Mark J Garcia asked:




The Credit Bureaus exist for one reason, and one reason only…to make money! Each and every one of the bureaus is a publicly traded company. They make most of their revenue by selling information to lending institutions, insurance companies, utility companies, credit card issuing banks, and employers.

They DO NOT make money by researching your disputes…in fact, it costs them time, money, and resources to investigate them. Is it any wonder then who the bureaus ultimately serve?

Bureau Secret #1 Credit Bureau Reports – Your 92 Scores

Reports and scores are created “on the fly” whenever they are requested by you, a creditor, or a lender. In fact, you can have up to 92 different scores…23 different scores for each Bureau: Trans Union, Experian, Equifax and don’t forget the little known “other” bureau named Innovis.

Remember your credit scores can vary drastically depending on who pulls the report and the particular profile applied to you. This Bureau process is especially problematic if you are thinking of getting a home loan or mortgage. The score you see if you request it from a major reporting bureau or an on-line service WILL be different – and probably much higher than the score you receive from a Mortgage Broker.

Why?

One reason is that when you pull a report from an online service 18 elements of identification have to match exactly. For example, all of the letters of your last name need to match. That means you are more likely to get accurate information.

When the bureaus pull reports for lenders, usually only 9 elements have to match, for example only 2 letters in your last name. So, more errors and erroneous information will appear on your score – lowering it. Why do the Bureaus provide different – and LOWER – scores to lenders?

Because they’ve decided that by reporting lower – more conservative scores to lenders, they would be less likely to be sued by lenders if the borrower defaults on the loan.

Do you think the major reporting bureaus care about showing lenders your true credit worthiness? I am here to tell you that they don’t! Matter of fact, if you would like to find out more information about how the bureaus are royally screwing over the American Consumer, I have created a newsletter that details shocking news about the 3 Major Bureaus

Bureau Secret #2 Credit Bureau Reports – Your Scores are NOT Accurate

Did you know that your score is probably inaccurate? According to a recent Public Interest Group Research study, more than 70% of Reports contain errors. Oh sure, the Bureaus say to the public that only 20% of reports contain errors, but that’s a bunch of Bureau bologna, because when they are in court under oath they admit that more than 50% of reports contain errors.

What kind of errors are probably on your report – and making you pay more for your home, auto loan, insurance, credit cards and student loans? The study found that 29% of reports contain serious errors that don’t belong including; false delinquencies that can kill your score.

41% of reports contain personal demographic information that was incorrect, outdated, or misspelled. 20% of credit reports – 1 in 5!!!! were missing major loan mortgage or other information to demonstrate the worthiness of the consumer. 26% of reports contained accounts that were in incorrectly listed as open (or) “closed by credit grantor.” When your account is “closed by grantor” it looks like you did something wrong and that’s bad for your scores.
Bureau Secret #3 What Is Your Real, Accurate, and True FICO Score?

Did you know that over 90% of the financial institutions in the world will use scores from one organization only? The name of that company is Fair Isaac Corporation or as they are more commonly known FICO.

The location where I recommend that you purchase your credit scores from is from the Fair Isaac Corporation at their main website. Now, I recommend going to a certain section of their website where you will get a true picture of why your scores are behaving the way they are

This website will not only give you the most current status of your reports, but it will also show you your FICO Scores from all 3 bureaus.

This is the only place you should ever get your scores, because your FICO scores are the ones from where most lenders will base their acceptance of your credit application.

I find it interesting that the major bureaus also have their own version of scores that they try to sell to you and I. However none of the people you are trying to get to extend you a loan will even look at those scores! It is just another example of the greedy bureaus trying to squeeze more and more money from us.

Let’s Wrap This Up…

So as you can see, there are many myths disguised as truths when it comes to credit and credit repair. There are also hidden secrets that the credit bureaus don’t want you to know. I hope that since you are now armed with this knowledge, you won’t fall victim to false information that exists out there.

