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A Few Important Do’s & Don’ts of Credit Repair

You may have gotten into some financial trouble in the past but that is all behind you now. You know your future depends on repairing your credit. Of course for many people, credit repair is easier said than done. You may have easily gotten into poor credit, but you don’t know how to work your way out of it. Do not worry! Safe Credit Solutions is here to help. With this in mind, we want to better inform you of a few do’s and don’ts of credit repair. When you follow this advice, you will be out of poor credit before you know it! DO… … Check Your Credit Report The only way to know for sure what your credit score is and why it is that is to look at your credit report. Many people with poor credit avoid doing this because they don’t want to see the bad news. Other people can see it, and you need to know what it is in it! …Take Proper Steps to Repair Your Credit Once you have your credit report, you can take the necessary steps to improve it. We offer services to help you with this, including credit guidance and debt payment plans. You will make a list of the debts you own and your current per month expenses. We work with you to put together a budget you can follow. Then, we contact your creditors and perform out a low interest rate for your expenses.  … Realize this will take time It is easy in your position to get frustrated and feel impatient. Be patient! Keep in mind that it took some time to build the debt amount that you currently have, and it will also take some time to pay it all off. Repaired credit doesn’t happen overnight, however, a commitment to a feasible plan will make it happen. DON’T… … Ignore Bills We know it can be tempting to simply ignore bills you know you can’t pay. This doesn’t help the situation! It may be possible to budget monthly payments. If your financial situation prevents you from doing so, you can still contact them to see if you can go on a longer payment plan or other arrangement. Many will work with you if and only if you communicate open and honestly with them. … Close All Credit Card Accounts Too often, people seeking to pay...
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How to Report a Collection Agency or Debt Collector for Harassment

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) protects you in several different ways. Essentially, the FDCPA protects consumers from abusive debt collection practices, such as foul language and misleading communication. They aren’t allowed to lie to you, nor wreck your life with harassing and embarrassing phone calls. Thanks to this Act, you control communication with debt collectors! You can limit when and how debt collectors contact you. It curbs lying, harassment, threats of violence, and other unfair behavior by debt collectors. All of this is great, but the real world often works a little differently than that. The truth is that debt collectors may not be following these rules to the letter of the law, even though they know they should be. While these protections are built into the law, they may not come automatically to you. That is where we come in to help. If you are repeatedly dealing with a debt collector or debt collection agency who is violating the FDCPA, it is time to do something about it. You don’t have to live this way, and they know it! You can take action in three easy steps: #1 Ensure they are in violation of the Act. Before you can move forward, it is essential to know for sure the collection agency is violating the FDCPA. To find out more about what these laws are and what collection agencies can do, contact Safe Credit Solutions. We know the law very well and can help you with collections harassment. #2 File a complaint. This complaint could be made to several different places, including with the Federal Trade Commission, the Better Business Bureau, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In fact, you may decide it is warranted to complain to all three! These government agencies seek to protect consumers, as well as promote fair competition within the financial markets by ensuring that the laws are properly upheld. The Better Business Bureau is a non-profit organization that works alongside businesses in all industries to promote ethical, trustworthy business practices with all business entities, including debt collection agencies. #3 Contact your state’s Attorney General. The FDCPA is a federal rule. In addition to it, some states have their own laws in regards to debt collection. To find out more about the laws in your state, contact your Attorney General. If you find that the debt collector in question appears to be...
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5 Ways the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Protects You

