Frequently Asked Questions

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 HIPAA is the acronym for The Healthcare Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It's a law designed and used to protect patients' medical records and/or health information as provided to physicians, health plans, general healthcare providers, etc. Collection agencies are not allowed to have access to your private healthcare/medical history.

 Payment card Industry Compliance, or PCI for short is a set of security protocols, both technical and operational that each merchant must adhere to when processing payment, including to secure card holder data both on servers and in transmittal.

 We can't tell you to do it or not, we can however tell you that since you are adding a person's credit history to your own, the negative will also show up. As long as the person is good, you'll be good.

 Other than a legal definition, not much. The "pre" can mean a company believes you fit a certain criterion for applicants culled from data records and/or data mining.  This basically means you might be a good fit, but it is not a guarantee. What it definitely is, is a marketing gimmick designed to make you try for the product. And millions upon millions of people do precisely this. When in doubt check out the fine print. Pre-anything's will likely require a hard inquiry and there is no guarantee you'll get chosen

 Credit monitoring is not offered by our firm because it would mean the hiring a third party at cost. In order to fulfill this cost, we would have to raise our rate. Besides credit monitoring can be achieved for free, by our clients without 3rd party cost.

 You can thank the Vantage score for that. The model is a sensitive, fickle thing. Remember we don't promise or predict scores rising in any particular fashion (nowhere on this site will you find this crap written) we just remove information. What the score does is up to the people who developed it.

 Utility bills are not credit items. Rent is not a credit item either. Only credit items report and you can't add anything to a bureau, lenders do that.

 If the account that fell off was an original account (not a collection account) then once it ages off, it takes a part of the age of credit history with it. Less age and the score drops. Keep in mind that age is given as an average and not an exact amount.

 Pull your credit reports and view the detailed account data. When an item has been disputed (and not removed) the account will state that the information was disputed and has met the criteria for FCRA compliance. The nomenclature is not important, but it will show up. If the account is not marked it has not been disputed. One can always call the bureau in question and ask them which accounts have been disputed. If you can't track a result it is not your fault or the bureaus fault, it is because the dispute was never filed. 

 About 1 year.

 Yes, you can.

 Everyone else is full of shit.

 Generally speaking, no. You can ask the lender and bring proof that whoever you co-signed for can pay responsibly. Otherwise, you're on the hook for it till the end of time... or however long it takes to pay off a car at 17% interest.

 Rent is not a credit item. It does not apply and may only do so if you are using a credit card to cover it and have the receipts to prove it.

 The wording means that the payments agreed upon for the items inside the bankruptcy have been met. Obligation is discharged.

 They may. Evictions and other court proceedings may appear under "Public Records". Never trust a company that promises they can remove everything, not everything can be removed. If you have public record issues, each issue should be examined on its merits and go from there. Some cannot be petitioned for removal but a professional in such matters is always advised, and we are not.

 It is a term used by idiots who don't know what the FCRA compliance means. Blanket disputes are usually disputes that "blanket" or generally cover all information in credit files in one big dispute. This is as stupid as it sounds, and a good way to get your file flagged. Avoid blanket disputes or anyone that suggests it in any euphemistic language.

 Yes, and it happens quite often. A bankruptcy is a legal claim of insolvency before a court. They won't give you a higher score immediately. You have to rebuild slowly. They will not reward you like if nothing just happened. Things take time, it's not a bad thing.

 The short answer is no. Disability compensation is not a wage. Some collection agencies, like the unscrupulous ones, may try this. if this situation applies to you contact your State Attorney General, it may be an illegal act as all agencies must comply with federal laws when attempting to collect debts.

 As of May 2022, the CRA's sent a notification stating medical collections under $500 dollars will no longer be reported on consumer credit files (fuck yeah!)  and paid medical collections will no longer be listed. Also, medical collections may take up to 1 year to report, this is so a consumer can work towards paying them off. Consumers don't often get many breaks, but this seems to be a legit one. 

