The Importance of Improving Your Credit

Here is a great article on the steps you should take to ensure identity theft does not happen to you. Always remember, identity theft should not be your only concern. Increasingly, many debt collectors such as Midland Funding LLC, Asset Acceptance, Unifund, LVNV Funding, Cach LLC, International Portfolio, Worldwide Asset Purchasing, and many others may sue the wrong person and park a collection on your credit report. Or a collection agency may try to put pressure on you by placing a collection trade line on your credit report. This is very common. This is another reason why you should monitor your credit reports or have someone that has experience to assist you. Always remember, sometimes consumers have so much debt it is insurmountable. If you make low wages and have a lot of debt, Chapter 7 Bankruptcy is always an option. If you live in Central Florida, you can get a free consultation and we can discuss your current financial situation. www.orlandocreditlawyer.com Check out the following article:

http://givemebackmycredit.com/blog/2008/10/what-if-your-reputation-or.html

The worm is turning for the National Arbitration Forum

The mainstream media is finally beginning to publicize the exploits of the National Arbitration Forum (NAF) and their habit of ( cliche alert) “rubber stamping” awards for old debts preying on consumers denying them their day in court. Check out this BusinessWeek article here.

Time to set up a Budget

We hear it time and time again. Set a budget and stick to it. Easier said than done. But when it comes to improving your credit, the way you spend your money can have a direct impact on your future credit score. Imagine, you spend $1,200 for a new plasma television set and you fail to budget the amount of money you needed for your monthly bills. You decide you are going to make sure you pay your mortgage and auto loan bill on time but you decide to hold off on that Capital One Bank credit card. Capital One reports a thirty day late on your credit report and then overnight, your fico credit score drops 100 points. All that work hiring someone to help remove the errors and inaccuracies from your credit report was wasted due to your carelessness. Not on my watch. Budget planning has to be an integral part of any credit report repair program being handled by a licensed attorney.

Check out this story from the Orlando Sentinel regarding setting a budget in these cloudy economic times. Buff up your Finances: Reduce Debt, Focus on Basics

Improving your credit the right way

You see the advertisements in newspapers, on TV, and on the Internet. You hear them on the radio. You get fliers in the mail. You may even get calls from telemarketers offering credit repair services. They all make the same claims:

• “Credit problems? No problem!”
• “We can erase your bad credit — 100% guaranteed.”
• “Create a new credit identity — legally.”
• “We can remove bankruptcies, judgments, liens, and bad loans from your credit file forever!”

Do yourself a favor and save some money, too. Don’t believe these statements.

The Scam

Everyday, companies nationwide appeal to consumers with poor credit histories. They promise, for a fee, to clean up your credit report so you can get a car loan, a home mortgage, insurance, or even a job. The truth is, they can’t deliver. After you pay them hundreds or thousands of dollars in fees, these companies do nothing to improve your credit report; most simply vanish with your money.

The Warning Signs

If you decide to respond to a credit repair offer, look for these tell-tale signs of a scam:

• companies that want you to pay for credit repair services before they provide any services.
• companies that do not tell you your legal rights and what you can do for yourself for free.
• companies that recommend that you not contact a credit reporting company directly.
• companies that suggest that you try to invent a “new” credit identity — and then, a new credit report — by applying for an Employer Identification Number to use instead of your Social Security number.
• companies that advise you to dispute all information in your credit report or take any action that seems illegal, like creating a new credit identity. If you follow illegal advice and commit fraud, you may be subject to prosecution.

In my line of work, I have seen countless people fall prey to these scams. That is why I have devoted an area to my practice to help consumers repair their credit the right way and most importantly, the legal way. “Repair” your credit; The word repair has such an ugly feel to it. The word has been battered and bruised and given a swollen black eye from the credit repair industry. And rightfully so.

I want to restore the word back to its roots. You still get your refrigerator repaired. You still get your car repaired. So why can’t you get your credit repaired.

At my law firm, we work to improve your credit by challenging items on your credit reports which you believe to be inaccurate, misleading, or unverifiable, and work through your individual credit reports in an earnest attempt to resolve all credit disputes to your satisfaction. Correcting questionable items which are depressing your credit score is a vital step toward improving your credit standing.

Don’t trust your credit repair to a company that cannot give you the peace of mind that you get when you sign up with a lawyer. The rates are surprisingly affordable and I begin work on your case immediately. I focus my practice to consumers in Florida and offer a more personalized service than the national high volume credit repair law firms that provide similar services. Go to my website www.benenatilawfirm.com or call me at (407) 236-7171 for a free consultation.