In the credit repair business, we often encounter people who say they want to fix their credit without removing negative items.  That’s probably because they know you’re not supposed to dispute accurate credit report information and that there are other, more realistic ways to solve credit problems.

Recently, however, we came across a client who was only interested in disputing.  And while there are many different ways to approach credit and debt problems, this particular person had no interest.  “Just dispute it all,” he said. 

Now, the problem with that, of course, is that the client intended to dispute negative items which were known to be accurate.  It was disappointing to hear of such intentions, as we know well how dangerous frivolous disputes can be (they can actually get you sued).  But the most disturbing part was the realization that people are simply misinformed about credit repair. 

Credit repair involves much more than dispute letters.  And sadly, many credit repair services are doing nothing beyond.  This, of course, helps to misdirect consumers who are often in dire need of financial help, and it also helps credit repair—a genuinely valuable process—gain a bad reputation.
So why are people so hung up on disputing?

Disputing, on the surface, is certainly a good way to remove negative items from credit reports.  It’s easy, and you can usually get results pretty quick.  But if you really looked into it, you’d probably see that disputing works great only when it’s done appropriately. 

Disputing accurate information can backfire—and it usually does.  Accurate items that are disputed and removed will often be re-entered onto the credit report.  And in some cases, you can find yourself in court after bringing your debt to the attention of collection agencies and/or creditors.  So why bother?  If you have errors on your report that you want corrected or removed, disputing might be the best solution.  But for everything else, there really are better ways to do it.

The message here is simple:

1. Disputes work great in the right circumstances
2. Disputes can do more harm than good in the wrong circumstances
3. There are realistic and effective ways to solve other kinds of credit problems

You can help stop the cycle of misleading credit repair companies by educating yourself on the process.  Get involved.  Ask questions.  Know your rights, and know the best options available to make credit improvements.  And always remember:  there really is more to credit repair than removing negative items.