P.O. Box 2104
Allen, TX 75013

When you write to them include your full name, address, a copy of your Experian credit report, the name of the account or inquiry in question and copies of any supporting documents you have for your Experian dispute.

Did you authorize inquiries on your credit report?

Did you apply for credit or apply for a loan? Think now. All inquiries for credit will legitimately land on your credit report. Did you get turned down for an auto loan? Maybe you applied for a credit card to transfer high interest balances to a new low interest card with an introductory rate.

Get Proof and Go Straight to the Horse’s Mouth

The burden is on the company who reported you to Experian to prove to that you did in fact apply for credit from them or fall delinquent on an account. Write them letters asking for proof. You have a right to a copy of any document you signed.

Cover your tracks

Again, all correspondence regarding your credit should be in a letter form and mailed via certified mail from the postal service. After weeks or sometimes even months of going back and forth with the lender you might find that the lender has no proof of your authorization to apply for credit. You could be the victim of identity theft or the lender might have made a simple mistake when entering a social security number in their system.

Don’t just lie down and accept negative items on your credit report! Do the work to dispute bad credit or have a professional credit repair lawyer do the work for you. If the lender cannot prove the debt is yours by all means ask them to delete the item from your credit report at once!

Follow up

This is why even the simplest credit fixes can be so aggravating. You must take personal responsibility for what is affecting your credit score. This requires documentation and diligence. After you’ve settled the inaccuracy with the lender you must send all documentation certified mail to not only Experian but also Equifax and Trans Union credit bureaus if they are reporting it as well. Do you have copies from all three bureaus? You can’t trust that what’s showing on one credit report is what’s showing on the other two.

* We were so impressed with Lexington Law that we decided to become a sponsor and put up this website. Get a FREE credit consultation with credit repair experts by calling 1-800-298-4297

If you have to dispute an item on your credit report you might be tempted to do it online using the credit bureau’s criteria. They make it look so simple. Choose this tab, this category, click this button and poof! You’re finished. – That’s what they want you to think. We do not recommend filing a dispute with Experian online. Really, you wouldn’t be “filing” anything. You would be clicking. This is why even the simplest credit fixes can be so aggravating. Filing a dispute with Experian requires documentation and diligence.

Online credit bureau disputes are not faster

The only time we recommend using Experian’s online system is to update personal information such as addresses. There is no guarantee that your changes will be updated more quickly than if you had mailed your request but it’s relatively harmless to do it. Still, you have to monitor your credit report for months until you see Experian has made the changes correctly.

There is no evidence to suggest that filing a dispute with Experian online will get you a resolution faster. In fact you might find the process will take much longer particularly if you don’t get the result you want or if you have made an entry error. Filing a dispute with Experian online limits your ability to communicate freely. You are subjected to the choices provided by the online application. Credit disputes are complicated. Your dispute might not fit into the nicely organized, black and white system the credit bureau has created.

There’s no such thing as a paperless paper trail

All correspondence regarding your credit should be in a letter form with copies of supporting documents and mailed via certified mail from the postal service. You will be provided with a receipt of delivery confirmation. You need this delivery receipt for your records. This gives you peace of mind that at least one warm body at Experian received your letter! Keep copies of all correspondence in a safe place. You must stay organized.

When writing a credit repair letter to the credit bureaus be sure to include your full legal name, your social security number, your current address and a copy of your driver’s license or passport. Include as much information about the account in question as possible in your credit repair letter. Definitely include the name of the entry, the name of the original creditor, the name of the collection agency and the amount owed.

Your dispute

Incorporate into the letter as professionally as possible why you are disputing the entry on your credit report. This is why filing an online dispute would work against you! If the entry is invalid, provide all documentation supporting your argument. If the entry is being reported inaccurately you must have copies of the proof you have collected to support your claim. Supporting documents are very, very important to your dispute. It never hurts to quote laws that protect your rights. For example, “Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (cite the paragraph or sentence that applies) this item is being reported inaccurately.”

Experian only has 30 days to respond to your request. Repairing your credit is serious work and this isn’t the time to be taking short cuts such as disputing your report online.

