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By LaToya Irby, About.com Guide to Credit / Debt

Seven Credit Repair Companies Charged By the FTC

Monday March 30, 2009

I always like to read reports of government crackdowns on unscrupulous businesses. On March 17, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced charges against seven credit repair companies. Not only did the companies deceive consumers by promising to remove legitimately reported information from credit reports, they also accepted advance payment for services, which violates the Credit Repair Organizations Act. The FTC says the companies charged as much as $2,000 for services and required $300 upfront for their "services." The companies may be forced to pay restitution to its customers.

Back in October, the FTC brought charges against a whopping 33 credit repair companies.

These charges serve as a reminder that credit repair companies are often dishonest and seldom produce any results. In the end, you're out of your money and your credit still needs repairing.

Correct me if I'm wrong: I'd love to hear from consumers (not credit repair companies!) who've hired credit repair companies and had positive results. Email me or leave a comment.

Comments

March 30, 2009 at 2:37 am
(1) Kd says:

very nice

April 11, 2009 at 12:17 am
(2) nawny says:

good they deserve it

April 13, 2009 at 4:04 pm
(3) Andy says:

I agree, these companies are pretty shady, but I have heard of a new one that is honest, legitimate, and very successful. It’s called Preferred Credit Repair.

April 15, 2009 at 11:55 pm
(4) Rachel says:

they are pretty dishonest, however there is company called pursue,Overtake and Recover Services, that is honest dependable and has helped me when i have went to several other credit repair companies, they also helped me settle a 3500.00 account for 800.00. I had 29 accounts 24 were removed and i paid out in settlements the other 5. it only took 4months, and none of the items have returned its been a year since i used there services..

April 17, 2009 at 2:24 pm
(5) john says:

stop posting scams. thanks

May 20, 2009 at 12:50 am
(6) Steve says:

PREFERRED CREDIT REPAIR are a bunch of scam artists. Do yourself a favor and steer clear. Very dishonest.

May 29, 2009 at 2:38 pm
(7) Jim Eastman says:

Like any other business, there are reputable companies and then there are the rip-off artists that give all the others a bad name. If you need the help of a reputable credit repair company check with the Ethical Credit Repair Alliance (ECRA)

July 2, 2009 at 9:30 am
(8) Carolyn Shook says:

Preferred Credit Repair is not only an honest company but goes above and beyond to help its clients. They did more for me in the first two weeks then the previous company I worked with did for me in six months. They also created a personal financial portfolio to help me budget and make sure I never get in the same situation again.

July 7, 2009 at 11:15 am
(9) JC says:

Yes, of course there are some scam artists in the credit repair business. But why is it the whole industry gets a “bad rap” while little is said about the practices of the credit bureaus, who make billions selling credit reports that are filled with errors?

Why doesn’t the FTC go after them? Could it have anything to do with their high-paid lobbyists in Washington? Think about it!

There are many reputable credit repair companies and they perform a badly needed service for consumers. Definitely DO be cautious, do your “homework” and ask for references. But don’t make the mistake of smearing all such companies because of the actions of a few.

Who do you think is more likely to look out for your interests? An honest credit repair professional, or the credit bureaus?

August 31, 2009 at 6:11 pm
(10) Sarah says:

Here’s an excellent blog post on avoiding credit repair scams.

September 1, 2009 at 5:48 am
(11) Sarah says:

Hi,

Thanks for writing such an interesting article. It’s really good to know about the credit repair in such a detail. In finding a loan, the lender usually only processes applicants that have great credit score only. People with bad credit will find it very difficult to get their loan applications approved. We may already know that payday loan or cash advance loan is the only type of loan that could process loan applications from people with bad credit. But payday loan my not able to help every situation such as we need a loan that more than $ 1,500. So we need to get another loan. If we have bad credit score we need to find a credit repair service so our credit score can become better.

Do not wait longer, you should try to visit Skybluecredit.com, this is the smart solution for everyone. Credit repair tips are also provided very helpful feedback so that this becomes useful for you in making a decision to try to re-develop your business.

Thanks,

Sarah Clark

September 11, 2009 at 3:06 pm
(12) credit says:

RestoreCredit1st.com– The Website of How To Restore Credit On The Internet. Who is RestoreCredit1st.com and what are Credit Restoration Services? Simply put RestoreCredit1st.com is the best online website dedicated to providing credit restoration services. We help you find the best ways to restore credit as well as how to find personal credit reports you need.
At RestoreCredit1st.com we have researched the Credit Repair service offers as well as used the credit reporting and repair offers. We are dedicated to providing you with excellent customer service online. RestoreCredit1st.com encourages & promotes the responsible use of Credit Restore and cash advances by complying with the best practices of major trade organizations.
A good credit score is important in life as it can help you pay bills that may suddenly come due or there may be an emergency which forces people to apply for a payday loan to pay off the emergency bill.

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