Jim’s Credit Repair Comments, Ch #3

Hi Paul…

As much as I hate to I must tell you that you are wrong.  I know, I know, I am truly sorry about having to say that.  However, this is one of the very few times that you are.

Seriously though I got to respond about this.  Bet you knew that, right?  Actually I am not a credit repair person.  I write computer software.  To be honest and just to give you some in sight a few years ago I had some credit issues.  I had never pulled any credit bureau reports on my own.  It was always the situation of setting on the one side of the desk while the person on the other side of the desk told me I either got the loan or I didn’t.  I wanted to know what those people on the other side of the desk was looking at concerning me. 

Anyway to make a long story short I got the phone numbers to the Big (3) and contacted them.  Sent in my $9.00 or whatever to each of them and got my various credit reports.  I really can’t say nothing bad about the credit bureaus.  Their business is to compile information about people and then offer it for sale in various ways.  It’s a business and the people behind it have a right to be in that business and of course be paid for it.  I also believe with all my heart they would not let people or other businesses submit information if they knew the information was false.  The traffic of data that goes into each of the Big (3) in just a days time would be impossible to check it all by human means.  And if the information you ask them to verify comes back from a creditor as verified what else can they do but to indicate or say it was verified?  I also have this to say about all the Big (3).  I have never known any of them at least in my dealings with them to refuse to delete something once they were shown proof that what the creditor submitted was wrong. 

You keep saying that you think credit repair should be free.  Well I personally think that I should never have to pay a credit bureau to look at my own information but I do.  This is my information and why should I have to pay for it?  I kind of got off track there but getting back to what you said.  All I have to say is this.  If a person can do their own credit repair themselves and do it for free that’s great.  I wish them all the luck in the world.  I really mean that.  However, being realistic many can’t.  Probably the (2) biggest reasons are they work and the other reason is they don’t even know where to start if they did want to.  And I am going to throw in a 3rd reason and that is you really have to know something about the laws that govern creditors and collectors because if you don’t you will be run around in circles with many of them. 

I am going to give everybody on this board some free advice.  If you think you got what it takes to deal with your creditors and the collectors go ahead.  You have my blessing.  Make sure you read and understand my advice before you get started.

First of all do not call a creditor or especially a collector.  Write a letter and send it Priority Mail.  This is your proof you mailed them a letter and you have a receipt that you did so.  Another important thing this does is to create a paper trail.  Spell out your demands, requests, comments, or whatever in this letter.

Second.  Never call the creditor or collector.  You want to, if you have to, be able to prove what was said.  Unless you record the conversation and you need the other persons permission to do you have nothing to offer other than he said, she said.  That’s not going to be enough usually in court if it gets that far.

Third.  In your letter to them indicate those dates they have to respond.  Research the laws that protect you.  If the law states you have 30 days then put something in the letter to the affect they have 30 days in which to respond to this demand or request or it must be deleted.  I also like a letter because the creditor or collector cannot hang up on my letter. 

Fourth.  Have your next step planned beforehand.  In other words if your dealing with the credit bureau and the information comes back from the creditor or collector as verified are you #1 going to challenge the credit bureau for their method of verification, or #2 try a negotiation with the creditor or collector.  If you go the negotiation route are you going to propose paying the whole amount, or make payments.  If you do start paying this obligation again you need a new contract between you and them.  Why?  Simple.  For example here in Florida if there is no payments made on an account for (4) years it’s past the time a creditor or collector can file a law suit against you.  If you make (1) payment on that account that wall of protection is gone and it will be another (4) years before you’re where your at now.  My advice in this case would be if the creditor or collector does not want to play ball with you and negotiate something beneficial for you then nuts to them.  At this point in time continue not to pay it and by due course of law it must be removed after it has reported (7) years if it’s reporting negative information. 

Fifth.  I cannot stress enough.  Document everything and create that paper trail.  The way I like to word my letters is this way.  I alway make it a point to put at least one or two issues in there where they should respond back with a letter.  This puts more burden on them.  That way if it does go to court I can show a copy of my letter and the confirmation I sent it and they received it.  If the other party can’t produce something in black and white to a judge or lawyer it will certainly make your case stronger. 

The thing is anybody can do their own credit repair.  However, you need to have some knowledge about what your doing.  The example I always use in response to that also is this.  I also work on classic cars.  Not to brag but I am very good at body work and custom paint jobs.  I could say to you or anybody else that same thing as you did Paul.  Anybody can do body work and custom paint jobs.  For me it is real easy.  It’s time consuming but honestly for me it is really easy.  Why?  Simple.  Because I know how.  Anybody that does credit repair and does it correctly knows it is very time consuming.  If you are performing a service for me then it’s common sense you should be expected to be paid for it.  Just like me.  If I am going to do a service for you or anybody else then I am going to be paid for it. 

Paul I am glad your able to provide this free web site.  I’m also glad you have the time that’s required to maintain it.  I have even complained to my lawyer that there is really no place I know of that a person can go to and get good helpful information other than this site.  And I am being honest about that.  I think in time this is going to be the place to come for pointers from others who have been dealing with alot of the same issues they have.  Like I said it’s a good place now and I believe it’s only going to get better.

Paul I know your your still waiting for me to get to the part where I said you were wrong.  I kinda  touched on it earlier but got off track.

I write computer software.  As I told everybody earlier I attempted the credit repair issue myself.  There is not enough space on the Internet to write everything concerning my experiences.  Anyway, when I was doing this credit repair I needed a place to store all the letters I wrote and I need a place to reference the USC Codes and my local state laws regarding collection practices.  I wrote the software while I was fighting with the creditors and collectors.  The software basically allows the end user to keep everything in one nice organized place.  The software creates what I call a cover sheet.  The cover sheet is what you’d give a lawyer or judge.  It’s basically an outline of what was done during a dispute or negotiation process.  It’s excellent in creating that paper trail. 

I always like to do some testing on the software that I write.  This was even better for me because I was the person actually using the software first hand. 

I deal with and talk with a lot of people.  Of course just like anybody I talk about what I do.  When I explain it for those people that don’t know what I do I say something like I write software.  I usually go on to say something about the project I’m working on at that time.  Or, the people that know me ask what type of project I’m currently working on.  Since I have been working on this credit repair project it certainly gets a lot of attention.  It’s funny how many people I talk to are experiencing a credit problem right then, have in the past, or knows somebody that is or has.  With the knowledge and experience I have gained since doing this it has snowballed.  It’s gotten to a point where friends of friends I’ve helped that I don’t even know are calling me.  I can’t get away from it, and for sometime I have not been in a situation to offer that service free.  I really am not in the credit repair business.  I love helping other people and I usually am helping (1) or (2) but I am charging them.  Like I said if it’s done right it does take time to write those letters and view credit reports.  However to be honest I do write software.  I do spend time on this web site because I do get some different perspectives on things.  And, if I can help somebody by what I write here that will help them, that’s great.

Paul it’s like I told you and you already know this.  I am a hard ball player.  I don’t like playing games I cannot win.  I come out strong because I want people to know what I’m about up front.  I also know that if I am going to win I need to play that hard ball.  I do that in letters because like I said they cannot hang up on a letter like they do on a phone call.  Like I have said before this is a game.  I’ve not made it a game.  Alot of creditors and a whole lot more collectors have made it that way.  I just know how to play that game as well as they do.  And in many cases better. 

Well Paul I need to close out this chapter.  I am sorry but I know you well enough that you would appreciate me taking time to point out the mistake about me being a credit repair person.