* We were so impressed with Lexington Law that we decided to become a sponsor and put up this website. Get a FREE credit consultation with credit repair experts by calling 1-800-298-4297

Why Filing a Transunion Dispute Online is a Mistake

If you need to dispute an item on your credit report you might be tempted to do it online using the credit bureau’s website. They make it look so simple to point and click your way through the Transunion dispute.

Having bad credit deleted is the best result when disputing Transunion. We suggest you call Lexington Law Firm to get results like these with Transunion: 1-800-298-4297.

Choose this tab, this category, click this button and poof! You’re finished. – That’s what they want you to think. We do not recommend filing a dispute with Transunion online. Really, you wouldn’t be “filing” anything. You would be clicking.

This is why even the simplest credit fixes can be so aggravating. Filing a dispute – that you want to get results – with Transunion requires documentation and diligence.

Online credit bureau disputes are not faster

The only time we recommend using Transunion’s online system is to update personal information such as addresses. There is no guarantee that your changes will be updated more quickly than if you had mailed your request via “snail mail.”

Still, you have to monitor your credit report for months until you see Transunion has made the changes correctly.

There is no evidence to suggest that filing a dispute with Transunion online will get you a resolution faster. In fact you might find the process will take much longer particularly if you don’t get the result you want or if you have made an entry error.

Filing a dispute with Transunion online limits your ability to communicate freely. You are limited to the choices provided by the online application. Credit disputes are complicated. Your dispute might not fit into the nicely organized, black and white system the credit bureau has created.

There’s no paper trail with an online dispute

All correspondence regarding your credit should be in a letter form with copies of supporting documents and mailed via certified mail from the postal service. You will be provided with a receipt of delivery confirmation. You need this delivery receipt for your records. This gives you peace of mind that at least one warm body at TransUnion received your letter! Keep copies of all correspondence in a safe place. You must stay organized.

When writing a credit repair letter to the credit bureaus be sure to include your full legal name, your social security number, your current address and a copy of your driver’s license or passport. Include as much information about the account in question as possible in your credit repair letter. Definitely include the name of the entry, the name of the original creditor, the name of the collection agency and the amount owed.

Your dispute

Incorporate into the letter as professionally as possible why you are disputing the entry on your credit report. This is why filing an online dispute would work against you! If the entry is invalid, provide all documentation supporting your argument.

If the entry is being reported inaccurately you must have copies of the proof you have collected to support your claim. Supporting documents are very, very important to your dispute. It never hurts to quote laws that protect your rights. For example, “Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (cite the paragraph or sentence that applies) this item is being reported inaccurately.”

* We were so impressed with Lexington Law that we decided to become a sponsor and put up this website.

Transunion only has 30 days to respond to your request. Repairing your credit is serious work and this isn’t the time to be taking short cuts such as disputing your report online. Get a FREE credit consultation with credit repair experts by calling 1-800-298-4297

Saying the RIGHT things, in the RIGHT way in your dispute letter is crucial. On the other hand, saying the WRONG things in your dispute letter could result in the bureaus putting a red flag on your credit files – which means credit repair just got a LOT harder for you.

Here are the addresses for the three credit bureaus that you will need:

Equifax
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374

Trans Union
P.O. Box 1000
Chester, PA 19022

Experian
P.O. Box 2002
Allen, TX 75013

You can find samples of credit repair letters online but here is a list of information you will definitely need to include in your credit report dispute:

Identifying information

When writing a credit repair letter to the credit bureaus be sure to include your full legal name, your social security number, your current address and a copy of your driver’s license or passport.

Don’t feel like including this info? Then, expect the bureaus to send you stall letters and drag the process out for months longer than necessary.

Account information

Include as much information about the account in question as possible in your credit repair letter. Definitely include the name of the entry, the name of the original creditor, the name of the collection agency and the amount owed.

Your dispute

Incorporate into the letter as professionally as possible why you are disputing the entry on your credit report. If the entry is invalid, provide all documentation supporting your argument.

If the entry is being reported inaccurately you must have copies of the proof you have collected to support your claim. Supporting documents are very, very important to your dispute. It never hurts to quote laws that protect your rights. For example, “Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (cite the paragraph or sentence that applies) this item is being reported inaccurately.”