 Contact your police department and file a police report immediately. Contact the FTC and file it with them. Next call the Credit bureaus and speak to them about it. They will freeze your accounts posthaste. They will notify all lenders on file that identity theft is reported. You may have to call all 3 bureaus' even though they share the fraud alerts and identity theft reports.

 Date of Last Activity. This is a common designation of when an account saw its last activity either before it was paid/closed or defaulted upon. The Credit Reporting Time-Limit counts from the Date of First Delinquency. An account will report up to 7 years from the DoFD not the DLA.

 This one got asked and we thought it merited inclusion. Yes, collection agencies can place inquiries on a report. Unlike soft inquiries that don't affect the scores, hard inquiries will affect the score. Collection agencies will usually do this when trying to verify an address or telephone number (when they can't reach you) or when trying to verify a debt owed (supposedly owed) and under dispute.

 No, it's not true. this is more BS perpetrated by the jailhouse lawyer types on YouTube and other social media that have no earthly idea what they are talking about. If anyone makes a claim that sounds too good to be true, it usually is. All these types of scams can be reported to: justice.gov/coronavirus

 Generally speaking, no. The Credit Reporting Time Limit (The amount of time an account can be reported on, generally 7 years not including bankruptcies) cannot be reset or re-aged. If a payment arrangement was in place and it was defaulted upon then the Statute of Limitations could be reset and thus allow parties to bring suit against a defaulter. The Statute of Limitations varies state by state and is put in place to limit the time allowed for creditors to file suit against debtors.

 It means the collection agency that owns the debt is getting ready to illegally re-age your account. This is a dirty trick, but it happens often. Let us explain while you take a bong hit and eat nachos. Whenever a payment is made on a collection, and no other payments are made thereafter, the debt can reset the credit reporting time limit for another 7 years. It will also put the state statute right back to day one. Because of the way this is done, the company will hold onto the debt longer. Illegal? Hell yes. If you see this happen to you, contact the attorney general of your state and the CFPB and if you can afford it, hire a lawyer. This is BS and there are laws in place to protect consumers from it. But it happens every damn day.

 No. The date you see is placed there because it probably changed hands and the new agency who bought the debt is reporting on it. That date does not reset the credit reporting time limit. it just shows when the new agency took hold of the debt.

 No. It is just a tool. Vantage score is an inaccurate score which culls data from all the top 3 bureaus. It is not real world accurate. the score lenders use is FICO. period. If you're seeing a vantage score you should never take this as anything other than an educational tool and/or a waste of time.

 All closed lines of credit will initially drop a score. Closed lines of credit, either revolving or installment are never good for credit files. Likewise, scores are always changing. People should not obsess over scores.

 A write off is when the original lender decided to write off the default and take a loss. This can also appear under the title "profit loss". When it reads "transferred to collections" it means the lender did not write off the debt, instead sold it or otherwise contracted a collection agency to try to recoup on the loss. As always, this does not mean that one is absolved of their obligations to repay on a defaulted debt. For more detailed info call the collection agency yourself.

 Depends on the laws state to state. Some states only allow child support or back taxes to garnish your wages. Some states allow holders of defaulted loans or lines of credit to sue to recuperate monies. This varies from state to state.

 You surely can. Collection agencies are supposed to conform to the FDCPA (Fair Debt Collection Practices Act) when collecting on debt. that means they can't call your employer or friends; they can't harass you or lie. You can report such violations to the CFPB. This happens more often than one would think.

 They get canceled. Canceled accounts are back listed for six (6) months and will only be reinstated upon payment of any unpaid balance. No exceptions.

 This is known as "balance chasing". If this happens it may be because a lender sees changes to a credit file which is disturbing to them. This may include open disputes and or other activity a bank may deem potentially detrimental even though such actions are not against the bank that cut your credit lines.

 Any credit disputing will seriously hinder the underwriting process of a loan application. The idea is not to do it, because then you'll have to contact all the bureau's and stop the process which is a headache at best and a disaster at worst. If you're currently going through the purchase of a home or apt, and it's at the underwriting stage, do not start a dispute of any kind as it can affect the lending process.

