Consumer Credit File Rights Under State and Federal Law

The text below is required by the Credit Repair Organizations Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1679c. It is written by Congress and reproduced here word for word. We are not permitted to shorten it, reword it, or explain it away — and we would not want to, because it tells you things worth knowing before you hire anyone.

You have a right to dispute inaccurate information in your credit report by contacting the credit bureau directly. However, neither you nor any "credit repair" company or credit repair organization has the right to have accurate, current, and verifiable information removed from your credit report. The credit bureau must remove accurate, negative information from your report only if it is over 7 years old. Bankruptcy information can be reported for 10 years.

You have a right to obtain a copy of your credit report from a credit bureau. You may be charged a reasonable fee. There is no fee, however, if you have been turned down for credit, employment, insurance, or a rental dwelling because of information in your credit report within the preceding 60 days. The credit bureau must provide someone to help you interpret the information in your credit file. You are entitled to receive a free copy of your credit report if you are unemployed and intend to apply for employment in the next 60 days, if you are a recipient of public welfare assistance, or if you have reason to believe that there is inaccurate information in your credit report due to fraud.

You have a right to sue a credit repair organization that violates the Credit Repair Organization Act. This law prohibits deceptive practices by credit repair organizations.

You have the right to cancel your contract with any credit repair organization for any reason within 3 business days from the date you signed it.

Credit bureaus are required to follow reasonable procedures to ensure that the information they report is accurate. However, mistakes may occur.

You may, on your own, notify a credit bureau in writing that you dispute the accuracy of information in your credit file. The credit bureau must then reinvestigate and modify or remove inaccurate or unverified information, usually within 30 days, unless your dispute is frivolous. Should the credit bureau be unable to resolve the dispute to your satisfaction, you may send a brief statement to the credit bureau to be kept in your file, explaining why you think the record is inaccurate. The credit bureau must include your statement about disputed information in a report it issues about you.

You are entitled to receive a free copy of your credit report if you are unemployed and intend to apply for employment in the next 60 days, if you are a recipient of public welfare assistance, or if you have reason to believe that there is inaccurate information in your credit report due to fraud.

You have a right to sue a credit repair organization that violates the Credit Repair Organizations Act. This law prohibits deceptive practices by credit repair organizations.

The Credit Repair Organizations Act also gives you the right to cancel your contract with any credit repair organization for any reason within 3 business days from the date you signed it.

Credit bureaus are required to follow reasonable procedures to ensure that the information they report is accurate. However, mistakes may occur.

You may wish to consult a nonprofit credit counseling organization in your area. You can find one through the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.

You may cancel your contract with any credit repair organization, without penalty or obligation, within three business days of signing it. You also have the right to sue a credit repair organization that violates the Credit Repair Organizations Act.