Saturday, February 28, 2009

Are You In Need of a Credit Dispute Letter?

By Kirk B. Mayors

What reasons would you have for writing a credit dispute letter? If you have received notice of poor credit you would write to dispute the credit report. And why did they decide you had bad credit? Well, assuming that you pay your bills on time, don't hold too many maxed out credit cards, are gainfully employed, and haven't had your car repossessed, then it must be a mistake.

You might need to contact the credit bureau over something as simple as a credit card billing error. Or to dispute harassing calls from collection agencies who are trying to collect on expired or invalid debts. Perhaps you need to negotiate for a lower payment schedule, or fight a misleading report that is attached to your personal credit report erroneously. Credit bureaus sometimes make mistakes!

No matter the reason that you need to write a credit dispute letter, you need to choose your words carefully so that the reason for the dispute is clear. At the same time, you should avoid antagonizing the credit reporting agency. With a good credit dispute letter, you can restore credit quickly without having to use expensive credit repair services. Be aware that the agency is obligated to remove an item if they are unable to verify it!

Your letter should use a business-like tone, but it should be short, direct, and amiable. You don't need to include tons of personal details. Just stick to the facts, and send copies of the reports in question with the disputed items highlighted. Don't make any threats of legal action or hostility. If you are pleasant in your dealings with the agency, they are more likely to handle your claim quickly and with a satisfactory result. To get an idea of the type of letter you should write, you can look online for a credit repair sample letter that you can modify based on your own situation.

Make sure to send the letter via registered or certified mail, return receipt requested. This will prove that you sent in the credit dispute letter within the required deadline. Always keep copies (or duplicate originals) of whatever you send.

You need to be very careful when you shop for items that will require a credit card or a loan. Do not give your full name, address, credit card, or social security number until you are actually going to make the purchase. Otherwise, each place you go could possible do a credit check on you before you even agree to buy.

This can lead to serious credit trouble, since each credit inquiry detracts from your credit score. These inquiries can knock off up to three points each! If your credit score is already on the low side, there are some credit repair techniques that can help you improve it quickly. First, bring any delinquent debts current. Your score will improve right away. Or, buy something with a department store credit card and pay it in full within two payments.

Whatever else you may do, avoid being scammed by supposed credit repair companies. There are many of them online, and there are some less-than-honest attorneys too. Realize that credit agencies receive your information from all kinds of creditors, and there are no simple cures for bad credit.

But, if you feel a mistake has been made on your report, then you should write a credit dispute letter to either the lender, the credit reporting agency, or both. It's not hard to do, and it's the best way to ensure that your credit report contains accurate information.

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