Your Credit Score Insider, Mark J. Garcia

Allan

Tim Gorman asked:




Credit reports provide great details about a person including name, birth date, Social security number, home address, how payments are made, income, employment history, home ownership, previous address, court cases, judgments, and bankruptcy and foreclosure records.

Above all it gives details about a person’s credit history. These include all the creditors with balances and accounts that are closed or in collections. It will also indicate if there are any late payments, and any other irregularity. In addition it will also list the requests for that credit report by creditors during the past year and requests for credit reports including those by employers for the past two years.

These reports are maintained by three nationwide credit bureaus which use slightly different sources to compile the information. Based on the information they have credit bureaus calculate a figure called the credit score. The three credit bureaus Equifax, Transunion, Experian use different formulas to arrive at their score. The credit score can be considered a mathematical way of determining the likelihood of the borrower paying back a loan.

This information can be accessed by creditors, insurers, employers, and others who have been legitimately allowed access subject to conditions through The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). It is clear that accurate information in the credit report is important to everyone concerned not only for the person about whom it is concerned but to anyone else who may want to rely on it for decision making. As such it is important to understand how the credit report is compiled and the accuracy of the information and sources on which that compilation is made.

It is important to know how and at what frequency credit information reaches the credit bureau. On examination of their procedure, it is clear that frequency of reporting varies depending on the creditor. While some creditors will report any changes in the customers’ balances every day, others will report once a month or at longer periods. This is mainly due to efficacy reasons, since with most people there will not be much of a change in credit balances. Because of that creditors will only report if there are any changes in the credit balances. This therefore means that for some people their credit report will get updated about once a month while others may not see any change in their credit reports for 3 or 6 months. On the other hand creditors will report late payments and other negative activities quite promptly.

Carolyn

Irena Bocheva asked:




Is it possible to raise credit fast? The mainstream credit advisers will tell you that fixing credit takes time, dedication and careful budget planning. Contrary to that popular myth, there are faster and easier ways to raise credit score. The only requirement for fast credit success-knowledge about the inner workings of the system and the various loopholes in it.

Here are 3 simple tips that will help you understand how fast credit repair works:

1 Don’t let collection agencies intimidate you-they are more bark than bite.

Collection agencies sound threatening-they will flood you with unwanted phone calls and mail, they will warn your that your wage will be garnished, your property seized and you will be sent to court. In reality, when resorting to such harassing measures, collection agencies are actually in violation of the law. Under The Fair Credit Protection Act debt collectors are not allowed to make harassing phone calls and use threatening and abusive language, to give false information about themselves, the amount of the debt, the possible consequences of non payment. And the collection agencies know that. However, they pray on the huge crowd of misinformed people with bad credit. Another thing you should know is that collection agencies pay literally pennies for every dollar that you owe(usually 5 cents per dollar if the account is recent, 1-2 cents if the account is more than 2 years old, less than a penny if it is old or out-of -state account). In other words-they still make a considerable profit even if you settle for 25 % or less of the amount that you owe. Knowing these facts will help you choose the right strategy when dealing with collection agencies- never pay the debt in full, aim for the lowest settlement amount possible and promise to pay only if they remove the item from your credit record. If they try to harass or threaten, remind them that you know your legal rights.

2 Credit Bureaus-learn how to make them play by your rules.

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act you have the right to dispute any inaccurate, incomplete, outdated, ambiguous or unverifiable item in your credit report. Credit bureaus have 30 days (45 if you used the service of annualreport.com) to conduct investigation and come up with a decision on your case. Statistics shows that 25 % of all disputes filed with credit bureaus end up with success. If the credit bureau doesn’t finish the investigation in a timely manner (a month), they are in violation of FCRA, sec 611. You can also use the debt validation strategy-ask the three major credit bureaus to provide proper documentation that the debt is your. If they fail to find the documentation( which happen in many cases), they are required to remove the item from your record.

