I got my experian updated experian report today. No deletions some positive updates though to Open Never late but these are on student loans which are always very easy. What's got me worried is this notice they enclosed with the results: I f you question the results of our investigation then you may refer to your original personal credit report for the business name and address of the source who verified the information. If you need further information please call the phone number we displayed with the information. A few paragraphs down after they have explained settlements, judgements etc. there is this paragraph: There is nothing a credit repair company can do for you that you can't do for yourself for free. Along with your State Legislators, we believe it is important to supply you with information about specific credit repair laws. According to New York Law, credit repair companies cannot request payment before completeing all services. 2) Tell you to make a dispute that is untrue, and the company cannot do so either. 3) Lie about what can be changed or removed from the personal credit report. 4) Promise you new credit without explaining exactly how it is possible. 5) Dispute items on your credit report without your permission by pretending to be you. In addition credit repair clinics must supply you with a written contract. Advise you that you may cancel the contract at any time within the first three days and Explain in writing which items the company can change and when. If you believe a credit repair company has not followed these guidelines then you may want to contact the Attorney General's office at #######. Anyway that's the gist of it. Yes I have retained Jack Schrold office and he has had some success with helping clear up some things on my credit report. But this sounds alot like a thinly veiled threat they are going to ignore further requests for investigation. What are my options? Do I have any? Should I just give up trying to clear up my credit and lay low for a while. This really has me bummed out.
Look I know that this is probably really stupid. But I am panicking and really nervous, not to mention depressed. I would really like any insight whatever you guys think about this. Mainly are they setting me up to refuse investigation or automatically verify all my disputes from this point forward?
Robin sorry that I cannot answer your questions but I was wondering what shape your student loans were in because you said they were "easy," mine are by far the worse on my report and are in default. Hopefully you can help me and hopefully I can help you with this bump
Mine almost went into default but I called them up and got a hardship forbearance. With student loans I think you have more options because if you talk to the lenders or go to their websited you can request a forbearance online. I would try this immediately if I were you. First try online if your lender has a website and go to their student loans area there should be options to do this online. If not you have to call them. Either way once this is done then the lender will update your credit report to show open never late once you request it. I have done this many times that is why I wasn't really to concerned with the lates I had on my credit report because I knew I could get them taken care of at anytime. I am just so upset about that notice on my credit report though, I think I've been marked or something. I'm almost ready to throw in the towel.
Robin, Calm down, I got the same stupid crap from them just today. They are really trying to put the screws to CRO's. It doesn't matter wheather your disputes come from Jack, you or the man in the moon they still have to investigate. Also they don't know for sure that you are using a CRO. They send that to everyone, I'm quite sure. Besides it's none of their business who or what you use to help you with this stuff. Aside from what you already typed my notice also says: "While you make payments on a collection account, the the status will remian "collection". Once you pay the account in full, it will show "paid/collection". A paid collection account will remain on the report for 7 years from the initial missed payment that led to the collection." My question is is this supposed to be a resolution to my dispute? They recieved it July 26th. There is no mention of the acct in dispute or even the fact that I have a dispute. It does have a report number I don't recognize. Man! The CA promised they would NOT validate.
In the words of Peter Gabriel "Don't give Up!" They may just be trying to get you to stop your attempts. I remember reading somewhere that the CRA hate people like us. You have to remember we make them work and do what they are supposed to do and we also get lots of violations on them and some have gotten them to pay up. Remember you have not done anything wrong. You simply have made sure the information the report is accurate and if it is not then they have to do what the law says. Hope these words help. Got another question for you on the Student Loans, mine are all in default, most with collection agencies who have said I have to make 6 consecutive payments (1 a month) before it goes back to the original lender. My loans are held by different companies. Here are the names, tell me if you recognize any of these. Iowa College Aid Commission (depending on reports some have been deleted, others verified) EFG/Technologies Sallie Mae (they sold my loan and have I5 reporting, every dispute verified) Student Marketing Loan Association AMS Servicing Group That is the lot of them, they mostly say claim filed against grantor. If I could work something out to get these current asap, not like rehab which takes a year, I would be in incredible shape. If you can help let me know, thanks
Who is your student loan provider? I have about 8 tradelines reporting late. They are caught up and while they came close to default none ever went into. Would your suggestion work with this you think?
