Released: February 25, 2019

Help Desk FAQ

Can I trust a credit repair firm to help rebuild my credit?

Credit repair companies "guarantee" they will fix your credit for a fee. Save your money: Only time, discipline and patience will repair damaged credit.

At worst, credit repair companies may illegally offer you a new credit identity. This is done with forged documents. You are breaking the law if you use a false credit history. At best, they charge you for things that you can do yourself for free. You can dispute errors in your credit report or apply for a secured credit card on your own. If you need help negotiating with a creditor, you can get help from a non-profit agency, such as Consumer Credit Counseling Service.

Sometimes, credit repair firms are outright frauds. They take your money and run.

For more on credit repair and rebuilding your credit, see our fact sheet Improve Your Credit: Put bad credit behind you. To find a secured credit card, which is one way to establish or rebuild credit, visit BankRate.com.