How Can I Find a Credit Counselor I Can Trust? – Episode #34

Finding a Credit Counselor you can trust is not easy! So, here’s a list of Do’s and Don’ts. First, you need to decide when you are at the point of needing credit counseling. If you cannot make minimum payments on your credit cards with your current salary, then you are a likely candidate for credit counseling. A low credit score may not necessarily mean it’s time to get a credit counselor. Remember, the FTC says you can do much credit repair on your own. Here’s a list of more things to consider

• Check out Department of Justice approved credit counseling agencies.
• Don’t search on “credit repair” on Google or other search engines. Instead, try a search on “credit counseling”. More scam artists use the term credit repair to identify their services.
• Non-profit status is not enough. Many company misuse non-profit status to market less than legitimate services
• Accredited agencies may be more trustworthy
• The company wants you to pay more than $75 upfront and more than $50/mth, they are not the right agency for you.
• The company doesn’t tell you your rights and what you can do for yourself for free.
• The company recommends that you do not contact any of the three major national credit reporting companies directly.
• The company tells you they can get rid of most or all the negative credit information in your credit report, even if that information is accurate and current.

Similar Posts:

• How Can I Find a Credit Counselor I Can Trust? – Episode #34
• Is “Credit Repair” a Dirty Phrase? – Episode #31
• Credit Repair Companies – Don’t Do it! – Episode #76
• Credit Bureau vs. Credit Reporting Agency – Episode #77
• Bankruptcy – Last Resort – Episode #97
• Why are there 3 Credit Reporting Agencies? – Episode #98