 Contracts are mandatory in this industry. Due to the high fraud/scam ratio perpetrated by individuals passing themselves off as "experts", the Credit Repair Organization Act (CROA) mandates a contract at all times. Within the contract are the federal disclosures CROA demands. Many competitors view this as an "optional" approach. it is not optional. Our contract is long because it ensures the rights of consumers and the clauses which protect our enterprise. Contracts should be filled out AFTER consultation and never prior.

 Depending on which model you are seeing your score, it would explain the answer. Credit Karma uses the VantageScore model 03. It is sensitive to minute changes on their end. The famous FICO which is used by Experian is better at holding true, but good luck in getting it for free. Fair Isaac is notorious for charging for it.

 Yes. These may be categorized as STL's, or Short-Term Loans.

 Yes. Time Shares are usually listed as personal loans and not mortgage loans. Accounts which are in default with a balance owed will not only show up on a report, but they will be collectable exactly as any other account. It will adhere to the Statute of Limitations of the state it applies to and the credit reporting time limit of 7 years.

 Third party advertisers who have an interest in our types of enterprises, tend to not have the best intentions for consumers. They are lending/funding groups which target the desperate with higher-than-normal interest rates and toxic products. I call these companies: lending vultures. it's not my place to tell anyone what to do, yet I will not host or partner with companies which promote an unfair advantage to consumers that may not qualify for better lending. I've been asked before and I always ignore the requests.

 There are many companies which will provide credit scores for free, including updates and other resources. They are accessible through online portals and also through mobile apps. An example of this is Credit Karma and Credit Sesame. These and other free credit monitoring apps can be downloaded or accessed online.

 Closing a credit line drops a score because it's one less available line of credit. This is why it is recommended to keep them open, if you don't use them. Banks like to see a variety of open/good standing accounts.

 Never. Student loans are subsidized (i.e., partially paid to keep the interest low and cost affordable) by the Dept. of Education. Which means it remains collectible. In some instances, such as partial or total permanent disability, these loans are forgiven but it isn't a one-day thing. You'll need a doctor to affirm disability and keep up with all requirements until this is done. It takes years.

 Credit cards or loans (revolving or installment lines) will always affect a score when closed. Even if you were never late and paid them out in full. Any closed line of credit will have a negative effect because it is one less form of available credit.

 Our pricing includes disputes in the top 3 credit reporting bureaus (Experian®, Equifax®, and TransUnion®.) Basically, any and all erroneous information/items in each reporting bureau.

You can sleep with a light on.     

 The so called "609 letter" is part goyish fantasy and part truth. It gets its name from the subsection 609 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which stipulates that "debts must be validated", however the proponents that push this as a cure-all for erasing debt forget one little thing. It is used exclusively for IDENTITY THEFT issues and not general disputes. The 609 letter is not a scam per se, but it is highly irresponsible to sell it as a cure-all solution to all file errors. Lots of companies sell the letters. It's nonsense.

 Collection agencies have an arsenal of tactics at their disposal: threats, harassing calls, etc., but they can't garnish your wages without a) a court order or b) your permission. Collection agencies need your permission to invade your privacy, sounds silly but it's true. Don't want them to call? Tell them not to call you. They stop calling. The letters won't cease though, but letters don't speak.

 Accounts that can't be verified are usually removed, but unless you get a letter that says it was permanently removed and why, it can be put back in if it was verified (usually at a later date). Sometimes the information never gets verified and sometimes it does. However, the information put back in must be accompanied by a letter (they have 5 days business days to send it) from the date of re-insertion explaining why this was done. If you do not receive the letter, you may petition it to be removed on these grounds. Also, consumers have the right to ask how the information was verified. This is known as "method of validation section 611 (a)(6) and (7)".

 Credit Reporting Bureau's make their profits selling data, they also do so protecting your data. I personally believe consumers can safeguard their information for free with different methods but paying is always an option.

 Anything that saves time & money and is a model of efficiency is always good. Other companies mail disputes because it is slow and inefficient but means a bigger bottom line. Slow means more money, fast means happier customers. Lots of "experts" will advise against any online transmittal because it leaves no trail, which is of course laughable.