3 Open you eyes for the loopholes in the system.

The case with the collection agencies and the credit bureaus are just examples of the various option you have if you want to pursue fast credit repair. There are many little known credit secrets that will take you to the desired destination faster than you think. The key is to look at your credit situation and find out which are the strategies that work for your specific case.

There are many ways to raise credit fast. Once you start thinking outside the credit box, you’ll be surprised to find how easy credit repair actually is.

Sally

Irena Bocheva asked:




Are you trying to obtain a mortgage or auto loan, but fear being turned down by creditors? Do you want to apply for a business loan, but don’t want to pay thousands of dollars on high interest? Whatever you specific situation is, you are not alone-more than 35 million Americans are struggling with issues related to bad credit score. Getting turned down on your loan, employment or lease application are just some of the side effects of having a low FICO. The growing significance of your FICO makes having a good credit score a necessity.

Here are 3 simple tips that will help you raise your score in less that a month

1 Face your credit problems NOW.

A lot of people postpone solving their bad credit issues until it’s too late. The collection phone calls, the tons of unwanted mail, the fear of applying for loans-deal with the issue NOW. The problem with bad credit is that the more you procrastinate action, the more your credit problem spins out of control. Don’t pretend that the problem doesn’t exist-face it.

2 Approach your credit problem with a clear plan of action.

Order a copy of your credit report and highlight all negative items in it. Which are the most harmful negative accounts in your report? There are various credit repair strategies which are tailored towards each type of negative account (collections, legal judgments, late payments, past due payments, tax liens etc). What works for late payments (pay them in full and send “goodwill’ letter to creditors) does not work with collection accounts (pay only the settlement amount and negotiate for the removal of the negative item). Familiarize yourself with the different credit strategies and start applying them to the most harmful accounts in your report.

3 No proof-no guarantee

There is one simple rule in the world of credit repair-try to keep everything in written form. Always use certified or registered mail, make copies of your correspondence with credit bureaus and collection agencies. Always ask for written verification of every deal you strike with a credit bureau or collection agent. If you don’t keep written proof of your efforts, you might be simply wasting your time.

How raise your credit score fast? The KEY is knowledge about the inner workings of the credit system and the various loopholes in it. Once you start thinking outside the box, you will be surprised to find how easy credit repair actually is.

Kurt

Irena Bocheva asked:




Raising credit scores is not that hard once you start thinking outside the box. Contrary to the popular beliefs, improving your FICO doesn’t require careful budget planning, financial discipline and patience. The recipe for a fast credit repair requires only one major ingredient-credit knowledge. The more you know about the credit system and the various loopholes in it, the better your chances to raise credit score fast.

Here are 3 simple tips that will help you understand how fast credit repair works:

1 No knowledge equals failure.

Can you win a game if you don’t know the rules? You can beat collection agencies and credit bureaus at their own game IF you know how the system works. Do you know that paying off your debt din full can actually hurt your credit report and lower your score? Do you know that you can sue creditors, collection agencies and credit bureaus under different provision of FCRA ( Fair Credit Reporting Act)and FDCPA (Fair Debt Collection Practices Act)? Do you know how to request validation of debt for every negative item on your report? How to dispute negative items on multiple levels-credit bureaus, collection agencies, original creditors? How to use the Rapid Rescore Strategy and remove mistakes from your report within 48 hours? How to bring down your balance/ limit ratio to the healthy 30 % without having to pay off your balance? The more you know about the shortcuts and the loopholes in the system, the better your chances to raise credit score fast.

2 No action equals failure.

Different negative items fall off from your report after a different period of time. For example-chapter 7 bankruptcy after 10 years, chapter 13 bankruptcy after 7, collections and late payments after 7 years, credit inquiries after 2 and so on. A lot of people simply wait till the punishment period is over. However, if you need an immediate credit score increase, you need to take action NOW. Start disputing, negotiating, requesting debt verification etc and positive results will follow shortly.

