You may have seen advertisements like “Repair Credit Report Online Here”.
You may wonder if this is a legal credit repair service. That is a good question. Several companies which advertise in this manner have been investigated by the Federal Trade Commission.
There are many options for those interested in credit repair. Some are legal and effective. You can choose a legal credit repair service or you can choose to do it yourself. Some credit bureaus even allow the consumer to report discrepancies that could improve or repair the credit report online. Some credit repair options are illegal and can create more problems than they solve.
For example a legal credit repair service would never recommend that a person who is not a business owner apply for an employer identification number or EIN. An EIN is a number assigned to a business by the Internal Revenue Service. Some credit repair clinics have recommended the use of an EIN instead of a social security number. It is illegal to make any false claim on a credit application. It is important to find out exactly what services a company which advertises something like “repair credit report online” is offering.
A few years ago, one credit repair company advertising “repair credit report online here” claimed to own a unique computer “disc” which would “erase” bad credit. After investigating, the Federal Trade Commission learned that the company did not own any unique computer software. They were required to make restitution to some of their customers. A legal credit repair service will be very careful what claims and services it offers to consumers. A legal credit repair service will outline their services. They will also outline their fees.
Some companies which advertise; repair credit report online, may be trying to attract consumers like are looking for their free credit reports. You can view, print and in some cases repair credit reports online at www.annualcreditreport.com. This is a free service provided by the credit bureaus in response to a recently enacted law. A legal credit repair service will typically make the consumer aware that they can make improvements or repair their credit reports on their own. It may be time consuming and frustrating. The legal credit repair service simply offers to do most of the time consuming and frustrating work for you.
By: PATSY ROSE