 Probably fear of losing clientele, not sure. We don't believe in limiting knowledge, we link out extensively.

 Bank defaults dealing with checking, savings, the result of bad checks, late checks paid out on, excessive late fees and other similar matters or infractions don't report to the top 3. They do however report to ChexSystems. ChexSystems is a part of the nearly 40 CRA's but it deals solely with banking information of a non-credit nature. Issues with accounts will be found here and may affect the ability to open a bank account with any bank in the continental U.S. for up to 5 years.

 To induce you to spend, so they can earn. Banks don't get by, by giving away free checking accounts and other services. Banks make money from interest.

 Paying off a loan is good but closing it out also means it closes an active line of credit which is something lenders like to see. Drops are to be expected when closing out accounts. The idea is to keep the balance and paying off a loan is good but closing the account out is bad, it does nothing for your credit score.

 First of all, yes. voluntary surrender doesn't mean a repo will be looked upon kindly or treated differently than a catch-me-if-you-can, wild bender, 3-month evasion, where you try to outwit the tow drivers and stuff your car into every house on your block, a mall, the one dude that owes you money or even the ex's place. They will stick you with the debt and throw it into collections if they don't get paid. Legitimate errors can be addressed.

 Any company or business operating a credit repair or debt consolidation company.  We provide unedited links.

 Results should begin to show up roughly 30 days after we initiate your file. For optimum results, we recommend anywhere from 3 to 6 months.

 It most certainly is not. No one can create a new identity much less to hide debts. This is a federal offense. Whoever claims they can do this should be reported to the FTC.

 Charge-off is a term where the original debt was "charged off their books" or "written off as a bad debt". Sometimes it can mean it was sold or transferred to collections. This wording doesn't mean the debt is forgotten. Those terms annotated on a file are for the bank to comply with its due diligence, you still owe it.

 Anyone that promises a specific rise to a score is lying. Not even the companies that devised the FICO® and the VantageScore® can predict specific rises to a score, even they don't know.

 Not necessarily. Documentation is extremely helpful in the determining of a claim. However, if you do not have documentation to back up your claim it isn't a deal breaker, it may just take longer. By documentation, we mean police reports, court orders, payment stubs and other receipts.

 No. If you owe on a debt in collection or a debt which is being paid as agreed, you should not stop making the payments. If you feel there is an error, you should always try to contact and come to terms with the original creditor. If this option has failed and you believe a debt is being represented incorrectly then you may file a claim for a correction or a partial removal of the incorrect amount.

 No, never trust your consumer credit file to someone who doesn't know what they are doing, have no track record, or a clear conflict of interest. Car dealers and realtors or mortgage brokers are prohibited by law from engaging in these types of businesses, especially where there may be a conflict of interest. An auto dealer, realtor associate/realtor broker, mortgage broker, loan officer may, however, recommend a trusted organization or 3rd party to look into concerns on a consumer credit file.

 This is known as "piggybacking", while many people can add spouses' siblings or business partners to a card, the principal account holder is still responsible for anything that other person does while using their credit. (The main account holder is always liable). Piggybacking isn't illegal. The illegal part comes in when companies "rent" trade lines (other people's credit) belonging to other clients. This is pretty much as bad as it sounds. There is only one proven way to raise your score: Pay your bill on time and in full.

 Yes. Consumer complaints can be filed with the Attorney General's office of your state or submitted to the Federal Trade Commission, or both. They will advise you on your legal recourse's—if any and investigate your claims.

 Yes. The statute of limitations for filing complaints is well outlined in the Credit Repair Organizations Act. Some states vary because some states offer protection or guidelines over and above federal protection.

It isn't easy going through life with a flat ass at 6 foot 2 inches, one can't find decent pants to hide it. Then you got the smart mouth to deal with. Spent more time in detention and fight than in class. Sure, it got him chicks, but that didn't happen for years. You're better off coming back as Pauly Shore, dude.    

Why not?