If you are in debt and struggling to keep your head above water, it is easy to feel like there is no one on your side. It is you against the world trying to get out of your ocean of financial trouble. In fact, there are people on your side, including us here at Safe Credit Solutions. This is why we want to tell you about a legal protection you can and should be taking advantage of called the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). It protects you in several different ways you certainly want to know about. The truth is that debt collectors may not be following these rules to the letter of the law. That is where we come in to help. First let’s talk a little about what the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is, then we can discuss how it protects you in more detail.  The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Essentially, the FDCPA protects consumers from abusive debt collection practices, such as foul language and misleading communication. They aren’t allowed to lie to you, nor wreck your life with harassing and embarrassing phone calls. Thanks to this Act, you control communication with debt collectors! How it Protects You #1 You can limit when and how debt collectors contact you. Debt collectors can’t contact you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., or at work once you ask them not to. They must communicate through your attorney if you’re represented by one. As well, they can’t communicate about your debt with third parties, such as your employer, neighbors, or even family. In fact, they must cease contact entirely if you request it!  #2 You’re protected from harassment or abuse. They are not permitted to use profane language, threaten to use violence, or call you repeatedly to annoy or harass you. This is defined as more than once a day about a specific debt, or within a week of having a conversation with you about a debt. #3 Debt collectors must be truthful with you. Debt collectors cannot use any false, deceptive, or misleading representation to collect the debt. More specifically, they cannot lie about the legal repercussions for not paying the debt or pass themselves off as another company, professional, or authority figure. #4 It curbs other unfair behavior by debt collectors. They cannot solicit postdated checks for payment to use as a threat or...
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How do Credit Repair Companies Work?

A lot of people in America owe a lot of money. In fact, the number is now over 12 trillion dollars! Over $1 trillion of this is from credit cards alone. Data from the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) show a 16% increase in U.S. households carrying credit card debt this year. The push to collect on these debts has reached fever pitch, and this has spurred the creation of many companies within the industry. Some are collections agencies, working with creditors to collect the money owed to them. Others are credit repair companies, working with the debtors to improve their credit score. There is a third group as well, which are credit counseling agencies. You owe it to yourself to understand how this industry works. Many consumers have errors on their credit report that could lead to trouble. Credit repair companies do a number of things for you, including reviewing your credit report and disputing negative items on your behalf. These errors can be identified and addressed through an established credit repair process. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives consumers the right to dispute inaccurate information and get any wrong information removed or corrected. Credit bureaus have 30 days to respond to disputes with a completed investigation, according to the FCRA. It is important to note, though, that this service is not free. You see, a credit repair company and a credit counseling agency are not the same thing.  While a credit repair company charges you money for their services, we do not. This is because we are a nonprofit organization focused on educating you and protecting you. We take a big-picture approach to your overall financial health. Our credit counselors will perform a free audit of your finances in order to help guide you toward the best strategy from a list of several options. This education-based approach tends to be more successful at getting people like you out of debt and helping them stay there. Debt drags down your budget and it can stop you from achieving your goals. There are thousands of professional credit repair approaches that can help you to get out of financial obligations, and you should consider all of your options before opting for the best course for you. We can work with you to develop a debt payment plan, consolidate your loans, or even file for bankruptcy. Credit guidance is...
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When a Debt Collector Calls, How Should You Answer?

If you’re in over your head financially, you’re not alone. Americans now hold over $12.73 trillion dollars in consumer debt, with over $1 trillion of that from credit cards. Are you one of them? The push to collect on debts has reached a fever pitch. This means you’re probably receiving quite a few debt collection phone calls. While you may want to ignore these phone calls, this won’t make your debt go away. Experts recommend you answer when they call and do these three things: #1 Make sure the debt collector and the debt are legitimate. When you answer the phone, ask who you’re talking to, which is the person’s name and the debt collection company. Also ask for the company’s address and phone number and the name of the creditor. Ask the debt collector for the amount owed as well as how you can dispute or verify the debt. If the debt collector won’t or can’t tell you this information the first time you are contacted, ask for the information in writing before you engage with the collection company any further. #2 Identify the debt. If you recognize the debt, now is the time to work with the debt collector and develop a repayment plan. What if you don’t recognize the debt, though? Write and ask for formal written verification of the debt. If you are sure that the debt is not yours, write the debt collector to tell them the debt is not yours and that you do not want to be contacted about it again. #3 Keep all of your written documents. By now you may see there’s a lot of writing going on. This is because over the phone, it’s all too easy for the other person to say “No, that didn’t happen.” In order for your requests to be legally binding by the Fair Debt Collection Practice Act, they need to be in writing. Keep the letters you receive and make copies of the letters you send in case you need to dispute the issue later. It is time you take back control of your life! Are you receiving harassing collection calls? Are you getting multiple calls per day from the same collector? Are collectors filling up your voicemail box? Are they calling all hours of the day? You don’t have to put up with these harassing calls any longer because you can bring...
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