how can I fix my credit report?
412779
start to pay your bills on time.
224192
5 steps to better credit\n\nCorrect blatant mistakes. Your credit score is only as good as what shows up in your credit report. Review your reports from all three credit bureaus for accuracy once a year as well as several months before applying for a loan. Changing a mistake on your report - such as a payment that is wrongly labeled as late -- can take 30 days to three months, sometimes longer.\n\nPay your bills on time. This is always a good practice, and it's especially critical that you make prompt payments close to the time you need a loan. That's because a late or missed payment in the last few months is likely to lower your score much more than an isolated late payment five years ago.\n\nReduce your credit card balances. A heavily weighted factor in your FICO score is how much money you owe on your credit cards relative to your total credit limit. Generally, it's good to keep your balances at or below 25 percent of your credit card limit, said Jeanne Kelly, founder of The Kelly Group in Brookfield, Conn., which helps clients improve their credit scores.\n\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\nTry CNN/Money's new Debt Reduction Planner for help wiping out credit-card balances.\n\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\n\nPay off debt rather than moving it around. Since the ratio of your credit card balance to your credit limit is key, closing out an account and transferring the balance simply means you increase that ratio, which is likely to lower your score. In other words, say you owe a total of $2,000 on four credit cards, each of which has a $2,000 limit. Your total credit limit is $8,000, of which your total balance ($2,000) accounts for 25 percent. If you transfer all your balances to two cards and cancel the other two, your total credit limit is reduced to $4,000, and your $2,000 balance now accounts for 50 percent of that limit.\n\n    \n \n\nDon't close unused credit card accounts near loan time. If you have several credit card accounts but are only using a few of them, you'll only raise your balance-to-limit ratio if you close the unused ones. You also shouldn't open new accounts when applying for a loan if possible. If you have a short credit history or very few accounts, opening a new credit line may lower your score since you don't have a proven track record, said Jan Davis, an executive vice president at TransUnion. What's more, a new account will lower the average age of your accounts, another factor in your FICO score.
755555
First get a copy of your credit report, if you've been turned turn recently its free. myfreecreditreport.com you can get one there also. Then you need to dispute all the negative items on the report and state the reason why. it could take up to 30 days but if you do it online it just takes a few days. If the negative items are wrong then they must be removed, if they are right then they stay on your report, but you can write an explaination which sometimes helps.
12932
Credit counselors probably would help.\n\nYou might find the book below to be useful.\n\nNow is the time to straighten out your problem before it becomes overwhelming!!
60822
Is your poor credit score the result of your own true actions (i.e. have you paid late, defaulted, or taken on too much credit)? If this is the case then, unfortunately, there isn't really much you can do to improve your score. If this is not the case and your poor credit score is the result of fraudulent activity under your name then you do have recourse. Firstly, you will want to report the abuse to all the credit reporting agencies, the credit issuers, and the authorities. Once you have done this, you can consult with the respective credit reporting agencies to help clear your unwarrented bad record.\n\nNow, if your score is because of your own actions the best thing going for you is time. The older your bad stuff is on your report the better this will be for you. Therefore, don't continue to make bad decisions when using credit. Also, to reestablish a good credit score you may want to take out a secured lined of credit. This can be done many ways but one easy way is that you deposit money with an issuing credit card company. I did this years ago with Citibank sending them $300 in which I got a credit card with a $300 limit. After a year of using my card wisely, paying my bill every month on time, they sent me a new credit card with an $1800 limit and my $300 back with interest. This was 12 years ago now and I just got out of high school at the time so $300 isn't what it used to be but whatever amount you start with it will start improving your credit. Good luck.
217507
You can challenge items that appear on your credit report by disputing it with the credit reporting agency.  Go on-line to a credit reporting agency like Experian or TransUnion.  You will have to pay to get your credit report.  If there are items that you believe should not be there, you can click the "dispute" icon if you are on the internet.  Or, if you call them you can dispute it that way.  The credit reporting agency then has to investigate the inaccuracy.  If the company that says you have bad credit with them is unable to provide the credit reporting agency with any support for its report, then the credit reporting agency must delete the negative item.
580389
the public doesn't report to the credit rating companies as a rule.\nget the company involved to help you fix the problem
217504
Pay your bills on time.  Other than that, it's just a matter of time to let all the bad stuff fall off your credit report.  It sucks, I know.
1091396
You can greatly improve your credit, yes. There is already a good answer on here for this, and remember: STAY DISCIPLINED!!!\n\nYou can do it!