Organization

You should mail your letters and copies of documentation to the three credit bureaus using certified mail through the postal service. You will have peace of mind know the bureaus received your letter. Keep copies of all correspondence in a safe place.

Perhaps keep a spreadsheet documenting the items disputed, when disputed, the result, etc. It might take more than one attempt to get the desired result you are seeking.

* We were so impressed with Lexington Law that we decided to become a sponsor and put up this website.

If you’re not an organized person – or if this seems like too much work for you, consider handing it over to an affordable credit lawyer – like I did. Get a FREE credit consultation with credit repair experts by calling 1-800-298-4297

Options to get a checking account with bad credit

If you have bad credit or worse – owe a bank money, it can be impossible to get a regular checking account from the bank down the street. Not being able to open a checking account is extremely frustrating and embarrassing.

How will you pay your bills? You don’t want to use one of those expensive payroll check cashing businesses. Although your credit history is bleak right now you do have options if you can’t get a checking account due to bad credit.

Online banking account – a Second chance checking account

Search around on the internet and you will find online banks that are reputable and do not check your credit history. The Account Now Visa Debit Card program is an excellent place to get started. There is no credit check and you’ll have access to online bill pay – so it’s just like a checking account…it’s just easier because you can pay bills with the click of a mouse.

Make sure to set up direct deposit from your employer’s payroll department and have your pay checks automatically deposited into your account. This will get you 100% set up!

Watch out for other ‘wanna be’ second chance checking services. These other online banks charge exorbitant fees because they know the customer is desperate for a checking account.

Open a Joint checking account

If you can’t get a regular checking account due to bad credit consider asking a friend or family member to open a joint account with you. – An embarrassing option but one that might be best for you.

Secured credit card

A great way to add positive credit and pay your bills is to obtain a prepaid or secured credit/debit card. A secured credit card requires that you make a deposit towards your account. Your credit limit will be anywhere from 50% to 100% of what you have deposited.

For example, if you deposit $1,000 your credit limit will be at least $500 and at the most $1,000. These card companies are known to charge a lot of fees. It’s important to shop around to find the best secured card for you. Also, before you apply for a secured credit card make sure the card company reports to the credit bureaus. Not all of them do.

Your efforts will be fruitless. Pay your bills with this card and be sure to make payments on time! The goal of having the secured credit card is to demonstrate to other lenders that you have recently been responsible with credit.

Fix your credit issues

If are unable to get a checking account from a major bank chances are you’ve had a number of derogatory items on your credit report affecting your ability to obtain credit.

Once you’ve been denied credit it’s imperative to get a copy of your credit report from all three major credit bureaus. The process to fix credit is one of the most time consuming, frustrating tasks you will ever tackle.

* We were so impressed with Lexington Law that we decided to become a sponsor and put up this website. Get a FREE credit consultation with credit repair experts by calling 1-800-298-4297

Yes, it’s embarrassing and it might even feel shameful to have to come clean with yourself about your spending and borrowing habits. Negotiating with creditors takes time and humility but if you ignore the past it will cost you lots and lots of money down the road. Few things in life are more satisfying than feeling financially responsible. Your future self will thank you for the work you will do to improve your credit score!

If you have a couple of credit “dings” here and there from long ago and are comfortable writing a few dispute letters, then perhaps the “home depot” do-it-yourself credit repair method is for you.

On the other hand, if you are trying to remove charge offs, a judgment or any other severe credit item, then the do-it-yourself road just ain’t going to cut it. You’ll likely need to employ more aggressive credit repair tactics like debt validation, escalated information requests, and more. These are complicated. To have them explained in detail, give Lexington a call at this direct line: 1-800-298-4297.

“Home Depot” Do-it-Yourself Credit Repair Method

The first step is to assess the damage.  Apply for a credit report from the three major credit agencies, Experian, Trans Union and Equifax and read it carefully.  Read it word by word, noting dates and payments applied.  Are they listed as delinquent, even though you felt they were paid on time?  Look for any inaccuracies you find on them, including your birth date, social security number and residence.

Many a job seeker has been turned down when their potential employer sees inaccuracies when it comes to where they live.  If you are not truthful about something as simple as your home address, they reason, what else are they hiding?

