topic Re: Cleaning Credit in General Credit Topics

Cleaning Credit

Anonymous — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 22:27:27 GMT

Hi, I am cleaning up my credit and wanting to stay on top of it for the rest of my life.

In what manner would you do it.

1. Get 3 credit reports and go from there.

2. Join what???to monitor my credit report. Is there a 1,2,3 plan to get your credit going?

thank you

Re: Cleaning Credit

annielorie — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 22:53:25 GMT

Rainbow brite stay on one question in board trying to assist you! Did you get your reportss yet?

Re: Cleaning Credit

llecs — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 23:48:11 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Hi, I am cleaning up my credit and wanting to stay on top of it for the rest of my life.

In what manner would you do it.

1. Get 3 credit reports and go from there.

2. Join what???to monitor my credit report. Is there a 1,2,3 plan to get your credit going?

thank you

Yea, get all 3. You can get all 3 for free via annualcreditreport.com. These reports contain info critical in your repair journey, and you cannot find this info elsewhere (unless you pull your reports from the CRAs themselves).

Definitely consider subscribing to a credit monitoring service (CMS). It's a great way to track changes to your CR. Depending on the service, you can track on a regular interview. It's handy to see if there are any changes after sending DV letters, PFD letters, GWs, and so on and it beats spending $10+ on a new report to see that.

For more info on CMSs, be sure to check out the CMS Guide.

Re: Cleaning Credit

LIGHTNIN — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 07:21:05 GMT

Hi rainbowbrite,

To save you money, Dont buy the scores when pulling your Free CR's from annualcreditreport.com

The scores are what we call FAKO"s, not a real FICO score

Re: Cleaning Credit

LS2982 — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 11:13:36 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Hi, I am cleaning up my credit and wanting to stay on top of it for the rest of my life.

In what manner would you do it.

1. Get 3 credit reports and go from there.

2. Join what???to monitor my credit report. Is there a 1,2,3 plan to get your credit going?

thank you

Kind of expensive, but if you can afford it get the CMS for each bureau and myFICO EQ scorewatch. It total's about $60 a month but you have all info. available daily and daily pulls on each bureaus report.

Re: Cleaning Credit

Anonymous — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 14:13:53 GMT

@LIGHTNIN wrote:
Hi rainbowbrite,

To save you money, Dont buy the scores when pulling your Free CR's from annualcreditreport.com
The scores are what we call FAKO"s, not a real FICO score

+1 Great advice LIGHTNIN.

I also think IIecs has given you perfect advice, as well as LS has too.

Best of Luck.

Re: Cleaning Credit

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 18:24:36 GMT

Congrats and welcome. I started the same journey in Aug 2011.

yes, first I would get a copy of all three reports (FREE ANNUAL REPORT). I would look for errors etc and start challenging older accounts etc.

I would clean up as much as you are able on your own- then buy a copy of your scores. I previously subscribed to creditreport.com which is about

$14 a month. If you call to cancel within the trial period they will drop your rate to around $7 a month.

I made the mistake of signing up for Lexington Law- about 100 text messages and emails later I was finally able to get them off my back.

Just dont do it.

Re: Cleaning Credit

LS2982 — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 18:45:42 GMT

Never had problems with lexington. they did their job and I relieved them of their duties afterward. What did they do to try to stay with you?

Re: Cleaning Credit

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 19:12:22 GMT

I was about to use lexington law as well..glad I didn't

Re: Cleaning Credit

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 19:31:27 GMT

At the time it appeared they had some interesting information about clearing debt on their website- which is why I signed up to the website.
I was able to clean up my credit without their assitance but their text messages and constant emails were...annoying.

I guess if you have some stubborn collectors perhaps they are helpful. Just dont sign up to the website unless you want their help. That is my opinion.

But whatever works for you.

Here are the steps I took.

Get copies of all three of your reports.

Challange everything. A lot of mine fell off just through challenging but some of my debts were old.

However Sprint fell off and that was a recent debt.

What you are left with pay- but try and get a pay for delete letter. Also, try and settle for about 1/2 on the dollar. Then ask for a pay for delete letter.

Good luck to you.

Re: Cleaning Credit

LS2982 — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 19:31:30 GMT

@MsBenz, 90% of what lexington law does you can do with some patience and a bunch of stamps, i think its more of that added comfort that a known law firm is backing you that gives them all of their business.

Re: Cleaning Credit

MarineVietVet — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 19:37:02 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
At the time it appeared they had some interesting information about clearing debt on their website- which is why I signed up to the website.
I was able to clean up my credit without their assitance but their text messages and constant emails were...annoying.

I guess if you have some stubborn collectors perhaps they are helpful. Just dont sign up to the website unless you want their help. That is my opinion.
But whatever works for you.

Here are the steps I took.

Get copies of all three of your reports.
Challange everything. A lot of mine fell off just through challenging but some of my debts were old.
However Sprint fell off and that was a recent debt.
What you are left with pay- but try and get a pay for delete letter. Also, try and settle for about 1/2 on the dollar. Then ask for a pay for delete letter.

Good luck to you.

I hope you mean you challenged everything that you truly thought was inaccurate. And not disputed just because it might be something that is a negative.

Re: Cleaning Credit

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 19:48:43 GMT

"Some patience and a bunch of stamps" very accurately sums up my experience.

Re: Cleaning Credit

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:01:21 GMT

It means I challenged everything.

I read that often times after companies merge their records are a mess. They cant confirm your debt.

Also some debts are so small or so old collection agencies wont bother to confirm them and they will drop from your report.

Any debt you challenge that is not confirmed within 30-60 days (I forget exactly) will drop from your report.

Re: Cleaning Credit

LS2982 — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 21:20:48 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
It means I challenged everything.

I read that often times after companies merge their records are a mess. They cant confirm your debt.
Also some debts are so small or so old collection agencies wont bother to confirm them and they will drop from your report.

Any debt you challenge that is not confirmed within 30-60 days (I forget exactly) will drop from your report.

On the forums, as a moral way of looking at it, it's not recommended to dispute accurate information if it is indeed accurate

Re: Cleaning Credit

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 21:31:02 GMT

I understand. I guess I accepted the advice of the less moral.

I am only stating what worked for me. To each his/her own.