Credit Card: Do It Yourself Credit Repair
Author: Deanna Mascle

Trying to keep your head above financial waters can be
difficult. All you know is you have gotten yourself into a
sticky situation and you don't know how to stop or fix it. Where
do you begin to look for help? Is there an easy way out of this
financial hole you have dug for yourself? The best place to look
is to yourself and not to the many scams that are out there
today.

Everyday your email is bombarded with quick fixes and
miraculous claims from companies saying they can guarantee the
removal of bad credit. They offer countless ways around the
legal system in order to give you shiny new credit once again.
The best thing you can do is toss that right in the trash.
However, if you feel that you have found a legitimate company
there are a few things that you need to watch for.

If a company does not give you all of the information on your
own personal legal rights, or if they don't explain that you can
do things for yourself for free, they are probably an
irresponsible company. If someone tells you that you cannot
contact a credit report company directly, they are lying. If
anyone asks you to pay for any sort of credit fixing services up
front, they are scamming you. If a company tries to get you to
make up an identity and apply for an Employer Identification
Number instead of your Social Security number, make sure that
you like them because you will probably be sharing a prison cell
with them.

The truth is that no one has the capabilities of removing
anything negative from your credit report. You may dispute
something in your credit report, but you can't have someone go
into the computer system and erase it. The point is simple:
everything that a credit repair service can do, you can do for
yourself. The issue then becomes whether or not you want to do
it yourself.

Everyone is entitled to a free credit report if you have run
into problems like being denied for something like insurance, or
employment. You do have to ask for the credit report within 60
days of denial though. If you are unemployed, on welfare, or if
you are suspecting identity theft, you are entitled to one free
report a year. Certain companies are required to fill this free
request such as Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion to name a few.
If you decide that you need an additional copy of your credit
report before 12 months, you will have to pay a $9.50 additional
charge.

The only way to stay out of debt is to remain vigilant and stay
on top of your payments. Some people will employ a company to
keep an eye on their credit reports for them as an added
security measure. A company like Equifax will check for mistakes
or signs of identity theft, and keep your records up to date for
you. There are additional governmental resources that will help
you determine how to fix your credit. One such easy-to-navigate
site is http://www.ftc.gov. Although it is better to deal with
your credit repair on your own, it is even better not to have to
deal with it at all. The only way you're going to do that is by
not allowing things to slide.


About The Author: Deanna Mascle shares more advice at her
Credit Repair site at http://answersaboutcredit.com where you
can also download the free ebook "What To Do When Your Credit
Goes Bad"