Contacting Credit Bureaus for Dispute

[ThePeacock]

I understand that I can write the credit bureaus and dispute inaccuracies directly with them. I have found two sample letters on the internet.

One was pretty formal quoting Section 611 of the fair credit reporting act

(whcih I'm sure the bureaus are aware of), and it was pretty firm about

what the writer expected of the bureau. The other was fairly informal just

asking to remove the inaccuracy because it's adversly affecting them,

and included all pretinent details.

Question 1: Will the mood of the letter you send affect the service you get?

Question 2: Is there a limit to how many disputes I should send at once to

a particular bureau. I've got about 5 to send to each one. Should I send

2 at a time or 1. How long should wait between letters I send?

The reason I ask is I read from one website that said the bureaus can deam

your requests frivelous or something like that if you bombard them with too much at once.

I am just so frustated. My Chapter 7 was discharged in 10/03. I hadn't really been looking for any credit lately so I hadn't even checked. These guys have still been reporting negatively on my credit as late as this month. I've contacted to who seemed very cooperative. And Sears said they weren't reporting even though the compnay on my report said "CBUSASEARS" (CitiBankUsaSears) Hello!!!! She didn't even want a copy of the report faxed because there was no way it could be them reporting.

If I send these dispute letters having these debts shown as "included in bankruptcy" will that keep them from being able to report anymore?

Thanks so much for any Help.

ThePeacocks

P.S. What is Privacy Guard and how much is it?

[willingtocope]

You need to find the address of the folks that are reporting and send them a letter saying, in effect, "...this debt was IIB and by continuing to report it as anything other than that you are not only violating the FCRA but also the Bankruptcy Laws of the US. Either mark it as IIB or remove it entirely within 15 days or I will report you to the Bankruptcy courts..."

Send the letter CMRRR. Don't bother talking with them on the phone.

[ThePeacock]

You need to find the address of the folks that are reporting and send them a letter saying, in effect, "...this debt was IIB and by continuing to report it as anything other than that you are not only violating the FCRA but also the Bankruptcy Laws of the US. Either mark it as IIB or remove it entirely within 15 days or I will report you to the Bankruptcy courts..."

Send the letter CMRRR. Don't bother talking with them on the phone.

Thanks fo rthe reply. Total newbie here, so I'm gonna ask some quesitons that seem "old news" to you guys. what is IIB? Does anyone have any kind of sample letter ?

What is CMRRR?

Thanks again

[willingtocope]

No problem...

IIB = Included in Bankruptcy

CMRRR = Certified mail, return receipt requested

(There's a forum on the first page that says "Read before posting"...it has a topic that explains all the abbrevs...don't worry, nobody reads it first).

[ThePeacock]

So would you take this action over trying to dispute w/ the CRAs?

Would this action, provided they acted upon the letter, help my credit score any ?

[ThePeacock]

Can anyone assist w/ the 2 questions.....

Question 1: Will the mood of the letter you send affect the service you get?

Question 2: Is there a limit to how many disputes I should send at once to

a particular bureau. I've got about 5 to send to each one. Should I send

2 at a time or 1. How long should wait between letters I send?

[luckyduck]

Start out like a regular person who just wants the stuff corrected. Get meaner as you go along. If you ever have to go to court, you want to show that you just wanted it fixed, and didn't get mean until after they screwed you around.

There isn't a limit, and if every one of your disputes is legitimate, then send them all at once. If they deem it frivolous, they have to say why. Many have disputed 8 or more at a time. I personally have disputed many more than that. They do investigate the first time at least. If you're arguing accurate information, send it separately, so it doesn't make you look bad if you have to fight over the ones that really aren't accurate.

[ThePeacock]

Start out like a regular person who just wants the stuff corrected. Get meaner as you go along. If you ever have to go to court, you want to show that you just wanted it fixed, and didn't get mean until after they screwed you around.

There isn't a limit, and if every one of your disputes is legitimate, then send them all at once. If they deem it frivolous, they have to say why. Many have disputed 8 or more at a time. I personally have disputed many more than that. They do investigate the first time at least. If you're arguing accurate information, send it separately, so it doesn't make you look bad if you have to fight over the ones that really aren't accurate.

If I send the letters to the creditors as willingtocope suggested

would I also want to send to the CRAs regarding the same accounts

to dispute, or is going to the source enough?

[luckyduck]

For faster results, do both. Any way you go, it could take a while, but it's always best to tackle a problem using every resource you have.

[KentWA]

Use the 1-2 punch. DV the CA then when you get the green card back dispute with the CRA.

[ThePeacock]

Use the 1-2 punch. DV the CA then when you get the green card back dispute with the CRA.

What's the "Green Card" ? <----Noob

[IngridA]

Green card = return receipt from the post office

[willingtocope]

Well, here's what happened in my exeperience. I had an account that was listed as "Charged off". I disputed with the CRA...they "verfied" it first with the OC, whose record of course simple said Charge Off. So the CRA said "verified", and asked for copies of my BK papers (NOT a good idea) if I wanted to pursue it with them.

So...I sent a "should have been IIB, you're violating BK laws, remove it or I'll tell" letter to the OC. Zip, Zop, it was changed to IIB.

Bottom line is the CRA isn't going to do any more work than they're required...which is ask the OC for verfication. You need to get the OC's attention first.

[ThePeacock]

WillingtoCope - do you, or anyone else have some kind of sample

letter to OCs/CAs that continue to report after a BK. I've only seen one

for illegal practices on a valid open account.

I've got what you suggested "...this debt was IIB and by continuing to

report it as anything other than that you are not only violating the FCRA

but also the Bankruptcy Laws of the US. Either mark it as IIB or remove

it entirely within 15 days or I will report you to the Bankruptcy

courts..."

Could I just send that, the account number and a copy of the

schedule F and the discharge notice?

ThePeacock

[willingtocope]

I think you've got the basics there...you just need to formalize it a bit.

Send the OC your letter with name, address, and account number...don't include any copies of your BK papers. They were already notified by the courts, and you don't want to give them any more info than is absolutely pertinent.

As for any CA, if they're reporting on your CRs, send them a standard DV letter...if it comes back "verified", then you actually have some ammunition to file suit against them. This is probably a better tactic for a CA because with a little more work, you may get them removed from your CR altogether.

The IIB entries on your CRs are going to hurt for awhile, but the fewer you have the better.