Nothing in life is perfect, and neither is the credit reporting system. You may be subject to inaccuracies in your credit or even worse fraud. This can be a very overwhelming feeling, and you may be wondering, “How do I fix my credit report”?
There are ways that are easy and fast.
Check Your Report
The first thing you need to do is check your credit report so you can see exactly how something is appearing on your credit report. If you need an explanation, use a credit repair forum or ask a friend to shed some light for you. Credit reporting companies simply report what is told to them.
Make a Request
If something is inaccurate on your credit, make a WRITTEN request for an explanation. Companies must explain why something is on there and if they can’t explain it must be removed. If after they have explained what has been placed on your credit report and you discover it’s accurate, you will need to work with your creditor to find a solution whether that is settling a loan or developing a payment plan.
Check Your Contact Information
A lot of mistakes are the result of coming names or address, check that yours is accurate or you could be receiving someone else’s credit report information. If someone else’s information is reporting on your credit reports write to the credit bureau, requesting for them to fix this. The sooner you discover this the better.
If You’re the Victim of Fraud
You may have been the victim of identity fraud. To prevent this it’s a good idea to purchase fraud protection on your accounts and also avoid giving away your information too freely and use a paper shredder. If after all these precautions, you still find yourself a victim of identity fraud; contact your credit reporting companies immediately. You also need to contact the authorities and press charges as identity theft is a criminal offense. This may be a lengthy process, but eventually, you will have restitution.
It is unavoidable to not have some errors on your credit report. You should plan on checking your report regularly, and asking whenever is necessary, don’t be afraid to ask for them to fix the errors. The sooner the better as older inaccuracies can be harder to fix and you may already be paying for it through higher interest without even knowing.