The best way to avoid debt collectors is to avoid getting into debt in the first place. But unfortunately, the prevailing economic condition has effected everyone badly, and in the current situation, it is hardly an option for many people to avoid debt. More and more people are finding themselves further in debt than ever.

The worse part is that when debt collectors harass people who are stuck in debt, they tend to make their conditions worse by falling into their traps and agreeing to their terms. Of course, it can be scary to be in debt, but if you know what to do when the collectors begin to call, you can minimize the damage that they do, both to your credit score and to your mental health.

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There are three main credit reporting companies operating in the United States. The law requires these three to provide one free credit report (each) to anyone who requests them within any given year. The three large credit reporting companies are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, and they are strictly monitored by Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to provide correct and true information.

Who Can Access Your Credit Report?

Companies, such as credit card companies, mortgage loaners, insurance companies, and potential employers can gain access to your credit report and gain an insight into information regarding where a person currently lives, where a person has lived in the past several years, the person’s financial history – including any bankruptcies – and whether or not a person has been involved in any legal proceedings in the past.

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Having a good credit score has become very important to avail the advantages that banks offer. If you want to get approved for big-ticket items like car loans and mortgages, you’ll need to clean up your credit. Here are five easy steps you can take to boost your credit score quickly.

Step 1 – Order your credit report.

It is wise to know the root of the problem before curing it. Thus before you start working on raising your credit score, you have to know what it is. You can get a free copy of your credit report from annualcreditreport.com or order your credit score from myfico.com. You have the facility to get a free copy of your credit report each year, or any time you’re denied for credit. Although these free reports might not contain your credit score, they will give you some insight into what’s bringing it down.

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A good credit score always leads you to gain maximum benefits from your credit card. How you can improve your credit score? What you’ll have to do for it? So here are the five simple tips from which you can improve your credit score and can gain numerous benefits from your credit card.

1- Check The Accuracy of Credit Report

First of all get copies of your credit score then for assurance that information is correct go to www.annualcreditreport.com. That’s the only authentic online source to get a free credit report. According to Federal law you can get your credit report in free every 12 months from three national credit reporting companies.

Except from online source you can call there also on their number 877-322-8228 or complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it on their address: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348 – 5281.

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Within the first five days that the agency contacted you (whether by phone or mail), they must send you a debt validation notice, which is a letter letting you know you have the right to dispute the validity of the debt within 30 days. If you don’t dispute the debt within 30 days, the collector can assume it is valid. In order to dispute the debt, submit a written validation request. As soon as you do that, they cannot continue to try and collect the debt from you until the dispute is resolved.

Send the debt validation letter via certified mail with return receipt requested (so that you have proof that you sent it, and that it was received). See the sample letter below.

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As the global economy deteriorates, its effect can be felt everywhere. Even the students are not protected from its affects, especially those looking for financial aid. Here’s a list of some financial aid and student lending resources to help the students.

• Fin Aids calculators can help students to estimate the total cost of schooling and the amount of financial help required. it also has basic information about different types of loans, scholarships and military aid.

• Student Loan Browser Assistant is a project of National Consumer Law Center provides further opportunities for those students who already have loans and who want to know about other options available to them and the rights they have. It also has information about federal student loan rehabilitation, bankruptcy with reference to student loans and collections. Thus it is a good website for those students who are having problems paying their loans and are looking for some legal assistance.

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If you want to improve your credit score, you need to go right to the source – your credit report.  Your credit report contains the information and data on which your credit score is based.  If you can alter or update the information in your credit report, your credit score will change to reflect the alterations.  For this reason, getting and checking you credit report is one of the first things you should do when you attempt to repair your credit score.  There are a few tips that can help you deal with your credit report so that you can give your credit score a boost:

Dispute errors on your credit report

Contact each of the three major credit bureaus -  TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian – and get copies of your credit reports and credit scores.  Carefully read over the reports and note any errors.  In writing, contact the credit bureaus and ask that mistakes be removed or investigated.

This is called a dispute letter and once it is received, credit bureaus have to investigate your dispute within thirty days of receiving your letter.  It is important to keep a copy of your letter and it is important to note the date the letter was sent.  You should not be accusatory or abusive in your letter – calmly and clearly state the problem and request an investigation.

