How credit repair works
Credit repair generally refers to the process of identifying and disputing inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information on your credit reports.
Credit-report disputes
Under federal law, you have the right to dispute information you believe is inaccurate. The credit bureaus must investigate and correct or remove information they cannot verify.
Creditor interventions
Some credit-repair services also contact your creditors directly — for example, requesting goodwill removals of late payments or negotiating pay-for-delete arrangements for certain collections.
DIY or managed
You can dispute errors yourself at no cost, or you can hire a service. Legitimate credit-repair services charge fees for the work of preparing and following up on disputes on your behalf.
The limits of legitimate credit repair
No legitimate service can remove accurate, verifiable information before it ages off your report, and no one can guarantee a specific score increase. Be cautious of any service that promises guaranteed results.
Important note
You can dispute credit-report errors yourself for free. Paid services are optional and cannot guarantee outcomes.
This article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not financial advice.
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- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — How do I dispute an error on my credit report?
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Is it possible to remove accurate but negative information from my credit report?
- Federal Trade Commission — Spot the scams when fixing your credit
- NerdWallet — Credit Repair Services: Should You Use One?
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