Saturday, February 28, 2009

Do You Need 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.

Or, perhaps you're disputing a credit card billing error that led to a derogatory mark on your credit. Maybe you need to end bothersome phone calls from collection agencies who insist on pursuing you for expired or invalid debts. In general, a credit dispute letter is used to correct some kind of mistake that was made on a credit report; the credit reporting agencies are not free from error. You can even use a credit dispute letter as supporting documentation to negotiate lower monthly payments with your lenders.

Whatever the reason for your bureau dispute letter, you need to write it in a fashion that does not alienate the agency. If you write a successful letter, you can boost that troublesome credit rating quickly. Remember that they have to remove an item if they cannot 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.

When you are ready to send the letter, be sure it goes out by certified or registered mail, and make sure to request a return receipt. The signed receipt will be sent to you so that you have proof that the credit dispute letter was received before the deadline. Also, make sure to keep copies of everything for your records.

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.

Unfortunately, each time your credit is questioned it is added to your rating?or should I say subtracted?as many as three points for each inquiry about your credit! If your credit is a bit low, there are some quick fixes you can use to boost it quickly. Any delinquent debts should be paid off in full. It will raise your score immediately. Or charge something on a department store card and pay it off in two payments.

Whatever you do, stay away from credit repair company scams. There are dozens of them on the internet, along with some very dishonest lawyers. Credit bureaus get your information from banks, mortgage companies, etc. There are no easy cures for a poor credit history.

But, when there's been a mistake made on your report, it's in your best interest to write a credit dispute letter. It's not as difficult as you might think, and it can go along way toward restoring your credit. - 16039

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