You can also send a dispute letter to the offices detailing any inaccuracies you’ve identified in your credit file. Don’t close your existing accounts as soon as they are disbursed, as this may increase your credit utilization rate and lower your available funds. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recommends that you include a copy of your report with a circled or highlighted error. The court order will be removed from your credit file as soon as the credit office receives proof that the debt has been paid.
How can I delete my bad credit history in South Africa?
According to TransUnion, one of South Africa’s largest credit agencies, this usually results in your name being blacklisted within 7 to 20 days. In the three months to the end of December, 146.88 million credit checks were carried out on 15 million South Africans. The NFCC can provide financial advice, help check your credit score, and help you organize your budget, or include you in a debt management plan for free. Contact the appropriate credit office (the four main credit bureaus in SA are Compuscan, Experian, Transunion, and XDS), who must investigate the dispute and respond within 20 business days.
Is there any way to delete your credit history?
According to federal law, credit agencies have 30 to 45 days to carry out their investigations if you dispute information. If they are unable to verify that the information is correct, they must delete it from your credit history in accordance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). It is a difficult task to clean up your credit history, but sometimes you can remove negative points with patience and hard work. Most credit reports have errors, whether they misstate how an account was closed, outdated information that should no longer appear in your report, or accounts that simply don’t belong to you.
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Barry Ritholtz is a renowned finance expert, author and blogger. With over 30 years of experience in the financial industry he has gained a reputation as a thought leader and influencer in the investment community.