Posted by Doove

This may or may not pertain to your situation, but a couple points based on my understanding of how the system works.

1)The 7 year mark is based on your last acknowledgement of your owing the debt. In other words, if the debt is from 2001, but you paid it off in 2008 (or even made a small payment on it in 2008), it'll be on your credit report until 2015....7 years subsequent to 2008. If it was sitting there stagnant from 2001 forward, it should fall off in 2008.

2)If there was a judgement placed on you for the debt, the debt will still fall off your report after 7 years, but you'll continue to have a judgement on your credit report for 20 years. It might reference the debt the judgement is from, which might be confusing, but you'll have 1 item as opposed to 2 separate items for that debt (1 line item specifically for the debt and a 2nd line item being the judgement).

Maybe that helps, maybe not. Either way, you can always contact Equifax or Trans Union (or whomever) directly and they'll then get in touch with the organization reporting the debt, requiring them to justify the accuracy of the info they're reporting. If they fail after 30 days, it falls off.

Thanks for that information. I will look further into it.

[thorleif3x]

this is an old article but from a reputable site.also may also "search" on kiplinger's website, they do articles at times on these matters.

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/cc/20011008a.asp

[nwarounder]

Hire a lawyer if it's affecting you to the degree it seems. The other option is to read and understand thoroughly The Fair Credit Reporting Act and do it yourself. I have never heard of a reputable "credit repair" service and the government agency is a joke at best.

Usually a lawyer will send a letter to the places for 35-50 bucks, and providing they are reporting your credit in error, this will usually make them stop. If not, the lawyer can sue them for any damages you can prove that this has caused you.

[Doove]

Originally Posted by nwarounder

Hire a lawyer if it's affecting you to the degree it seems. The other option is to read and understand thoroughly The Fair Credit Reporting Act and do it yourself. I have never heard of a reputable "credit repair" service and the government agency is a joke at best.

Usually a lawyer will send a letter to the places for 35-50 bucks, and providing they are reporting your credit in error, this will usually make them stop. If not, the lawyer can sue them for any damages you can prove that this has caused you.

My company ignores letters from lawyers - so it's, at best, hit and miss. But if my company ignores an inquiry from Equifax, you win and my company loses because the info gets automatically expunged.

Just dispute whatever questionable info you see directly with the credit bureau. And doing so is free.