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Obtaining Credit Reports to Begin Your Game Plan

Obtaining credit reports is part of your game plan to start your own credit repair. Additionally you should check your credit score.

So lets pull out a medical tool from our repair bag and get started.

Below are some quick steps to begin with:

Obtaining Credit Reports

Step 1: Obtaining credit reports and then take a look at "whats my credit score" from all three agencies to start your own not profit credit repair.

Step 2: Be sure to keep a record of the "confirmation or file number" reported on each of these reports. This allows you to follow up on your items by phone or fax. The quickest way to obtaining credit reports is to order it online.

In order to have your credit reports and scores from the reporting agencies, you may have to pay a fee. Never purchase anything without reading the terms of any company's agreement for the reports. Usually, one time a year your can obtain a copy of your credit report.

Be sure to take advantage of this free-be each year as part of the game plan.

Step 3: You must also know which score is your "middle score" if you're applying for a home loan. This is the score that has the middle value out of all three scores.

If you are looking to get a car loan, find out which reporting agency the dealer uses. That way you only have to work on that agency's report.

Otherwise take a look at all three reporting companies number they give you. Of the three numbers, which is in the middle? If that number is low, then you need to take some action to raise it.

Step 4: Look at the information on your credit report, for accuracy.

It is up to you to make sure the information the agencies have is correct. Some things to watch for are:

• Names spelled correctly
• Incorrect addresses
• Social security information listed correctly
• The creditors are ones you are aware of
• Negative items listed are really yours, if not send a letter
• Evidence of identity theft
• Look to see if there are inquiries you didn't authorize
• Watch for credit card limits and balances - are they reflected on your report correctly
• Know your state's statute of limitations for reporting items. Can some of these derogatory items be removed?

For example, if your address is listed as 1313 S. Anywhere Blvd. on one application for credit, and 1313 South Anywhere on another account, the credit scoring system sees each difference as a separate address. This can make you appear to be unstable and raise a red flag. Be sure to verify the data being reported.

Found Errors - Now What?

Step 5: Did you find errors? Dispute these by starting an immediate investigation by phone or online.

• Send dispute letters to any reporting agencies to have the errors corrected.
• Start an internal investigation with your creditor. This is important to your credit repair. Send the creditor a copy of the letter you sent reporting the inaccuracy to the reporting agency. If they're a big creditor such as a credit card, the dispute may show a "pending" deletion right away, in other words, any bad item may be temporarily suspended pending investigation.
• Fax any proof of item deletions from your creditors, as well as payoff letters, to the reporting agencies. Although they take up to a week to change your report, sometimes if you talk nicely they can have it done pretty quickly.

There you go! You have your step by step game plan in place. You are in a more stable position to start your own credit repair.

Proceed to tip #3 next.

What Tools Do I Need to Complete this Tip?

How can I get my credit report? You can find out where to get them on the Free Credit Scores page.

Do you want to find some good dispute letters? Credit Repair Letters will show you where?

Are you in a quandary as to what you should do with the errors you find? How to do a credit report dispute page explains the whole process.

Leave Obtaining Credit Reports and return to our Credit Repair Tips main page.