Safeguarding Your Credit and Identity
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We live in a digital world. And while that provides a certain amount of convenience, it also exposes you to risky, unfair, and even criminal attacks without your knowledge or permission. Your credit and your “digital identity” are vital to the way you live – and can be extremely expensive and time consuming to repair if damaged.
At the same time, it’s difficult to know when your credit has been damaged or threatened or when a business is making a legitimate request for information on your credit report. If you’ve been a victim of having your credit information mixed up with another person, having an existing account being improperly reported, or of identity theft, we know this is a scary and uncertain time for you, but rest assured Bell Law, LLC, will help you resolve such issues as:
- Mixed File. Your credit information has been commingled with another person’s credit report
- Unauthorized Use. Your credit information has been accessed by a mortgage company, auto dealer, etc. without your permission.
- Employment Context. An employer or potential employer has improperly accessed your credit report.
- Incorrect Credit Information. An existing credit account can be misreported in any number of ways. This includes, but is not limited to: timing of payments, late payments, date of first delinquency (if account has been paid late),
- Re-Aging of Accounts. Reporting delinquent credit accounts has a negative effect on your credit score and is powerful debt collection tool. Generally, delinquent credit accounts may be reported for 7 to 7.5 years on your credit report. However, in an attempt to obtain leverage over a consumer, a company may misstate the date of first delinquency in order to place that delinquent account on a consumer’s credit report after the 7.5 year period has expired. This is illegal and you should take action.
There are laws in place to protect you from abusing your credit information. You are not the one to blame if your information has been illegally obtained, misreported or used without your permission. The sooner you act to take control of the situation, the better that we can assist you in advising you of your rights and taking actions. Let Bell Law help you by contacting us to get started.
In 1970, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) was passed in order to regulate the collection, dissemination, and use of consumer information. Specifically, it was created to prevent inaccurate information on credit reports. Under the act, credit reporting agencies are expected to ensure that the information on credit reports is correct and timely. It also protects consumers’ rights.
Despite this law, it can be difficult to dispute information on your credit report. If you need to do so, you should contact an attorney for legal advice.
The legal team at Bell Law LLC will be able to help you dispute any inaccurate information on your report and take legal action against anyone who has wrongly accessed your credit report. Our attorneys have decades of experience in helping clients in similar cases to yours. We can help you.
Our Kansas City law firm offers an initial free consultation to anyone who thinks that their credit report rights could have been violated. We guarantee that our attorneys are committed to fighting for your rights and will ensure that you have the healthiest credit report possible.
To book your free consultation with our experienced credit repair lawyers, phone us now at 816-281-0649!
What Is a Credit Report?
A credit report is a foundational document that can have a huge impact on your life. It contains information such as where you live, how you pay your bills, whether you’ve been sued or arrested, or if you’ve ever filed for bankruptcy.
Your credit report is ultimately a profile of your financial responsibility and creditworthiness. This means that it can open or close doors to most financial opportunities. Nationwide reporting agencies sell the information in your report to creditors, insurers, and even employers, who will all use the information to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, renting a home or a mortgage, government services, or payments, and more.
Because it can have such a lasting impact on your life, it’s vital that your credit report display an accurate credit score and correct information.
Oftentimes, if you don’t start the dispute against your inaccurate reports, then it will remain there indefinitely.
What Is The Fair Credit Reporting Act?
The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act was designed to safeguard consumers and their rights. Its role is necessary because of the significant and far-reaching impacts credit reports can have on financial matters.
Under this federal law, and other Missouri state laws, you have privacy rights, and are entitled to fair and accurate credit reporting. This means that if your report isn’t fair and accurate, then it is a violation of your rights and needs to be corrected as soon as possible.
What Are Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act?
The Fair Credit Reporting Act provides consumers in Kansas City, MO, numerous protections, such as:
- Reviewing your credit report – This will allow you to identify and fix any errors that may be there. You have the right to request to view your credit report for free once every year.
