What YOU can do to Protect Your Good Name under Ohio Law & the Fair Credit Reporting Act *Your Credit Report Cheat Sheet* Step #1, Obtain a FREE copy of your credit report
It is suggested that you do so at least once per year, or anytime you are denied employment, credit or insurance based upon information in your credit report. How, you ask? Don’t bother with monitoring services that charge you money. Federal law requires that the “Big Three” (Experian, Equifax & Trans Union) provide you a copy of your credit report for free, once a year, or anytime you are turned down. Just go to www.annualcreditreport.com. (Be sure to bookmark our page first!) You are encouraged to request copies of your reports by MAIL, rather than over the Internet. This will prevent the possibility of waiving any important rights when you check the little box agreeing to their terms. (Note: even this website will have pop-ups trying to sell you things - you may close out of those windows or say "No Thanks" and continue to your FREE credit report). There are other instances where it would be wise to review your report, such as if you are being contacted by debt collectors for accounts you know nothing about - you may be an identity theft victim. Bottom line, when in doubt, check your credit report out! Step #2, Carefully review your credit reports First see if there are any names, address, or personal information on your report that do/does not belong to you; you may be the victim of identity theft, or the victim of a mixed credit file. Note: different credit bureaus may report different information about you. Next, look to see if anything is reporting the does not belong to you, or is otherwise incorrect. Third, check for possible outdated information. Generally speaking, the credit bureaus must remove adverse information after seven years. Certain exceptions apply, such as bankruptcy, which may hang around for ten years. Step #3, Contact us for a FREE legal consultation We will review your credit reports with you as well as any related documents. We will explain the steps that you may take to restore you good name, and provide you with tools to do so. And if all else fails, we will explain your legal rights, as well as money damages that may be available to you to balance the harm you have suffered.
We look forward to speaking to you! Contact us today for a FREE legal consultation. (937) 435-4000 ~Dedicated to Protecting Ohio Consumers~ Consumer Protection Laws * Fair Debt Collections * Fair Credit Reporting |
