Avoiding Credit Repair Scams
You've probably heard or seen advertisements claiming a company can "erase bad credit" or get you a "new credit identity." Such claims usually refer to "credit repair" offers, which are often scams.
Why are Credit Repair Deals Often Considered to be Scams?
The idea of "repairing bad credit" has emerged because of the importance of credit reports and credit scores to the lending and borrowing industry: Every time you want to take out a loan or apply for a line of credit, lenders check your credit history to see what kind of a lending risk you are.
If you have a history of making payments on time, not taking on more credit than you can handle and generally staying on top of your debts, you likely have a high credit score and are considered a good lending risk.
However, if you have a history of late payments, defaults and other negative actions, you're probably considered a bigger risk and lenders are less willing to extend credit to you.
Credit repair scams may offer to erase or change information in your credit history – even if it's accurate and current – in order to give you a stronger credit rating. Naturally, this is illegal. The only way to improve your credit is to practice healthy credit habits.
Credit Repair Myths
A credit repair scam is devious because it may appear enticing to those recovering from bankruptcy or looking for a way to improve their credit so they can qualify for less expensive loans. Make sure you know the truth behind common credit repair myths:
- "Bankruptcy ruins your credit for 10 years – but you can fix it with credit repair." This statement is false. First of all, if you file bankruptcy, it will appear on your credit report for 10 years, but its overall impact on your credit score will greatly diminish as time passes. In fact, you can make significant improvement on your credit rating within 18 months to two years of your bankruptcy case. Secondly, you cannot fix poor credit with credit repair.
- "You can wipe out your credit history by getting a new credit identity." Again, this is not true. Some credit repair scams operate by offering victims a "new credit identity", which is a code word for an Employee Identification Number (EIN). The EIN is used by businesses and contains the same number of digits as a Social Security Number. Scam artists may encourage you to apply for new lines of credit using your EIN and a new address rather than your SSN and actual address. But guess what. This is fraud. When you apply for credit, you're required to swear that the information you provide is complete and accurate, which isn't the case if you're using a fake SSN. Penalties for this type of crime can be steep, especially if you use the postal service to complete transactions – you could be charged with mail fraud, too.
Warning Signs that You're Being Scammed
Unfortunately, if you aren't familiar with the laws, you may not realize that a company is scamming you and even helping you commit a crime. Here are some telltale signs a company may be engaging in fraudulent business activity:
- The company demands that you pay for its services before they've been performed.
- The company refuses to explain your legal rights to you or offer you ways to improve your credit without purchasing its services.
- The company advises you not to contact a credit reporting agency directly.
- The company advocates challenging all information on your credit report, whether or not it's accurate.
- The company offers to create you a "new credit identity" – this is illegal and can lead to criminal charges for both of you.
The Federal Trade Commission has penalized credit repair scams in the past and has released helpful information for consumers concerned about their credit and/or credit repair scams.
If you've been scammed and are struggling financially, bankruptcy may be an option for you. Fill out the below form to talk with one of our sponsoring bankruptcy lawyers today.
Bottom Line: Improving Credit Takes Time and Effort
The truth is that improving your credit rating isn't expensive, it just takes time and a concerted effort on your part to keep up with your payments.
You can improve your credit if you put your mind to it, and avoid post-bankruptcy pitfalls like credit repair scams and payday loans.