BTW, this is my first time posting here on abc15.com. For the record, this is a poor forum set-up, in my opinion. I should be able to still read the article as I'm commenting. This extra page away from the article thing is convoluted and impractical. Are you listening, abc15.com?

My issue with this article is the line stating that for $14.95, you can dispute items on your credit report. You can do that FOR FREE. You don't need a rip-off credit monitoring service (which is about as big of a scam as carbon credits, and yes, I do believe in global warming, but I certainly do NOT believe in all of the carpetbaggers profiting off of it). Each year you are entitled to a completely free credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies. Beyond that, you can pay a nominal fee to have them send you another credit report. Whether you have to pay (as in already used your one free credit report for the year) or not does NOT matter -- you can STILL -dispute- items on your report! You also have the right to request a FREE credit report any time you are turned down for credit. Oh yes, and here's another little tip -- each time you apply for credit, your rating goes down a bit, especially if you get turned down. Do NOT flippantly apply for every card out there -- it's a STUPID thing to do, and companies should be REQUIRED to tell you that it hurts you credit when they're telling you about the great toaster you'll get for applying for their card... Lastly, credit counseling companies are shady businesses that would be better to avoid. Anything they can do, you can do on your OWN, for less money all around, too. The government has investigated credit counseling companies, and cracked down on them not that long ago.

abmarconi -- Maybe so, but in the end, considering how big business has @#$@# the little guy, I wouldn't feel bad at all NOT paying that 5 year old charge off -- ESPECIALLY when it would hurt me more to do the right thing. Campaign to change or enact laws that would not make it a -negative- thing to pay off old debts.

F \/ C K credit and the federal reserve. They only give you a good score when you are borrowing money and paying it back with minimum payment because it makes them money. When you pay off loans early they lower your credit rating because you aren't spending as much with them. The federal reserve can lick my sack. Holding money over peoples heads that have no business borrowing as much as they do is the whole reason for this economic mess. Wake up america. Less credit spending, more cash spending. By the way, there is nothing "federal" about the federal reserve. Please start thinking for yourselves.

I've got some major issues with what is written in this article. My biggest problem is that it suggests you DON'T pay off old debt. While there is NO proof that paying off a debt will lower your score (I dare you to provide empirical data supporting that) it harms the businesses that aren't being paid- and while you may be thinking that massive companies don't need any more money just look at the big boys like AIG, WAMU and the others. Yes not paying off a debt has effects. A second issue that I have with this article is that not anywhere in here does it mention doing things all consumers should be doing paying back debts on time and applying for credit when credit might be needed- not for the 10% off the clothing purchase or because the person behind the counter was pushy. While yes knowing about your credit is as importatnt as getting the annual check from your doctor a credit monitoring service might be a bit overboard. Also ONLY dispute info if it is incorrect- not if you think that the company you're not paying isn't going to respond or can't back it up 100%. Don't make credit reports meaningless gargbage or lenders will go back to issuing credit based on what they know about you (including their biases).

Change your name to a latin name, buy a few documents and you can have all of the credit you want at taxpyers expense