Have you ever disputed items on your credit file?

Question

I did and those fools never investigated it.
I paid a GMAC loan payment in the hallway because the office hadnt opened yet
This lady came out of the office and took the payment.
I said I need a receipt, and she said that my cancelled check would be the receipt.
She put the payment in several days later-- causing me to be thirty days late. I complained and got a letter from them saying Iwas ever late and they changed their computer tapes. (i know i should have gotten a receipt)
When the thirty days showed up on my file, I disputed it. but i didnt sent the letter thinking that GMAC would have the information on their tapes. They had the information still there but the credit bureau said the debt was still valid and I was thirty days late. The credit bureaus do not always investigate disputes so be careful. Has anyone ever had a similar problem?

Answer 1

You have the right to send a procedural request to the bureaus.

FCRA
[quote]
611. Procedure in case of disputed accuracy [15 U.S.C. ? 1681i] (7) Description of reinvestigation procedure. A consumer reporting agency shall provide to a consumer a description referred to in paragraph (6)((iii) by not later than 15 days after receiving a request from the consumer for that description.[/quote]

:

[quote](6)((iii) a notice that, if requested by the consumer, a description of the procedure used to determine the accuracy and completeness of the information shall be provided to the consumer by the agency, including the business name and address of any furnisher of information contacted in connection with such information and the telephone number of such furnisher, if reasonably available[/quote]

But........ you will probably get about as far with this as you did with your dispute. Though it will come in handy if you file FTC complaints, including that you had asked for the PR. Then redispute with the bureaus including your FTC complaints.

The bureaus rarely do anything when you dispute.
So, you file an FTC complaint.
The FTC won't do anything.
But, you redispute with the bureaus showing that you had filed an FTC dispute on them and the odds may rise in your favor of them complying.

After all, the bureaus feel they must maintain their 85% error rate.



Or, just start a letter campaign to GMAC requesting that they remove the late themselves.

Answer 2

By law the credit bureaus MUST investigate all disputes. They have to open an inquiry with the creditor. The creditor has (I think) so much time allowed to answer the inquiry. The credit bureaus must respond to your inquiry within 45 or 60 days. (I'm not positive on the time limits.) One of 3 things must happen after you open your disput (and always do it in writing for your own protection):

1. They must report/correct/update the information that the creditor provided in response to the inquiry.

2. If the creditor did not respond to the inquiry in the required time, then the credit bureaus must remove the derogotory info.

3. If the credit bureau doesn't respond to your dispute in the required time, they must remove the derogotory info.

If the creditor won't budge on the reported info, you can have a personal comment added to that entry saying that you dispute that entry. The credit bureaus must include your personal comment on the report.

It's a pain in the butt, but you need to stay on top of it and do everything in writing, certified mail, return receipt (if possible). That way you have a paper trail to go back to when filing a dispute. The people who work at the credit bureaus can be really snotty/mean sometimes. But don't take it personally and stick to it. Also, if you talk to someone on the phone be sure to keep a log of the date, time, the name of the person you talked to, and what was said. If it doesn't get removed the first time, try again in 6 months.

Unfortunately this is a lesson learned the hard way for you. Always insist on getting a receipt, as I'm sure you will in the future. But you must stay on top of it to protect your credit rating. (No one else will do it for you.)

Good luck!!

Answer 3

Call GMAC and have them update it with the credit bureaus and then follow-up with a letter of dispute for all three CB. The main key here is GMAC updating it on their next report to the bureau. Hang in there, be patient, and don't give up easily. It may take some time but it will be resolved.

There's always a "solution" to any problem.

Answer 4

I did have a dispute on my credit report and truth be told - they never investigate the first time you submit. You have to dispute at least 2 times for them to actually look into it. Keep in mind that the burden lies on the creditor to prove that you owe it, not the other way around. If GMAC cannot prove that this is a valid debt, it must be removed. You can even get a copy of the evidence used to decide whether the claim is valid. My advice - resubmit and try for a different decision. You can dispute as many times as you want and usually, eventually it will come off.

Answer 5

yes it was the wrong name and wrong social it didn't tkae to long one threat to sue and they corrected it