If you find errors on your credit report, start an investigation immediately.  You have the right to question these errors under legislation covered under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and other laws passed to protect consumers.

If you are mailing your request for a full investigation into your credit report, make sure you send it with a cover letter and sent it registered mail, return receipt requested, so that you will have hard proof should your case ever end up in a court of law.  Only send copies and never any originals of any receipts or release of liens, or any other important paperwork.

Maybe it was the glut of mortgages approved for people who couldn’t afford them, or the overextension of credit cards to consumers who wanted to get an easy way of building for their future. It could have been the infamous Bernie Madoff scandal that bilked billions of dollars out of unsuspecting or less savvy investors.

Whatever it was, the economy world as it was once known has been blown to smithereens, and the financial landscape now looks a lot different that it did five years, or even two years ago. In other words, if you’re looking to fix bad credit, you’re not alone.

* We were so impressed with Lexington Law that we decided to become a sponsor and put up this website.

People are now paying attention their credit scores listed on their credit reports more than ever before. A good credit rating is what will help you achieve a realistic goal in providing for your future. Whether it be purchasing a house or a car, getting the mortgage or a loan is not as simple as it used to be. There are no longer any guarantees when it comes to finance and credit. Get a FREE credit consultation with credit repair experts by calling 1-800-298-4297

Writing a credit repair letter is a very important step in taking responsibility for your financial future. Before you begin writing you want to make sure you have a copy of your credit report from all three credit bureaus. You will have to write and send your credit report dispute letter to each of them separately. Each bureau is a separate company and will have different information listed about you.

Here are the credit bureau addresses you will need:

Equifax Mailing Address
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374

Trans Union Mailing Address
P.O. Box 1000
Chester, PA 19022

Experian Mailing Address
P.O. Box 2002
Allen, TX 75013

How to Write a Credit Repair Letter

You can find samples of credit repair letters online but here is a list of information you will definitely need to include.

Identifying information
When writing a credit repair letter to the credit bureaus be sure to include your full legal name, your social security number, your current address and a copy of your driver’s license or passport.

Account information
Include as much information about the account in question as possible in your credit repair letter. Definitely include the name of the entry, the name of the original creditor, the name of the collection agency and the amount owed.

Your dispute
Incorporate into the letter as professionally as possible why you are disputing the entry on your credit report. If the entry is invalid, provide all documentation supporting your argument. If the entry is being reported inaccurately you must have copies of the proof you have collected to support your claim.

It never hurts to quote laws that protect your rights. Not a lawyer, that’s ok. You can use FCRA Section 609 for starters.

For example, “Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (cite the paragraph or sentence that applies) this item is being reported inaccurately.”

Organization
You should mail your letters and copies of documentation to the three credit bureaus using certified mail through the postal service. You will have peace of mind know the bureaus received your letter. Keep copies of all correspondence in a safe place. It might take more than one attempt to get the desired result you are seeking.

* We were so impressed with Lexington Law that we decided to become a sponsor and put up this website. Get a FREE credit consultation with credit repair experts by calling 1-800-298-4297

If you’re looking to use Section 609 to fix bad credit, it’s time to roll up your sleeves. I’m not a huge advocate for do it yourself credit repair when it comes to tough items like judgments, charge offs, and repossessions, but DIY credit repair can work for late payments and slow pays. It’s going to take a lot of time and work but few things are more rewarding than filing a credit report dispute and removing bad credit.

Section 609 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act gives you the right to dispute items on credit reports. Here’s the kicker: AND it allows you the right to have all items on your credit report verified by the three major credit bureaus. – Experian, Trans Union and Equifax.

In writing and mailed certified through the U.S. Postal service you have a right to ask each of the bureaus to verify any listing. There have been instances where the credit bureaus neglect to defend the listing on the report and thus are required by law to delete it from the report entirely. When that happens, YOU WIN!

Section 609 Verification Requires Proof

A credit reporting agency must provide you with documentation to prove a debt or derogatory item is yours. Documents include a loan agreement or application from the creditor. It is your right to have them provide valid contracts and transactions between you and the original creditor.

A credit repair service is a good idea if you have stubborn items and are confused about where to start. Requesting a credit reporting agency to provide you with verifiable proof on your accounts is a lengthy process.