Note that you are aware the agency is required to investigate the claim within thirty days and note that you will follow up.  Be sure that you do follow up with the issues you raised in your letter – just because the agency investigates does not always mean that your credit report will end up error-free.

Many credit bureaus now make it possible for you to correct errors on your credit report online – and many have information on their web sites that tells you exactly how disputes must be handled to be effectively removed.  It is important that you follow this information exactly so that the inaccuracies on your credit report are removed promptly and your credit score is updated as soon as possible.

Add a note to your credit report if there is a problem you can’t resolve

Sometimes, there are legitimate reasons why you didn’t pay a bill.  If a contractor refused to finish a job or did a poor job, then you may have refused payment, but the non-payment may still count against you on your credit report.  If there are any unusual circumstances surrounding your credit report that may affect your credit rating – such as a case of identity theft – you can ask that a note be attached to your credit report to explain the problem.

Some lenders will pay attention to this and some will not, but it is a better solution than nothing at all.  Such a note will not affect your credit score but will affect your credit report. More importantly, it leaves a paper trail of the problem that lenders can look at if they choose.

Make sure you know who is looking at your credit report and why

Many inquiries look bad on your credit report, but more than that you likely want to know who can see your personal financial information, now that you know that your personal information is stored in a credit report.  If you sign a document with a lender or apply for credit online, you can be sure that someone is looking at your credit report.

However, you may want to look over other documents in order to see who is taking a peek.  Insurance agents will often look at your credit report, for example.  Some landlords and potential employers will, too.  You need to be careful about online sources, too.  In general, when you provide someone with your social insurance number, you may be giving permission to look at your credit report.  You shouldn’t bar people from looking, but knowing who is looking is good financial practice.

Know the difference between soft and hard inquiries

When you pull your credit report to look at it, it is counted as a “soft inquiry.”  Only “hard inquiries” from lenders will affect your credit score dramatically.  Although checking your credit score too often is an expensive habit, you should not avoid checking your credit report because you fear it will make your credit rating worse.

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If you have a lower credit score that you would like, odds are that the score is caused by some small financial mistake or oversight you have made in the past. Not every person with bad credit has a low credit score caused by something they did, though. Sometimes, other people’s criminal activity can affect your credit score. There are a few tips that can keep you and your credit safe form online and financial predators:

Look out for identity theft.

Many people who are careful about paying bills on time and having minimal debts are shocked each year to find that they have low credit scores. In many cases, this happens as a result of identity theft. Identity theft is a type of crime in which people take your personal information and steal that information to pose as you in order to get access to your accounts or identity.

For example, someone with your PIN numbers can remove small amounts of money from your bank account each month or someone can use your name and personal information to get credit cards in your name and use those credit cards with no intention of paying back the money. You are stuck with the large debts and the poor credit score.

To prevent identity theft, always check your account statements carefully each month. Report any suspicious activity or any charges you don’t recognize at once. Also check your credit report regularly and immediately investigate any new credit accounts you do not recognize – this is the best way of detecting and acting on identity theft.

If you have been the victim of identity theft, report to the police at once and get a police statement. Send copies of this to your bank and credit bureaus. Better yet, get the credit bureaus to attach the report to your credit report, if you can. Close all your accounts and reopen new ones. You should not have to pay for someone else’s illegal activity.

Practice safe banking, safe computing, and safe business practices.

To stay safe from identity theft, always follow safe banking and financial practices:

1) Keep account numbers and PIN numbers safe. Cover your account and PIN numbers when using debit at the store and refuse to give your PIN number to anyone. Avoid writing down your PIN and account numbers – you never know when this information could fall into the wrong hands.

2) Only do business with businesses you trust.

3)If you get applications for credit cards in the mail that are “pre-approved” rip up the applications and enclosed letters before discarding them. No, this is not paranoid. Identity thieves sometimes go through garbage in order to find these forms so that they can fill them out and steal your identity.

4) If you use a computer, install good firewall and antivirus protection system and update it religiously. Better yet, take a course in safe computing at your local college or community center. You will learn many good tips for keeping all your information safe while you are online.

5) Never buy anything online from a company you do not trust of from a company that does not have encryption technology and a good privacy policy.

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