topic Re: Credit Repair Services in Rebuilding Your Credit

Credit Repair Services

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 22:55:52 GMT

Hello all, a Realtor I worked with recently to try to get approved for a mortgage referred to a third party credit repair service. The company has terrible reviews online, so I've decided to not go with them. Would like to know if there are any truly reputable credit repair services out there (who will truly go to bat for you with negative items, not just settle them). Or is it better to just try to do this myself? Any good guides out there on how to do this youself?

Re: Credit Repair Services

StartingOver10 — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 23:25:27 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Hello all, a Realtor I worked with recently to try to get approved for a mortgage referred to a third party credit repair service. The company has terrible reviews online, so I've decided to not go with them. Would like to know if there are any truly reputable credit repair services out there (who will truly go to bat for you with negative items, not just settle them). Or is it better to just try to do this myself? Any good guides out there on how to do this youself?

Welcome to MyFICO!

It is far better to do this yourself and the guides are right here on MyFICO in the Rebuilding your credit section where you made this post.

I am one of those people that like to hire others for a specific task, but it doesn't work well in the credit rebuilding world. This is one of those things that if you do it yourself, not only do you repair what is wrong, but you learn the ropes for the future to prevent future wrongs. Win-win.

Don't forget to read the stickies at the top of this section and the other MyFICO subforums. There is a wealth of information right in the stickies. Naturally, post your questions too for detailed, specific responses about your situation.

Re: Credit Repair Services

Anonymous — Sat, 04 Feb 2017 21:27:12 GMT

This is a catch-22
While, I agree that optimally one should educate themselves and be involved in their own rescue, no doubt.

However, having requisite skill and patience and attention to follow through and detail can NOT be overlooked or overstated.

It's like TELLING someone that they "can" lose weight w/o a trainer or professional help and the "best" way is this or that

When the God's honest TRUTH is it really depends on the person, some ppl are gonna need additional help.

Let's face it many ppl wouldn't be fat or have bad credit, bad spending and debt management issues in the 1st place if they could just READ what to do

It's not like it's the dark ages and info was kept hidden away from ppl ...
I have worked with thousands of clients over the years INFORMATION wasn't the problem

ACTING on the information was the problem and constantly will be the issue for most ....That's why ppl have coaches, trainers and do things in groups because it helps more human beings to DO
Vs talk, pray, hope and wish

I don't think provide paid Credit Repair services anymore but back when I did, it wasn't all about ME and what my company did

Yes, knowledge and experience helps as with anything but the reason ppl would show BACK up needing to consolidate debt yet AGAIN in the not so future was because of whom they were and who they hadn't become.

That's more so why you have to be involved in your own recovery because if you don't learn and commit to change months later....
You'll still be who the credit score thought you were
*Might as well get your crown ala Dennis Green😁

Anyway, to be FAIR to the company you mentioned (again I have no idea, who they are and don't care) many, many times one has to consider the audience when looking at reviews, especially in that business

Generally speaking one is dealing g with a majority of ppl with less than desirable discipline, an over since of enlightenment and a lot of Hail Mary "wants" based in insanity...

No offense but bill paying good credit ppl in general have better expectations and live in a rational place far more often than non bill paying horrible credit ppl who just WANT it now, fast and in a hurry

Many of 'those' ppl are the quick to complain, expect miracle types, 1st to yell scam when things don't go there way fast enough, ppl has a group who don't know what a stamp taste like but know it all
And don't let them actually SPEND any money w/o Jesus showing up and moving mountains and turning water to wine😂

Just saying be mindful of who the 'protesters' are when dealing with repair shops....

There is no winning in that business, because either the reviews are fake or the loudest criers get heard.

Now,I just help ppl for Free because folks can never pay you value and others devalue what you actually do ...It's like being a parent...There is no way to truly value the gig, at the same time the gig is devalued as no big deal, as in nothing to it, OK really?
Knock yourself out

No absolutes, is my point

Ppl tell me all the time, I could do my own brakes and do whatever to my own website
But truth be told....NO I CAN'T

And it won't be done as well as the guy
And I won't pay enough attention to get it done correctly in the future, so I just go ahead and pay da man

*Again, I think ppl SHOULD get more involved and committed to learning and gain command with regards to their credit and taxes but ppl also better be god darn HONEST with the effort and attention or it's just wishful thinking!