Thanks to everyone for your words of comfort regarding the experian thing. I was really down for a while but knowing I am not the only one and that this is just another one of their stupid form tactics makes me feel better. That said one good turn deserves another. So here goes: My loans are with Citibank, Sallie Mae and Direct Loans. They have been almost in default many times and each time I went with the hardship forbearance option. Usually your lender will hava a website. Go to the student loan part and enter your account # usually your ss#. If your info comes up follow the steps to request a forbearance. If their is no website call the student loan 800 # there is usually an automated forbearance request option. You enter your account number and it automatically processes your forebearance.
I'm not sure because I never actually got to default but I would try the forbearance on the website. It's worth a shot.
They are blowing smoke up your a**, You are asserting your legal rights and they don't like it. Believe me, they would use any loophole they had to keep negative info on your report.
That's a great letter but can I use it even though Schrold is supposed to be doing the communicating with the cra's?
I DON'T KNOW??? It is just ILLEGAL for the CRA'S to TELL or ASK you to not use a CREDIT REPAIR COMPANY, or "INFER" that you are using one!!!
I know in a thread a couple of months ago that the same attorney had gotten someone in trouble with the CRA's. I don't remember the specifics of the thread, but his people were real unprofessional. Do a search of the Jack guy. Charlie
Don't pay Experian any mind Robin. They do it to scare you... My question for you is, what has this Jack Guy done for you that you can't do yourself?
Got the same "canned" reply here too, robin. Don't sweat it. Bask in the positive stuff and keep plugging away at the negative ones. Today I got an "agreed to delete" from a pesky CA that took 3 validation requests to take care of it. I sent the 1st letter out on June 20! Now it is on the way out! Also got 2 more deletes courtesy of disputes with Equifax. It does work! Some days better than others, but it always works!
No worries, robin, I got their generic response too. I think they think they can get out of actually responding to a procedural request by attempting to answer your questions or most questions up front. Actually, they are trying to get you to not ask questions ;-). Type on! Sassy
Robin, I echo the others...don't sweat it. I used an agency about 3 years ago, and even though they helped somewhat, I was able to make further advances myself. I receive statements along those lines about every other time I've made challenges, and even received one last month. I countered with my next CRA challenge letter that "I was offended....and that any correspondance they received in the last 24 months was directly from me..." and gave them my work number if they had any questions, -with the condition that if it ever was posted or documented that I would sue them (not sure if I would have the right, but asserted it anyhow) My uncle was a State Police officer, and he mentioned that their first level of gaining the upper edge was by intimidation acheived by the lights and siren, gun in the holster, flashlight and tall hat. If that didn't work the next step was to threaten by statements of "speeding 10 mph over the limit warrants a $200 fine in this state.." and so on. If you see through the veiled threats and intimidations, and stand tall administering your rights, generally speaking, they really can do nothing else but let you go on your way. (OK, maybe the whole speeding thing is the wrong example) What I'm trying to say is: I think I read somewhere that because the consumer has more rights than CRAs, they use intimidation and threats to try and dissuade your efforts. So even though we got a 'ticket for speeding' it is our right to challenge it. Hope that helps.
Sorry I couldn't get back to you guys sooner. Thanks to everyone for the words of encouragement I really needed. As for Jack...well he is very controversial but he does get results in my case anyway. So far I've been signed up for a little over 2 months and he has managed to get over $7000 dollars in debt deleted. Two of which were public records. I use him so that I can double team my debts. What I mean is I would be stretched to thin if I wanted to get behing the cra's the ca's the oc's and perform all of life's daily functions. So he takes care of the cra's and I go after the ca's and oc's. One doesn't seem to interfere with the other. Yes you can do it on your own for free, if you have about 4-5 hours a day to do the research, draft the letters, go to the post office etc. etc. I don't have that luxury so I had to hire Jack's firm to help speed the process along.