3 No perseverance equals failure.

Another thing you should keep in mind is that the path to better credit is not always smooth. Sometimes credit bureaus will find your disputes “frivolous” and will keep the negative item on your record. Collection agents will be unwilling to compromise and will ask for a higher settlement amount. Be prepared to face different setbacks and don’t get discouraged. In the end perseverance pays off.

Raising credit scores requires knowledge about the credit system and the shortcuts in it. Little known credit tricks and secrets can help you boost your credit in no time. Once you start thinking outside the box, you’ll be surprised to find how easy credit repair actually is.

Jeremy

Tony Banks asked:




It is expected that you write the credit bureau when you discover negative information that doesn’t belong to you on your report. But what do you do when your bureau insists that the information is yours?

Credit bureaus have a maximum of 30 days to investigate a negative report when requested by a client. If you have issues with the result of your request e.g Bureaus Insist that a negative information/account is yours, all you need to do is write a letter to your original information furnisher requesting them to investigate the negative information in your credit report.

You are to inform your information furnisher that you have previously written a similar letter to the credit bureau and the account is claimed to be yours hence your request of a another investigation.

It would be in your favor to remind your furnisher that your request is legal under the Fair and Credit Reporting Act. Also request that if the account reported negative is found incorrect, the information should be passed to the credit bureau with a requesting that it be deleted from your report.

It is your right to take legal actions if a correction is not made, therefore you can inform the furnisher of this within your letter.

The truth is that not many people know about this method. But a single letter to your information furnisher can be the solution to repairing your credit report. Also inform them that you want to see the prove that was used to verify the account to the credit bureaus.

Ashley

Conleth Onu asked:




Disputing negative entries on your credit report is the most effective method to delete unfavorable information and improve your credit rating.

Many people in America have negative information on their credit report. These derogatory items can be detrimental to your ability to obtain loans, credit cards and other financial services.

You have the right to dispute any inaccurate or incomplete information that is contained in your credit report. There is no charge for this.

If an account is not being reported 100% accurately, by law the credit bureau must remove it from your report.

Here’s How The Process Works.

1. You get a copy of your credit report from the credit bureaus.

2. When you get your reports you carefully review them and note any negative accounts and inaccuracies.

3. You then dispute the negative accounts. Submit the dispute in writing, along with any supporting documentation. If the credit bureau cannot verify the accuracy of any item you dispute, they must remove the item within the alloted time.

4. When the investigation is complete, the credit bureau must send you a free copy of your report if the dispute results in a change.

You can continue this process until you are satisfied with the outcome. Remember, if the negative item is not 100% accurate the credit bureau must remove it from your file.

Before you begin the process, it is essential that you have good information on how to go about restoring your credit.

Do you want to learn more about how to do it? I have written the ultimate guide to credit repair, “How To Clean Up Bad Credit And Establish AAA-1 credit Rating.” For free details, click the link below to visit my website.

Jimmy

James H. Dimmitt asked:




“Erase Bad Debt !”

“Remove Negative Items From Your Credit Report”

You’ve probably seen these headlines and others just like it promising to clean up or “fix” bad credit. For someone who suffers from a bad or poor credit rating, these headlines are certainly an appealing offer.

Imagine finally being able to buy that new car, get debt collectors off your back, and enjoy a new found freedom from your past debts.

Sound to good to be true ? It probably is. Once you fall prey to the credit repair offer and pay the hefty fees involved to clean up your record, here’s what happens:

1) The credit repair scam artist contacts the credit bureaus and reports that the negative information in your file is false.

2) The credit bureau removes this negative information from your report while they investigate the claim.

3) The scam artist will then show you the cleaned up version of your credit report and “ta-da” your credit history has been fixed !

But here’s what the scammer doesn’t tell or show you. After the credit bureau completes their investigation the negative information is placed back on your credit report.

Negative but accurate information cannot be removed from your credit profile. Only incorrect information can be removed.

Accurate information remains on your credit file for a period of 7 years from the time it is reported to the credit agencies; a bankruptcy appears for a 10 year period.

