What Does a Credit Law Firm Do?

When consumers face credit reporting problems, they might not know where to turn. You may need to simply repair your credit. Or you may face more complicated legal credit issues. Depending on your situation, you might need a credit lawyer or a credit repair company. 

Credit Repair Services

If you need to repair your credit because you have missed loan payments or filed for bankruptcy, start with credit repair services. These companies help: 

• Consolidate debt, 
• Negotiate reduced monthly payments, and 
• Build your credit history over time.

A credit repair service will probably not help you resolve credit report errors. And they cannot file a lawsuit for you.

Consumer Tip: Sometimes, a credit repair lawyer will work with these companies, but not always. Be wary of a service that gives legal advice without a lawyer on staff. Also, don’t believe anyone who claims they can “fix your credit score” if your credit history has negative items that are true.

A Credit Lawyer Brings Legal Experience to the Table

Credit lawyers focus their practice on fair credit reporting law violations. They provide legal advice for consumers whose federal rights have been violated. Credit attorneys act on your behalf during negotiations. They can shield you from aggressive attorneys and big corporations.  If needed, a credit lawyer can file a lawsuit on your behalf if settlement is not possible. 

How Consumer Protection Laws Help You

Your credit history is reported by lenders, banks, and other companies you work with. They provide financial information to credit reporting agencies (CRAs). These credit bureaus gather data to create your credit report. The three largest CRAs in the United States are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. 

Credit reporting agencies sell your credit reports to people and companies that may give you credit. The creditors’ decisions will be affected by inaccurate information. Federal laws are in place to address credit reporting errors, credit billing, and how companies can collect debts from consumers.

Three Important Federal Laws Protect Consumers

Congress created these laws to protect consumers from unlawful business practices:

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) – this law gives consumers the right to review and dispute information in their credit reports. It also allows consumers to bring legal action to enforce the law.

The Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) – this act regulates credit card companies and how consumers can dispute unfamiliar charges. 

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) – this law controls debt collectors and ensures they do not use abusive or harassing methods to collect outstanding debts. 

Key Provisions of the FCRA

If you find errors in your credit reports, you have the right to dispute them. You can dispute credit report errors directly with the credit reporting agencies that prepared the inaccurate report. You can also dispute the data with the original creditor that provided the information. Sometimes, a simple dispute letter can resolve your problems. 

Other times, the CRA or creditor is too lazy to review your dispute or the information you sent. Some companies use automated responses that simply reject your dispute in seconds. Or a CRA may not send your information to the creditor to help them investigate your claim.

How a Credit Lawyer Can Help You

If you discover credit reporting errors that you can’t correct, it’s time to work with a credit lawyer. Sometimes just having an attorney will get the CRAs’ attention. A dedicated fair credit reporting lawyer can help correct these credit report problems:

• Mistakes from data belonging to someone else, 
• Errors from incorrect account balances and payments not properly credited, 
• False reporting of discharged debts or older accounts,
• Debts that were previously corrected but re-reported, and
• Identity theft situations.

Credit lawyers should also:

• Explain the consumer protection laws and how they affect you, 
• Gather evidence to support your dispute and draft strong dispute letters,
• Negotiate to resolve your dispute by settlement,
• File legal action if settlement is not possible,
• Recover your attorney’s fees and costs so you don’t have to pay to correct mistakes, and overall…
• Work with you for as long as it takes to clear up your credit history.

We know that CRAs and creditors may not accept responsibility when they make mistakes. Sometimes, they simply don’t respond, hoping you will just go away. 

At Schlanger Law Group, we won’t go away until the job is done. We’ll fight for:

• An accurate credit report,
• Compensation for your losses, and 
• Your attorney’s fees and costs from the other side.

To resolve these complicated FCRA violations, you’ll need patience, persistence, and a determined credit lawyer working for you. 

Trust Our Years of Experience Protecting Consumers

The SLG team of consumer protection lawyers provides individualized attention, dedication, and tenacity. We’ll keep you informed every step of the way. Your personal credit lawyer will answer your questions and explain complicated laws. We make sure you understand your options and what to expect.

We accept complex cases involving companies that don’t follow the law and have no regard for consumers’ rights. We have built a solid reputation and track record of success for our clients. We won’t hesitate to take on CRAs, creditors, and their powerful attorneys. We will fight to restore your credit and financial future.  

Consumer protection is a complex area of law. Many general practitioners don’t understand the law or how to enforce it. Fighting for victims of inaccurate credit reporting is what we do. 

To schedule a free consultation and learn more about how we can help you fight back, call (212) 500-6114 or contact us by clicking the button below.