- Disputing inaccuracies and unverified information in your credit report – If your report contains any inaccuracies, then you are able to dispute it, as well as any information that can’t be verified objectively. However, it can be difficult to successfully pursue a credit report dispute, so you need the help of an experienced lawyer. At Bell Law LLC, our attorneys have the knowledge needed to ensure that your credit report is accurate and fight to protect your rights.
- Disputing out-of-date information in your credit report – After a specific amount of time, negative credit information can be removed from your credit report. If the credit reporting agency doesn’t immediately comply with this protection, then you can file a dispute.
- Allowing only people/organizations with a legitimate purpose to access your credit report – As your credit reports contain such personal information, including your employment and financial history, it’s important that only certain people and organizations can access your credit report and under certain circumstances. If this protection isn’t followed, your information could be used for identity theft.
If you want more information regarding your specific situation, contact Bell Law LLC today. We can help you protect your privacy rights and deal with credit report inaccuracies.
What Are Some Common Credit Reporting Cases in Kansas City, MO?
Our attorneys have dealt with many types of credit reporting issues, but some of the most common ones are listed below:
- Your report includes various accounts that don’t belong to you.
- Your report includes accounts that have since been closed and should have been written off your report.
- Your report includes inaccurate personal information, such as the wrong name, age, address, job, social security number, etc.
- Your report includes inaccurate information regarding bankruptcies, court judgments, tax liens, etc.
- Your report includes credit errors that were the result of identity theft.
How Can I Repair My Credit After Bankruptcy?
It’s common that people who have filed for bankruptcy find themselves inundated with advertisements from credit repair companies during and after bankruptcy. These credit repair businesses will likely be offering you services beyond their abilities. They will likely claim that they can remove all negative information from your credit report, and immediately raise your credit scores.
You may find yourself flooded with advertisements from credit repair companies during and after bankruptcy. Each credit repair company will likely be promising you a service beyond their abilities and will claim that they can remove all negative information from your credit report, which will instantly raise your credit scores.
Most of these companies are scams, and you should be careful to not give them any money – once you have paid an upfront fee, they will not fulfill their promises.
Your credit report is important, so instead of risking it with an unknown credit repair company, rely on the team of skilled lawyers at Bell Law LLC. To book a free consultation, contact us today.
What Are The Benefits of Credit Restoration?
We can help you if you are struggling with a poor credit report. If you have filed for bankruptcy, then you may find credit repair services are necessary to help you rebuild your financial stability. It’s crucial that you sort your credit report out as soon as possible.
Without a good credit score, history, and report, your financial goals may be near impossible. You could end up facing incredibly high-interest rates if you don’t get completely turned down first. Because of this, credit repair is crucial.
Credit repair can help you in the following way:
- Eliminating discharged debts – Any debts discharged during a bankruptcy process should be cleared from your credit report. If not, the income-to-debt ratio can have a huge impact on your credit score.
- Fixing records – If there are any errors on your credit report, then these need to be addressed and corrected immediately. Once these are corrected, it will improve your credit report.
- Removing outdated information – Credit reporting agencies should remove outdated information after a certain period of time. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for the consumer to have to initiate this process.
You’ll be able to confidently progress with rebuilding your credit when your report is up-to-date and accurate.
What Can Bell Law LLC Do For Me?
Bell Law LLC offers every potential client a free, no-obligation consultation, where we’ll discuss your case and legal issues. One of our excellent attorneys will then be able to explain what the best options are for you.
You’ll be able to decide whether you want to continue working with us after this consultation. If you do, we’ll continue working on your case, making sure that we clear your credit report and protect your rights, so that your future will not be affected.
Contact Our Kansas City MO Credit Reporting Lawyers Today!
Credit reporting errors can have a severe and negative impact on people. Therefore, if there is disputed information on your credit report, or you believe that your rights have been violated in any way, we want to help.
While every individual case is different, the team of skilled lawyers at Bell Law LLC has the experience to assist you.
Erroneous information can have a huge impact on your future, so we’re here to protect your rights and ensure that you have the credit report that you deserve. We won’t back down.
Don’t hesitate to contact our law firm today to schedule your free consultation with one of our experienced lawyers.
Call us now at 816-281-0649!
