Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What type of items appear on my credit report?

A. A. Consumer reporting companies collect and sell personal information about you, including:

• Identification and employment information
• Payment history
• Inquiries
• Other public record information

Q. Do I have a right to know what is in my credit report?

A. Yes! In fact, it is your legal right to know what it is being reported about your credit history. However, in order to understand the implications of what appears on your credit report, you will need to know how to request the relevant information.

Q. Will I be charged for viewing my credit report?

A. The Free File Disclosure Rule of the Fair and Accurate credit Transactions Act (FACT Act) entitles you to a free copy of your credit report from each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies—Equifax, Experian and Transunion—every 12 months.

Q. How do I order my free report?

A. To order, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call 1-877-322-8228. You can also order your
free credit report by mail by completing an Annual Credit Report Request Form
(available at www.ftc.gov/credit) and mailing it to

Annual Credit Report Service P.O. Box 105281 Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

Q. What about other services that claim to offer a free credit report?

A. Beware of similarly named companies offering free credit reports posing as www.annualcreditreport.com. These companies may charge extra fees or be involved in phishing scams. To ensure that you are directed to the correct site, it is recommended that you visit

www.ftc.gov/credit

and click the link provided.

Q. What information do I need to receive my free credit report?

A. You’ll need to provide:

• Your Full Name
• Social Security Number
• Date of Birth
• Previous addresses (if you have moved in the last 2 years)

Also, to maintain security, each nationwide consumer reporting agency may ask you to provide some information that only you would know, such as the amount of your monthly mortgage payment or a previous address.

Q. How is my credit score determined?
And how does it affect my ability to get credit?

A. Credit scoring is a system creditors use to help determine whether to give you credit, and how much to charge you for it. There are numerous factors which determine your credit score such as how you pay your bills, amount of money you owe (debt) vs. amount of available credit (credit line), length of credit history, mix of credit and new credit applications. However, each lender approaches your credit report differently and it is important for you to address all the aspects of your credit report.

Q. How can credit repair increase my credit score?

A. Credit repair increases your credit score by eliminating the items on your credit report which lower your credit score. By minimizing negative items, boosting positive items and disputing inaccurate items that affect your score, your overall credit score can be drastically increased.

Q. How do I know that credit repair is legitimate?

A. Credit repair is absolutely legal. In fact, it is governed and sanctioned by federal law. Disputing negative, inaccurate and misleading items on your credit reports is your right as a consumer, as stipulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)

The extension of this right is to use a professional credit repair company is not only legal, but fair as well. Credit bureaus and lenders will expend every resource in order to justify charging you a higher interest rate on credit cards, home mortgages and other loans. Enlisting the help of an experience professional is merely the best you can do to fight back. The FCRA empowers you to demand that credit bureaus correct errors and remove false, inaccurate negative items from your credit report, but the counsel of a credit repair firm gives you the leverage of experience and legal knowledge that the common consumer may not have.

Q. How does bad credit or a low credit score affect my life?

A. Bad credit costs you money—lots of it. Lenders use a low credit score as an excuse to give you unfavorable terms on your loans, meaning higher interest rates and bigger penalties. The benefits of even a modestly increased credit score are compounded both by savings and reduced penalties, meaning you keep more of your money and increase your spending power.

Q. How long does it take to dispute an item on my credit report?

A. The FCRA stipulates that a credit bureau must complete each investigation within a “reasonable period of time.” Currently, this period is 30 days.

Q. What if negative items reappear on my report?

A. Although the FCRA protects against credit reporting agencies from re-reporting items on your report, removed items do appear on your report again on rare occasions. These items can be removed again and pressed for permanent deletion.

Q. Should I pay debts that are disputed?

A. Removal of a debt or an overdue payment from your report does not necessarily forgive your obligations to pay what is due. Your credit report is merely an indicator of your outstanding items. If you fail to settle the item in question, it can be reported again. Given this, it is most effective to only dispute items that are inaccurate, misleading or unverifiable, or items that are paid for prior to disputing.

Q. Won’t paying off all my debts repair my credit automatically?

A. In theory, it seems logical that once you have paid all of your debts and settled all your delinquent accounts your credit score should restore itself. However, this is not the case. Charge-offs, collections, delinquencies, etc. can remain on your credit report for 7 years if no action is taken. Thus it is important to both pay your debts and repair your credit by disputing outdated items.

Q. Are results guaranteed?

A. While results vary case by case, we are so confident that our service will help you improve your credit score and improve your financial standing that we offer a no questions asked refund if you are not satisfied with our service.

Q. Why is Consumer Life Mentor the best credit repair company for me?

A. Consumer Life Mentor is the best credit repair company because we get results. With thousands of individuals helped and over 2 million negative items removed from credit reports, we are exceptionally qualified to help you repair your credit.