Re: Credit Repair Services

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Feb 2017 07:42:50 GMT

I think the question isnt using a service versus not for many it is what service to use. Having said that I did all of my stuff and my wifes myself. I don't think it takes much skill but it take perserverance and patience. With the CFPB these days you have far more leverage than just a few years ago. One thing you have to consider is the value of your time and frustration.

Re: Credit Repair Services

rmduhon — Mon, 06 Feb 2017 08:13:10 GMT

Exactly. I could easily change the oil in my truck but I pay to have it done for my convenience. To a certain extent, it's the same thing.

Re: Credit Repair Services

RobertEG — Sun, 26 Feb 2017 00:26:55 GMT

One factor could be whether or not you wish to use the direct dispute process (FCRA 623(a)(8)) to address any disputes, rather than going through a CRA.

Using the direct dispute process removes any possibility of the CRA not forwarding all your relevant documentation or arguments to the creditor or debt collector.

Credit repair organizations are explicitly excluded from participation, even by providing forms for consumer use, in direct disputes.

Re: Credit Repair Services

nupey10 — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 13:52:10 GMT

I used a CRA for about 2 yrs. I'm glad I did because I would not have had the patience it takes to send out as many letters as was needed for my situation. Yours may be different. In that time though I was constantly on this forum and others reading and gaining very valuable knowledge. Knowledge not just on credit repair, but on building credit AND probably most important to me now, MAINTAINING what I been able to overcome. I've still have some repair that I am doing on my own now, but I've come from the lower/mid 500s to 720s and from what I learned here from these Vets, I am NOT going back there again. So, again my situation was I needed a lot of repair. More than I was going to/wanted to do on my own. Research other's experience and see it your situation warrants it or if its something you know you can do yourself.

Re: Credit Repair Services

Anonymous — Mon, 29 May 2017 11:16:53 GMT

@rmduhon wrote:
Exactly. I could easily change the oil in my truck but I pay to have it done for my convenience. To a certain extent, it's the same thing.

Perfect way of framing the 'pro' argument. There are hundreds (or more) of things we pay someone else to do every year, even though we could learn how to do it, and handle it ourselves; or we might even already know how, but choose to hire someone else for the sake of convenience, brevity, or skill level.

I've been considering going the professional agency route myself, but there are a ton of them out there; most with quite contradictory reviews. I'd like to here from some actual, established myFICO folks who've used an agency.

Does anyone have any experiences they'd like to share?

Re: Credit Repair Services

rmduhon — Mon, 29 May 2017 11:28:00 GMT

I didn't use a repair company because between me, hubby, and my mom we only had about 12 derogatory items combined and I don't give out that kind of information very often. But a friend used LL and got some stuff removed but they came back a few months later.

Re: Credit Repair Services

Anonymous — Mon, 29 May 2017 14:38:14 GMT

Here's where the situation gets CONFUSING...

What does one really mean by 'repair'?
Unfortunately, the term has been bastardize to mean LESS than it likely should

LL basically is a 'dispute' mill, period and for most ppl repair=disputes, end of story

I see disputes as possibly a PART of repair, which in turn is PART of what needs to be addressed and taken into consideration when one is repairing/restoring/rebuilding and enhancing their credit and financial profile.....otherwise it's just spitting in the ocean.

That's not to say there is anything "wrong" with the 'disputers' of the world, I just wish they and the public would just understand that simply disputing should NOT be promoted as 'repairing' because it gives a very narrow view/idea of what may need to be addressed to actually repair.

It's like not dividing up what a law firm may have to do to resolve your issue...ok LL showed up and handled the dispute letter part of your case = the arraignment

But what if more is needed???

