Page 16 - Ft. Irwin High Desert Warrior 6-5-15

16 High Desert Warrior www.aerotechnews.com/ntcfortirwin
June 5, 2015

Legal

Avoiding, dealing with credit reporting problems

By Jessaka Menzie if you have filed for bankruptcy, among other things. Informa- After you receive your credit report, examine it closely for any
tion about your credit history is sold to creditors, employers and errors. If you have requested a report from each of the nationwide
Fort Irwin Legal Assistance Office other businesses that may use it to evaluate your creditworthiness. credit reporting companies, examine all three. If you find any errors,
dispute them promptly by writing to the credit reporting company
So you’ve done thorough research on the automobile you want To order your free credit report, go to www.annualcreditreport.com, that provided the incorrect report. You should clearly identify what
to purchase. You’ve carefully reviewed the purchase contract (also call (877) 322-8228, or complete the Annual Credit Report Request you dispute and provide detailed facts about why you dispute it;
had a Fort Irwin Legal Assistance Attorney review it) and now Form (found at consumer.ftc.gov) and mail it to: Annual Credit Report then request to have the error corrected or removed. You can find
you’re ready to negotiate with the financing agent. The loan agent Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. There is sample letters at consumer.ftc.gov or make an appointment to see a
takes your application, steps away for a while only to return and only oneWeb site authorized under federal law to take your order for a Legal Assistance Attorney at the Fort Irwin Legal Assistance Office
say you’ll need a co-signor on your application. The agent says your free annual credit report: annualcreditreport.com.Watch out for other for assistance. The credit reporting company is required to investi-
loan application cannot be approved without a co-signor, because “imposter” sites that will secretly charge you for “free” credit reports. gate the error in question and will usually complete the investigation
of your low credit score. Low credit score! How did that happen? within 30 days. The credit reporting company must provide you
with the results of the investigation and a free copy of your credit
A credit reporting problem could have a negative impact on the report, if the dispute results in a change. If the investigation does
perception of your ability to repay borrowed money – also called your not result in a change to your credit report, you can ask the credit
“credit worthiness.” Having knowledge of your credit report informa- reporting company to include a statement of dispute in your file.
tion before your report is pulled by a loan agent, a prospective employer,
or even an apartment rental agent, could prevent some embarrassment Correcting an error on your credit report is not only a sensible
and improve your chances of an expected outcome. You should check thing to do, but it may also increase your credit score, thereby,
your credit report, at least annually, to determine the accuracy of the potentially saving you money on a loan. Request your credit report
information provided to the credit reporting companies. at least annually and dispute any errors, then walk into the lenders
office with confidence because you are an informed consumer!
The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires nationwide credit
reporting companies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to If you have legal assistance questions or need assistance disputing
provide you with a free credit report every 12 months, upon your errors on your credit report, call the Fort Irwin Legal Assistance
request. A credit report includes important information about Office (building 230) at 380-5321. The hours of operation are
your credit history. The report shows where you live (and previ- Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., and Thursdays, 1-4 p.m.
ously lived), how you pay your bills (the good, bad, and ugly), and

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