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FAQ
What exactly do you do?
When you sign up with us you give us your limited Power of Attorney to deal with the credit bureaus, as well as the creditors, collectors, and service bureaus that report to the credit bureaus. Upon receipt of your credit reports we conduct a detailed examination in light of all of the laws that govern the furnishers of the data as well as the reporting system itself. Credit bureaus, creditors, and collectors are each regulated under their own set of federal laws. In addition there are state laws that may supersede the federal laws. Everything is considered. We then send letters to the relevant parties for the purpose of clearing derogatory information from your reports. Our comprehensive approach is fantastically effective.
Is this an automated dispute service?
No! Automated dispute services enter the list of derogatory information from your credit report into their software, and typically ask you to select which items you would like to dispute. The software then prints dispute letters which are sent to the credit bureaus. Unfortunately this one-dimensional approach can leave the majority of potential improvement untapped. We believe that this is not an acceptable outcome. Everything on your credit can affect your financial life. Our comprehensive methods insure that you get all of the results possible.
How long will it take to repair my credit report?
You can expect to start seeing results within 30 to 45 days. But keep in mind that everyone's situation is different. The entire process may take as little as 60 days or may take 6 months or longer depending on the type and number of items that need to be addressed. It's probably no surprise to hear that the credit bureaus may not remove an item on our first request! This may necessitate additional efforts on our part. We know how the Credit Bureaus operate! It's our job to re-address any oversights to make sure that you get the results that you are entitled to.
Should I sign up my spouse at the same time?
We suggest that you both sign up! We offer a spousal discount to encourage you to sign up at the same time. As a couple you may share a significant number of accounts, or you may share none. Either way, when you sign up, we will set up individual files and you will both get the full benefit of individualized attention. To qualify as a couple you must share the same mailing address.
How do you dispute joint accounts?
Joint accounts are treated the same as individual accounts. If you take advantage of our spousal discount we will set up individual files for both of you and every dispute will be pursued methodically. It is possible that we will be disputing the same information for you and your spouse at the same time. This is appropriate. You each have your own credit report and we will give you equal individual attention.
Can you help us build new credit?
If it looks like you will be left with "insufficient credit" when our job is done we will offer to guide you though the process of opening one or two new secured credit cards. This may be an important step in the process of building great usable credit. Creditors look for open accounts that are in good standing. A secured credit card requires a small savings deposit which usually secures the entire credit line on a MasterCard or Visa. These credit cards will be reported on your credit report. We will suggest that you use the new card for a small purchase and make the minimum payment each month.
What should I do while the Credit Correctors are repairing my credit?
This is a very good question! You are signing up with us because you want good credit and all of the benefits that come with good credit. We work very hard to make sure that we get the best results possible. But there are things that you need to do too! Here some important guidelines: 1) Pay your bills on time. Late payments have a dramatic impact on your scores. 2) Don't max out your credit cards. Approaching the credit limit on your credit cards can cost you big time! You can lose over 100 points by running your cards up to the max. 3) Only open new accounts when you have to. Don't fall into the trap of taking every credit card offer that arrives in your mailbox. Newly opened credit lines reduce your score. By the way - it is also VERY important that you have credit! Once your credit repair program is underway, if it looks like you will end up with "insufficient" credit, we will guide you through the process of opening one or two secured credit cards. This is one of the best and most effective ways of building credit.
Do you share our personal information with anyone?
Never! Please see our Privacy Policy for all of the details, but in short: We do not, under any circumstances share, sell, or in anyway provide your information to anyone. To make this super clear; your name will not be sold or given to anyone for any purpose. No one will see your information. We will not discuss your case with anyone under any circumstances.
How do I send you my credit reports?
After you sign up we will provide you with specific (and easy!) step-by-step instructions for obtaining your credit reports and getting them to us. If you have not requested your free credit reports from annualcreditreport.com in the last 12 months you may do so. If you have already received your free credit reports and they are no more than 60 days old you can provide them to us via mail (or email). If you have already received your free reports and they are older than 60 days, you will have to purchase new reports. Please also note that once our process is underway you will be receiving updated credit reports periodically from each bureau reflecting the results of our efforts. There is no charge for these reports. We will request that you send us these reports and any other material communication that you receive from the bureaus to us so that we can monitor the results.
When I request my report, does it hurt my credit scores?
No. When you request your own report it has no impact on your credit scores. Generally speaking, when someone else runs your credit it is because you have applied for new financing. Since an inquiry usually indicates that you are about to incur new debt it is somewhat reasonable that your score is adversely impacted. It is worth noting however that the impact of an inquiry is small and vanishes in a number of months. There are several instances when your credit may be run without affecting your score. These exceptions include direct inquiries by you as well as inquiries that are made without your knowledge by potential creditors (think of those unsolicited credit card offers that arrive in your mailbox). The reason that these inquiries don't count against your score is simply because they don't indicate any intention on your part to incur new debt.
Can you order our credit reports for us directly?
No we can't run your credit for you. Credit repair companies are not allowed to order credit reports for their clients. Credit reports may only be run for the purpose of determining credit worthiness. We do believe that the law should be amended to allow credit repair companies to run your credit without impacting your score. The service that we provide is essential for millions of people and it is our position that legislation should be enacted to make the process of hiring us as easy as possible. However, until this occurs you will have to obtain your own credit reports. When you sign up we will provide you with super simple step-by-step instructions to make getting your reports easy and hassle-free.
What is "questionable credit"?
As we have noted, 79% of all credit reports contain errors. Please don't assume that the derogatory information on your credit report is correct. If you honestly do not recognize an item or information on your credit report we should demand that the credit bureau research it. This is not a frivolous dispute! We are here to remove errors. We will ask you to be honest and to think carefully about every derogatory item on your credit. If you think that the report is wrong we expect you to tell us. Once we submit a dispute the credit bureau has 30 days to verify that the information is correct. If they cannot verify it in that period of time they are required to delete the item. The burden of proof is on them. This is as it should be, and it maximizes the probability of a valid and accurate result.