The more has nothing to do with the services rendered by LL...they only offer X level of service anything beyond that you're in the wrong line.

Jiffy Lube isn't the same mechanic but many treated as if that's ALL that's required....same thing with dispute only companies

Sure a oil n lube job are very important BASIC maintenance stuff, which 'may' actually be enough to set you on your way but don't mistake that activity as an actual 'repair'......

My point being too often ppl self diagnosis themselves, prescribe their own medicine and declare themselves cured based only on their sometimes limited definition of being 'restored' to good financial health #dangerous

Re: Credit Repair Services

Anonymous — Mon, 29 May 2017 22:24:38 GMT

Well put, Gemini. At least right up till you hashtagged...

What you described is exactly my idea of what these services should offer. I'm not looking for a miracle worker, or something shady/illegal. Just someone to do the tedious, exhaustive task of drafting and mailing letters, and keeping track of said letters and responses. I'd also expect them to be better at it than me; simply because it's their job, and what they do every day. I'd expect them to have a better working knowledge of which approach works best for certain types of debt, certain collection agencies, and each reporting agency. Every situation cannot call for the exact same approach.

Again, I certainly can do it on my own. I work a lot, and have a number of volunteer responsibilities, so I'd rather not spend the precious little free time I do have buried in paperwork.

Re: Credit Repair Services

Anonymous — Mon, 29 May 2017 22:40:46 GMT

It really comes down to follow up and how detailed one can be. TU and Exp I have found to be very reasonable but I had Equifax confirming items where the other side admitted were wrong in writing. For some people writing the letters is just not for them.

Re: Credit Repair Services

Anonymous — Tue, 30 May 2017 06:55:08 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I was seeking for a legit credit repair a while ago , I had tried the usual methods to get back a good credit score .I met a really good mortgage banker who does Home loans for California who introduced me to a Network Engineer <mod edit> that fixed my credit literally overnight , i was down to 500 before i met him, now Now 750.

Sorry denesser, I was looking for success (and failure) stories about actual companies. And, I was hoping to hear from established, reputable MyFICO members. The fact that you signed up today, presumably to only post the one message, seems a little sketchy to me. Plus, I'm pretty sure you aren't supposed to solicit business for someone on here...

Re: Credit Repair Services

Anonymous — Tue, 30 May 2017 22:34:25 GMT

@Kjohn1
In all fairness, I think you may have been mislead regarding the overwhelming MASSIVE amounts of 'paperwork' involved, so much so that your volunteer work would need to be jeopardize 😒

Again, I don't do paid repair anymore but I still know the deal... nobody needs to miss going to the soap kitchen or the Special Olympics based upon the mountain of paperwork behind ONE individual repair process... that's #1 not rain, my friend no matter WHAT 'they' should you, it's NOT rain😓

These companies spend 'minutes' per file, per month and they have dozens and dozens of files, if not more depending on size....so why would you feel you'd need anymore time than them?
Unless, again you do feel less competent than whom you can... which IMO is absolutely valid but if it's ONLY about 'time' and being scared of mountains of paperwork, that's an unwarranted fear.

If one is comfortable that they are competent, the process doesn't require much more than a sitcom worth of time per month and since it's about one's finances and the overall financial health of one's household, with all due respect volunteer responsibilities can not trump keeping and maintaining a proper credit and financial profile.

If that's the case and one makes 20-60 bucks an hour, just sent the charity $60 bucks to hire some cheap labor and use ONE of your valuable hours a month ON yourself and your family's behalf, don't short change yourself

Often, ppl are too busy to participate in recovery but had/have all the time in the world to create/recreate the issue at hand... many times it's best to have a hand in both, so things aren't so foreign, as to NOT get back in the same spot again.

That's why today, I refuse to do clean up w/o clients grabbing a broom themselves and becoming involved in the process....my clients today know, their Momma doesn't work here.

I, Coach but clients must do their own blocking and tackling, throwing and catching else there is no learning, no growth again JMO😇

Re: Credit Repair Services

Anonymous — Tue, 30 May 2017 22:55:42 GMT

Look into Select Us. They helped me get a mortgage and their reviews were excellent.