* We were so impressed with Lexington Law that we decided to become a sponsor and put up this website.

If you feel this task is beyond your comfort zone there are professionals who do this sort of work day in and day out. We suggest Lexington Law Office. Why Lexinton Law, because we used them and they worked! Get a FREE credit consultation with credit repair experts by calling 1-800-298-4297

There are three ways to file a credit bureau dispute with Experian – (1) phone; (2) online; (3) by mail. If you prefer to dispute over the telephone. Here’s what you need to know:

Be prepared for your phone dispute

When filing a phone credit report dispute with Experian you will need to have a lot of information at the ready. You must have a copy of your recent credit report from the particular credit reporting agency you are calling. You will be asked for your credit report number.

This is like a gatekeeper. It is Experian’s way of forcing you to purchase a credit report from them. (NOTE: you can dispute Experian by mail for free – you don’t need to purchase a credit report!)

If you do have a recent credit report, you will need to provide your social security number, date of birth and your current address. Also, you’ll have to have the name of the company whose entry you are disputing. Provide the account number for the account in question and the reason for your dispute.

Why Disputing Experian by Mail is Best

All correspondence regarding your credit should be in a letter form and mailed via certified mail from the postal service. The credit bureaus would like you to use their online system or file a dispute over the phone but don’t do it.

A mail dispute allows you to tell YOUR STORY!

Incorporate into the letter as professionally as possible why you are disputing the entry on your credit report and include any supporting documentation you have. How do you include supporting documentation over the phone? It’s impossible.

If the entry is being reported inaccurately you must have copies of the proof you have collected to support your claim. Supporting documents are very, very important to your dispute. It never hurts to quote laws that protect your rights. For example, “Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (cite the paragraph or sentence that applies) this item is being reported inaccurately.”

Again, you should mail your letters and copies of documentation to the credit bureau using certified mail through the postal service. You will have peace of mind know the bureau received your letter. Keep copies of all correspondence in a safe place. It might take more than one attempt to get the desired result you are seeking.

* We were so impressed with Lexington Law that we decided to become a sponsor and put up this website.

I grew tired of standing in line at the post office and paying $4.85 for each piece of mail I sent to the credit bureaus. That’s one reason why I ultimately just had Lexington Law send out all the dispute letters for me. It was definitely worth the small investment, having a credit repair attorney do the work got the results I was looking for. Get a FREE credit consultation with credit repair experts by calling 1-800-298-4297

A. First, let’s discover the full history of your credit score. One of the first credit organizations to utilize credit score ratings developed by Earl Issac and Bill Fair were Montgomery Wards and Carte Blanche.  The system they developed used math formulas to rate a person’s ability to pay back credit advanced to them against what they earned. This formula became known as a FICO score and is used by most lenders and appears on all credit agencies reports.

There are five parts to the calculation and each item is given a different classification.  35% of your credit rating score is determined by how you pay your bills.  If you have a good score but miss a payment, it will drop your rating considerably.  30% Is based upon how much you owe.  If you have a lot of balances that are almost at the limit, this will severely limit how much you need to afford your lifestyle and will lower your credit score.  If you are living from paycheck to paycheck, you are walking a serious debt line.

Also taken into consideration is how long you have been receiving credit (15%), how many times you have applied for credit elsewhere, incurring more debt (10%) and the kind of credit types you have, i.e., car loan, mortgage, credit cards (10%).

According to the myFICO.com web site, the median score in the United States is 723. About one third of Americans have scores between 550 and 700 while 7% have scores lower than that.

Therefore, if your FICO score is under 700, you are in the bottom 7% of people!

This is a determining factor in how much you can afford to pay for something.  In applying for a mortgage, a person with a FICO score of 760 or more will pay $1,000 less in interest per year than someone with a bad credit score, all because they have been determined to be able to afford it.

* We were so impressed with Lexington Law that we decided to become a sponsor and put up this website.

If your score is under 700, then you will need to improve it before applying for a mortgage. My score was in the mid to upper 500′s before I enrolled in Lexington Law. They got my score up to 745. Get a FREE credit consultation with credit repair experts by calling 1-800-298-4297