questions about credit

now, i realize in order to obtain a good credit standing one has to get a credit card and make the payments on time, etc, right?

or that is one way, right?

do you also have to be holding down a long-term job that carries guarenteed stability?

what if you have a disability?

what if you have a few debts that need to be paid off from previous months/years and you do pay them off,
will it be cleared from your slate? or will it always haunt you?

one cannot begin to build credit with bad credit, so i need to take steps to figure out how to get rid of this bad credit,
(oh the mistakes we make when we're young and have no idea about credit and the consequences of bad decisions....)



i think addressing this now is the wisest thing i could do.

Blue
First of all ... Run your credit reports (get copies of them) From Experian (aka TRW) call 1-888-397-3742 tell them you would like a copy of your current credit report (you get one free per year) or you can access them on line at www.experian.com. If you want to access your report, make sure that you select the box that asks you if you have been refused credit recently ... just click the yes box ... sometimes you have to do it twice. This way you will NOT have to pay for your credit report. Experian is the most popular and widely used credit reporting bureau. Start with them. You can also access another report from TransUnion as well. Once you have your credit history in hand, check it over carefully. Make sure all your personal information is correct. If it's not ... Dispute it IMMEDIATELY. You do this by writing them. You can get the form while you are on line with Experian. All negative (bad credit) reports stay on your credit history for a period of 7 years. Most do anyway. You also have the right to dispute them as well. If you have a dispute and want to dispute it you can obtain the information from your report on how to do it.
Should your credit history be clean from there you can go apply for anything you'd get credit for. Credit cards are usually the easiest. Some department stores are as well. But not all. Some are very sticky about it ... Sears is one that is a toughy. Not all credit issuing institutions require you to have a "job", but you must be able to prove that you have some form of steady income and that it will meet their "minimum" requirements.
Now, should your credit report be not so clean ... And you'd still like to obtain credit, then DISPUTE ALL THE BAD ONES. While they are in "dispute" and you'll know this because you'll receive documentation from those companies, go apply for credit somewhere EASY. Once you have credit again, you will start receiving so called "approved" credit card applications in the mail. Not all will actually approve you ... but some will.

I hope I have been of some help. Good luck and if you have any further questions that I may be able to help with, feel free to ask. Part of my business is credit law.

FeralGuardian

I ran my credit report, but need to call their customer service. We were denied credit last month. I didn't see where I could check Yes if we were denied credit.

Try it again, and look for it very carefully ... it's a little box on the extreme right side ... I missed it the first time myself. It will also ask you who the company was that denied you credit.

Let me know if you find it. If not I'll go on line and point you to the exact spot.

FeralGuardian

I already put in my credit card # ..... I found their customer service link, so I emailed them. Hopefully, it will get credited back to me or else I'll dispute it with my credit union.

Excellent. You can also call them and they will credit your account. Remember ... This IS YOUR credit reporting bureau

Good Luck with everything!

FeralGuardian
:angel

Feral,

i'm canadian, does that make a difference?

in that number you gave, i mean. is that an american company?

and thanks for all the info. i appreciate it.

Well, why didn't you say so :lol just kidding ... Here you go!
(800) 465-7166 for Equifax Canada or (800) 663-9980 for Trans Union of Canada. If you are canadian and work in the USA you will need the USA number I gave you. I believe you can still get a copy printed out of your computer from Equifax regardless of USA or CANADA. USA I know for sure you can ... Trans Union hasn't offered that as of yet.

Glad to help anytime!! Keep asking if you have further questions ... If I can answer them I will or direct you to a number that can. Oh lord, I'm beginning to sound like an operator :lol

Seriously, I hope this all helps and I'm glad to do it.

FeralGuardian

http://www.equifax.com/EFX_Canada/co...verview_e.html


This should give you the info you need.