Many legitimate companies exist that can help you with your debt problems. But how do you spot a scam offer ? Easy, they’ll ask you for their fees up front. By law, credit repair agencies cannot ask for payment until they’ve provided the service they promised.

Additionally many states require that a credit repair service, whether they are for-profit or not-for-profit, must provide you with a detailed written contract, an explanation of your legal rights, and the opportunity to cancel any signed contract within 3 days.

Also, be aware that a “credit repair offer” could be an attempt to steal your identity by getting you to provide personal information such as a Social Security number, bank account and credit card account numbers.

Always make sure you know who you are dealing with before accepting any offer to help you repair your credit. Those who don’t can have their credit ruined further and create more debt problems.

Mathew

Freddie Stewart asked:




Whether or not lending or financial institution will give you a loan or credit depends on your credit score. Your credit score is based on how you pay off your previous and existing loans. It gives lender a pretty good picture of how good you are at managing and paying off your debts.

While you are alive and functioning in society, your credit score changes. Your decisions regarding your debt will lower or raise your credit score. Making good financial decisions may help raise your credit score.

Here are some steps you can take towards improving your credit score:

Find out your credit report The 3 credit bureaus, Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian have their own reports regarding your creditworthiness. They may have different reports because they may not have the same kind of information as creditors don’t need to report to each and every one of them. If you have been denied credit or employment because of your credit score, you are entitled to ask for a copy of that report from the credit bureau because the company you applied to is required by law to submit the name of credit bureau they got the report from. Study your reports from all 3 bureaus carefully The job of a credit bureau is to report on information supplied by you creditors. Since they don’t verify the information they receive there may be some mistakes in the information given. It may sound unfair but keeping your credit report a true reflection of your creditworthiness is your job. Be meticulous in making sure all information such as dates and figures are correct. Make a list of items you want to dispute and be ready to defend your claims. Dispute and Document, the Double-D strategy Be very thorough in documenting all mistakes you find in your credit reports. Identify which points of the reports are wrong and tell them why. A good stategy is to give the credit bureaus photocopies of their reports and encircling the mistakes. Don’t forget to supply the correct entries to the mistakes. Keep all documents and forms you send to the credit bureaus and keep note of the dates. The credit bureaus must look into and investigate all credit disputes within 30 days. If a dispute is not verified by a creditor, it must be automatically removed from the report. You can also go to the creditors themselves and try to resolve any mistakes directly. If any changes are made to your credit report, the responsible credit bureau will send you a free copy of the revised report. Negative entries that have been removed cannot be put back in the report unless the creditors can verify accuracy and completeness of the entry. They should also send you written notice that they are going to do so. Solve and Dissolve debt Find ways to finally get rid of your debts. Resolve all unpaid debts by negotiating for longer payment schemes and lower interest rates. Avoid getting a delinquent or bad credit standing. When you’ve paid off your credit debt, consider getting rid of your cards. Stabilize your credit file Make sure your credit records are updated and complete. Sometimes, creditors don’t report to credit bureaus so it’s up to you to make sure they do.

Try to re-establish good credit especially if you’ve had bad credit previously. You’ll improve your credit score faster if you keep your credit active and in good standing.

The best way to show creditors that you’re a good credit risk is if you have enough money in the bank to show that you save and that you’re able to pay them off.

Ella

happy asked:


I am facing a situation with a Credit Bureau – Equifax. It is regarding my personal information being updated incorrectly on my credit file they have. After providing them the proof of my correct date of birth, they did change it to the correct one on July 12, 2007. I noticed effective July 24, 2007 it has been changed back to the incorrect one that I disputed earlier. Upon my calling Equifax I was informed that they will change my personal information based on the report they receive form their member creditor(s).

My concern is that they rely more on their member creditors than the proof that was provided to them for my correct date of birth. I wonder if Equifax, and other credit bureaus for that matter, would do the same for any personal information.

I would appreciate any suggestion you can provide on how to handle/deal with this problem.

Valerie