Who Really Controls Your Credit Score?

[kerrywins]

Some old apartments I lived in just recently sent me a letter saying I owe them money. Now when I had moved out about a year and a half ago...I made sure I squared everything away. There was a problem with their paper work...and they didn't charge me everything...once they told me about it I paid everything in full...and they said I didn't owe anything. And now this...
My point it, I will call them and try to straighten it out...but you know whats lame....
Lets say they don't agree with me and say I still owe them money....the Credit Bereau sides with them. If they say I owe them money...there is no "if and or but"...the mark goes against me...period.
I hate that companies (big or small) are ALWAYS assumed to be right in disputes with money. If you don't pay it...and they send it to a collection agency...too bad for you...you get points deducted from your credit score. Thats not fair to people.

[Mandate My Ass]

1. I understand you have a right to dispute any creditor

who attempts to damage your credit and they have 30 days to prove their case. It's anecdotal but told to me by someone who successfully did this because the creditor could not come up with the required proof within that time period.

[gottaB]

3. As I understand it, you have the right to dispute but

your creditors don't have to prove anything. The credit reporting agencies have 30 days in which to check the competing claims and either make amendments to your report, or inform you that they did not. If your creditor doesn't respond to them in the 30 day period, by default your claim wins. If they oppose your claim, the report will probably not be changed.

If you dispute a claim and lose, you have the right to attach a note to a creditor's entry on your credit report explaining your version of transactions. That will not alter your credit score, but some people who review your credit report will see it.

Conceivably you could lawyer up. Your case would be against your creditor, not the credit reporting agency. I think the agencies are biased against consumers.

These are your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act:

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/fcra/summary.htm

Most people would be shocked to find out how routinely their rights are trampled upon by credit reporting agencies. You have to fight for them yourself. They don't even bother with the most basic kind of fact checking, and they let a lot of inaccurate information accumulate in credit reports.

http://www.creditaccuracy.com

Is it any wonder that the airlines' passenger screening lists are a joke?

[miss_kitty]

6. and just PRAY no one steals your identity

that is a never ending nightmare. actually, they started using it 9 january 2004, and hundreds of hours of my time later i think things FINALLY calmed down. i finally got the 7 year warning attached to the third and final credit file in late july/early aug.
and my credit was already trashed due to major illness no job, no insurance, yadda yadda

[miss_kitty]

7. your creditors do have to prove you received goods or services

they have to come up with you signature on a document agreeing to pay, or an acceptable substitute. that means like an order by phone, delivery traced to your address...

[loftycity]

2. This is what happens in a Fascist Country.

The corporation wins and the people are always scared and getting fleeced.
The credit report is one of their best tools to shut us up and out.

[rasputin1952]

4. LOL.....Anybody but you...

Although there are rules and regulations for such things...it all comes down to a goomer in the food chain...!

[ChoralScholar]

5. I have basically the same thing going on...

I visited the doctor for swollen vocal cords back in April. He came in for about 90 seconds, looked down my throat, and said they would give me a steroid shot. GREAT! The nurse comes in, injects some steroid in my ass, I go to the cashier, write a check for the bill which is about 65 dollars. I leave, thinking I am square with the clinic.

Last week, I get a bill for 95 dollars. They're saying I owe them more money. I call them to see what's up. I get pissed with billing and say "It doesn't work that way! You can't go to Kroger, and buy a bill of groceries, pay for them, and then Kroger calls you up a month later and says 'wait, you owe us more money!' it doesn't work that way! You knew what services and medication you provided to me right then, if you had wanted money for it, you should have told me then and there so I could have paid for it. It's freaking August, and it's too late now!" And I hung up.

I know how you feel, and I have gotten collection letters. But... fuck 'em. fuck 'em and feed 'em fish heads.

[kerrywins]

8. that sucks...

but the thing is...all they have to do is say you owe them that money...and bam!...you're credit gets a bad mark...
in the end..its your word VS the Company (small or big...they both suck sometimes!) and they ALWAYS take the company's word.