761520
Try this to improve your score:\n\nFirst know that the bureau must verify any debt you dispute. If they can not verify it, it must be deleted. They have 30 days to do this.\n\nWith 7 years in the credit business, I recommend disputing them all at the same time, as you will likely need to go through several rounds of letters to get what you want done. If something is blatently wrong with your credit report, call the bureau after they write back and refuse to remove it. Go up the food chain until a manager agrees to remove or amend the incorrect info on the spot. Don't buy into their speach about re-disputing it - but make sure you have provided the information necessary by mail already to correct the error. It will not help you to insist on something being removed if you have not provided verificaiton on why.\n\nWhen you mail in the dispute letter, mail in as much information as possible with it. If your verification is a bankruptcy, send in all the pages to your petition and tab the important pages for them to review.\n\nAlso mail in a copy of an electric bill and a copy of your ID to avoid any delays. See the FTC web's site for your specific rights with collectors and debt reporting:\n\nhttp://www.ftc.gov/\n\nIf your problem is directly with the creditors, write to them ONE time. If they do not remove incorrect information, write to your state's attorney general's office and the FTC. This will get you the results you seek if you are in the right.\n\nIf this is a collection agency problem, write to the same people plus the ACA at www.acainternational.org. Collection agencies are generally slime, so know your rights before you call them. See your rights here:\n\nhttp://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/credit/index.html\n\nIf you have legit items that are bad, dispute them also. If they can not be verified, they must be deleted. It is not your responsibility to prove they are inaccurate, it is the credit bureaus who must demonstrate they are.\n\nHope this helps!
511076
This is an easy problem to fix, so if you are in need feel free to contact me and I'll guide you through it.\n\nI'm going to bet this is just a screw-up on the credit reporting agency's part.  They put this report into the wrong account.  When they don't have enough accurate information (like date of birth or Social Security number), it can easily be misfiled.\n\nIf you follow my instructions this should be taken care of quickly.  Call the electric company and explain the situation.  Talk to the supervisor, not one of the collection department idiots!  \n\nIMPORTANT!  Tell them that there is a report on your credit history stating you owe them money.  Tell them that it's incorrect, and that it is effecting your ability to rent an apartment or get other credit.  DEMAND that this be removed immediately.\n\nIf the supervisor has half a brain, he/she will realize that you have an excellent lawsuit against them for violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and they can be sued for damages resulting from this report.  They will then do a fast investigation and get this removed from your history within a few days.\n\nBut you need to cover your bases.  What happens if they drop the ball, and the listing still doesn't get removed.  \n\nYou need to follow the procedures set by the FCRA to protest this listing.  That involves getting a copy of your credit report from http://www.annualcreditreport.com and then protesting the negative report to each of the agencies.  Also send a "demand to validate" the debt to the electric company.  \n\nThe problem with this method is that it's time consuming, and could easily take a few months to complete.  \n\nSince I'm fairly convinced this is an honest mistake, I think calling them first will work.  But get those letters in the mail anyway.\n\nIf you still can not get these removed promptly, and you can prove they are incorrect, don't be afraid to sue them!  It's easy, and in your case you could easily get several thousand dollars in damages.  \n\nRead the links below.  Don't be afraid to get tough with them.  Contact me if you need help.
547357
Use the Credit Bureau sites. Read everything on these sites. They give good advice and guidance toward improving your credit record.   Each year you can now get a free report from each of them. You can also buy a report that includes you FICO score. This number will give you and potential lenders an idea of what to expect from you regarding repayment of debts.\n\nIt is more than just time. It matters what else is on your record, how stable your residence has been, even where and what kind of home you live in. It helps to learn which lenders are more lenient, and to start with them and work your way up carefully.
1170191
Pay a couple of your credit cards down to less than 50% of the balance.  You'd be surprised how much your score drops when you go over 50%.  \n\nChallenge some of the negative items on your credit report.\n\nPay off any small chargeoffs you have.
969658
Call the credit bureau
1084346
For the most part, it doesn't matter what country you're in. The only thing that can improve your credit rating is time and better credit history. Make your payments on time. Make extra payments when possible. Call your creditors to see if they can help you by lowering your interest rates and refinancing loans for a lower cost. My husband and I had BAD credit, and this was the only thing that could help. If you file for a bankruptcy, that will be on your credit for several years and will look worse to possible creditors than the fact that you are trying to dig yourself out on your own. You made the mess, no you have to clean it up. I know it sucks, but it's true. Make sure you keep accurate records so that when you finally pay a bill off, you can contact the credit bureaus with that information and get the bad info off quickly. We did this and we were able to buy a home, a new car, and a motorcycle within a year and a half! Good luck!
100306
1.  Pay up so the balance is positive.\n2.  Close it.\n3.  Wait 2 years.\n\nYou can also ask your bank if they'll remove it from your credit report once you have a positive balance.  Chance are they'll update the credit score to show that it's remedied, but you'll need to wait 2-6 years for it to clear.
320572
If it is on your credit report it should have a phone number or address to contact them. If not just dispute it and have it removed. If you can't contact them neither can the credit report company. Poof it will be gone.