Archive for 'Credit Repair' Category
Fixing An Error In Your Credit History Can Require A Lawsuit
1 September 2006It’s a little disturbing to hear, but with some errors on your credit history, there’s not much you can do to get it fixed short of sueing the credit reporting agencies, as SmartMoney reports here. The problem is with an automated reporting system:
Here’s how it works: When consumers file a dispute with the credit [...]
Credit Repair Scam Warning Signs
11 August 2006Continuing on the theme of how to avoid being scammed by a credit repair agency, you should look for several warning signs that indicate it might be a flight-by-night business:
1) Never pay up front. It is actually illegal for a credit repair organization to receive money from you prior to the services being rendered. The Credit [...]
Can I delete bad credit items from my credit history?
10 August 2006If they are accurate, no. This is a common claim to watch out for if you’re looking for a credit repair agency. Many will tell you that they have a special computer program that can delete bad information from your credit file. Others claim that you’ll be able to dispute even items that are correct [...]
File Segregation - Can you create a new credit file?
9 August 2006One of the more dangerous credit repair schemes you can get involved in is something called file segregation. It’s being touted by many unscrupulous credit repair companies as a way to try to boost your credit score by giving you a blank slate. Essentially, what they recommend for you to do is go get an [...]
The Worst Example of College Student Credit Card Debt I’ve Seen…
5 August 2006…is a girl who clocked in at $33,000 before giving up and filing bankruptcy. She told a tale of a new credit collection technique where the collectors call up and ask the student to pressure their parents for more money. Devious, but obviously it works. Yet another example of why parents need to counsel their [...]
Example Retirement from Money Magazine
26 July 2006Money Magazine has an interesting exercise in which they look at a real family approaching retirement, examine their income, and give them advice on what they should do. They profiled Calvin and Daisy Dixon, a doctor and his wife who are 57 and 56, respectively:
Calvin’s income fluctuates, and in 2005 it topped $200,000. Each year [...]
Improving Your Credit Score: Using Verizon Cell Phone Service
21 July 2006This post is part of a series on how to improve your credit score. Part One dealt with the basics of what a credit score is, how it is calculated, and how you can request a credit report. Part Two gave advice on how to correct errors in your credit report, so that you can [...]
Improving Your Credit Score: Change the Way You Pay Your Debts
21 July 2006This post is part three in a series on improving your credit score. Part One dealt with the basics of what a credit score is, how it is calculated, and how you can request a credit report. Part Two gave advice on how to correct errors in your credit report, so that you can fix [...]
Credit Reports Being Used in Job Hiring
19 July 2006This came to a shock to me, but it’s really pretty predictable: many employers have started using credit reports as a basis for whether or not they’re going to hire you.
http://money.cnn.com/2006/07/19/pf/employee_screening/index.htm
A recent survey by staffing firm Spherion found that 79 percent of companies said they conduct background checks on some or all job candidates, 50 [...]
Improving Your Credit Score: Fix the Mistakes in Your Credit Report
14 July 2006This post is the second in a series on improving your credit score and cleaning up your credit history. Part One dealt with the basics of what a credit score is, how it is calculated, and how you can request a credit report. This part deals with your first step: making sure there are no [...]