Re: Credit Repair Services

Anonymous — Tue, 30 May 2017 23:26:32 GMT

have you tried collectionshield360?

Re: Credit Repair Services

Anonymous — Wed, 31 May 2017 03:54:31 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous
In all fairness, I think you may have been mislead regarding the overwhelming MASSIVE amounts of 'paperwork' involved, so much so that your volunteer work would need to be jeopardize 😒

Again, I don't do paid repair anymore but I still know the deal... nobody needs to miss going to the soap kitchen or the Special Olympics based upon the mountain of paperwork behind ONE individual repair process... that's #1 not rain, my friend no matter WHAT 'they' should you, it's NOT rain😓

These companies spend 'minutes' per file, per month and they have dozens and dozens of files, if not more depending on size....so why would you feel you'd need anymore time than them?
Unless, again you do feel less competent than whom you can... which IMO is absolutely valid but if it's ONLY about 'time' and being scared of mountains of paperwork, that's an unwarranted fear.

If one is comfortable that they are competent, the process doesn't require much more than a sitcom worth of time per month and since it's about one's finances and the overall financial health of one's household, with all due respect volunteer responsibilities can not trump keeping and maintaining a proper credit and financial profile.

If that's the case and one makes 20-60 bucks an hour, just sent the charity $60 bucks to hire some cheap labor and use ONE of your valuable hours a month ON yourself and your family's behalf, don't short change yourself

Often, ppl are too busy to participate in recovery but had/have all the time in the world to create/recreate the issue at hand... many times it's best to have a hand in both, so things aren't so foreign, as to NOT get back in the same spot again.

That's why today, I refuse to do clean up w/o clients grabbing a broom themselves and becoming involved in the process....my clients today know, their Momma doesn't work here.

I, Coach but clients must do their own blocking and tackling, throwing and catching else there is no learning, no growth again JMO😇

I get what you're saying, Gemini, I really do. But I simply have a different view on it. I have absolutely zero doubt in my ability to learn everything there is to learn about credit, and apply that knowledge to disputing and cleaning my record. I can't say grad school taught me a whole lot of anything useful, but it certainly taught me how to research and how to learn; so learning it and understanding it isn't the problem.

I'd just prefer to spend my time elsewhere. I'm not sure I totally agree with your assessment that if you don't do it yourself, you're somehow in the wrong, or more complicit in the problem; everyone is responsible for there own credit, whether they work on it themselves or outsource it. Sometimes it's perfectly okay to hire somebody to do things you don't want to do, or can't do, for yourself. For example, last month I paid a mechanic to change the timing belt on one of my vehicles. I'm perfectly capable of doing it myself (one of my happy places is in the garage, turning wrenches), but I didn't have the inclination.

I see reputable credit services in the same way I see mechanics, landscapers, housekeepers, et. al. No different than any other service providing business.

Re: Credit Repair Services

Anonymous — Wed, 31 May 2017 05:42:55 GMT

@Kjohn1
I totally agree with the latter position of outsourcing 'certain', especially 'make busy' task like oil changes, painting, landscaping, hair cutting, cleaning, plumbing etc

Things that are more manual, 🍪 cutter in nature that are NOT as VALUABLE as the key to one's financial household.
So while, I'm 💯% in agreement with choices been made, it's just that we differ so which ones are too important to outsource vs those where I feel one needs to be in the driver's seat.

IMO credit & finances get handled with the BEST AVAILABLE asset one has, which is themselves...I don't mind allowing my gardener to be basically the boss and responsible party with regards to crab grass removal and making sure the right trash cans get to the curb for the city,on the correct day....heck even the barber might cut it a little closer than I actually wanted but when it comes to FINANCES....IMO people must be their own Kobe Bryant and make sure the ball is in their own hand.

