Some credit card providers will offer free access to your credit score. Checking your own score only requires a soft credit inquiry, which doesn’t damage your score. Another option is a debt consolidation loan, which lets you pay off multiple high-interest debts with one loan and one monthly payment.

Consumer Advice

Applying for too many credit cards in a short period, carrying high balances on your accounts, or even becoming a victim of identity theft can drag your score down. These issues can make it harder for you to secure loans, rent an apartment, or even get decent insurance rates. Although there are legitimate credit report companies, the industry has a history of fraudulent business practices. For example, the Federal Trade Commission lodged a complaint in 2022 against a Texas-based credit repair company that allegedly charged consumers illegal $1,500 advance fees for services. EZ Credit USA provides credit counseling services to individuals from Houston and the neighboring areas.

Advance payment scams are a common type of fraud where people are conned into paying for non-existent services. The scam credit repair company convinces a customer to pay upfront for credit repair services — then does not deliver the promised services. creditrepair distressed consumers who are having credit problems. These operations lure consumers to purchase their services by falsely claiming that they will remove negative information from consumers’ credit reports even if that information is accurate.

Lexington Law – Best Credit Repair Company For Transparency

Credit repair companies often charge hefty fees to find and dispute negative information on your credit reports. It’s a good idea to find out how long the company says it will take to help you, so you can budget in the monthly payments. You could save money by doing this work yourself but it would require more of your time. With all this being said, there are plenty of reputable credit repair companies out there, including firms that promote upfront and transparent pricing and offer a satisfaction guarantee.

Through our partnership with Rental Kharma, you can report rent payments to help build credit. In some cases, you can sign the loan electronically, or you’ll have to visit the branch to sign documents. Once we connected with a representative, they disclosed much of the information we hoped to receive.