US Consumer Credit Restoration Association

I have heard that I shouldn't pay anyone to repair my credit. I want to do it myself. Is it hard to do?

Well... that's a loaded question. First, the Federal Trade Commission has said that you should not have to pay anyone to dispute the incorrect entries on your credit report. I agree that you SHOULD not have to, but often times you do.

You see, it's one thing to dispute the entries, but another to get good results. The credit reporting agencies (Trans Union, Experian and Equifax) all make money by selling the information that they collect about you from various sources. They are well aware that they have to follow various consumer protection laws such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). What they count on is that you, the consumer, does not know what you are entitled to under FCRA and that it will be much more difficult for you to successfully dispute the negative items.

Also, the FTC says that information that is "correct" cannot be removed, but they never define the word. The complete phrasing should be "correctly reported". Is there a difference? You bet!

For instance, let's say that Steve's credit report lists a $50 collection from ABC collection agency that they purchased from a doctor's office. If you were to ask if the information was correct, the answer could be Yes. He owes $50 to a doctor. According to the definition, the negative information has the right to stay on the report.

What if we applied the "correctly reported" test? We would then ask the following:

• If the original balance was not $50, how did they come up with that number and what additional fees or charges were added on. Are those charges correct?
• Does ABC collection agency have the original document signed by Steve where he agreed to be financially liable for the charges?
• Does ABC have the right to collect debts in this state?

If the answer is not YES to all three of these questions and other criteria are not met, the item cannot be listed on his credit report. In other words, it was not correctly reported. And, we have not even touched on the Statute of Limitations in the state.

Each year, consumers pay tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars to debt collectors THAT THEY DO NOT NEED TO due to threat of lawsuits, garnishments, liens and even humiliation. If the consumers were well versed in not only the FCRA, but the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) as well, they would know what their rights are and not be taken advantage of.

At USCCRA, our attorneys are extremely well versed in credit law. In fact, they must have handled thousands of cases before they come work for us. They know the laws and consumer protection acts inside and out to make sure that the negative items on your credit report are timely, accurate and verifiable. If not, they cannot continue to report and keep your scores down.

Now that you know the facts, do you still want to dispute your own credit items?

When you sign up as a member of our association, you pay a one time fee for a 12 month membership that includes all the benefits listed here with a couple exceptions. One of those exceptions is a $5 per item fee for each deleted or positively changed item that is paid directly to the attorneys. Where else can you get an attorney to work for you for just $5 per item? This is much, much less than what many other companies charge and is only paid after the disputed item is removed in compliance with the Credit Repair Organizations Act.

In the near future, we will answer some more frequently asked questions about credit repair and why you need a program like USCCRA.

If you have any questions, please click here to email or contact us at 219-695-0369.

Thanks!

PS. If you are thinking about buying or refinancing a home, you need to talk to the Northwest Indiana Loan Guy.