It's not about KNOWING what to do nor being college educated....it's about having the WILL to continually over time DO the proper ACTIONS that get ppl in trouble or keep them out, all things considered 😋

Very smart ppl, don't need 'repair' due to a lack of knowledge nor do not so smart ppl....folks 'need' repair because of lack of follow through, more so

If we are brutally honest, for the most part 'repair' is akin to the defense getting stuff thrown out on technicalities....if we want to be 💯 about the situation.

Most of the bills REALLY were owed, the behavior to get INDEBTED actually happened, yeah the collection agency freaked up but ✋ to God the client legitimately borrowed something, bought something or in someway got themselves in a spot to NOT be able to have met an obligation they created....

Too often because there is a way OUT, folks 'forget' that most of this stuff did NOT come about because some Russian sky stole an identity, it came about because the debtor CREATED some debt they now want to 'duck' out of to be 1000% real about it.

A person maintaining their finances us NO DIFFERENT than being responsible for balancing one's checkbook...if it becomes PART of one's routine ( again I think it's the Momma or Daddy of the house's responsibility but again JMO) then the process is no different than seeing a check out of place or a charge on one's card that needs to be corrected

Once, something that should be so BASIC in one's day to day financial life gets outsourced IMO it weakens families and sets up a bad cycle for future generations.

But again, this is an issue I'm passionate about, having worked with the 'results' over the last 25 years
The truth to me is, one doesn't have much to DO, if they haven't spent too much time mucking up their finances....

Think about it, these way ....for the most part there are NOT 20 items to 'work' on unless the profile owner mucked up 20 freaking accounts 😱

Otherwise, it's no big deal to clean up one or two total 'not me' issues but if the person has spent much time and effort running up a bunch of bad accounts through their own 'handy-work' IMO they can not be too busy to come get their hands dirty during the clean up or again JMO and the way I was raised, they won't LEARN how to ACT in the future....

That's the learning I was referencing not 'book knowledge' or intelligence per se but more about carrot vs stick

By just allowing somebody else to 'clean up' the mess can make it easier for said person to just run out and run it up again I'm old school more 'understanding' many times comes from when the heartbeat is actually in your own hands and I can't think of one more important for an American to hold for themselves than this one

But, I agree as far as labor gigs...I will probably never change my own oil and I don't know pads, shoes whatever with regard to the brakes on the Lexus that's for the mechanic ...and a paint brush...please😉
However when it comes to finances, 💰 & credit IMO you become your Micheal Jordan= become the shooter not a passer 🙌

Re: Credit Repair Services

Wovenyarn — Wed, 31 May 2017 15:15:02 GMT

Many many years ago, I used a credit repair company to improve my scores after filing Chp 7. I believe I paid about $1000 but in about a year's time, my score went up about 150 points and I was able to buy a house.

All they did was dispute, but they were really good and all I had to do was send them my updated reports when I received them. They had everything removed. It was the best thing in the world for me at the time because they even referred me to a lender and I was able to purchase a house.

Now of course, over a decade later and after many years of reading my Fico, I feel better equipped to handle any credit issues that may arise but I totally don't regret using the CR service at the time because I got the desired resolution with little to no effort on my part. (and that was the goal at the time).

I do wish that I would have known then about other things like the 3 lines of credit and 1 installment loan for optimal results. But you live and you learn.

Re: Credit Repair Services

Anonymous — Wed, 31 May 2017 17:59:47 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Does anyone have any experiences they'd like to share?

I used LL for several months. I saw a few results but not as much as I was expecting to see.

I was trying to get my Financial World in order for a "Clearance" I was going for. The "investigators" asked to see what LL was doing to help me dispute and help me get the Bad information out of my report. I requested a copy of everything LL put together and sent out for me. When I received the files, I was completely disgusted.

Considering, they call themselves L Law...the letters that were written to challenge information on my Credit Report were horrible. Between the typos, incorrect grammar, the horrible formatting (one letter was center justified) and the different sized fonts and types of fonts in the same letter, it looked like they used elementary school students to write the letters.

I was embarrassed that I had to show the investigators such poor quality documentation. I was more upset with myself that I actually was paying for such poor work.