The Law


WhichCreditRepair.com is not a law firm, nor do we give legal advice. We provide you overviews on this page of federal laws to make you aware of the protections they offer. If you are looking for legal advice, we encourage you to seek help from qualified attorneys.

Quick Notes on the Law About Credit Reporting

The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies to provide you, at your request, a free copy of your credit report once every 12 months.

The three credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—use AnnualCreditReport.com to fulfill their responsibility under this law.

If you want to monitor your credit report yourself, you should request one report from one of these agencies; then wait four months and get a report from the second; and wait four months again and get the last report from the third agency. That way you have them on a rotation that allows you to be aware of any changes sooner than once a year. Of course, this takes calendar-planning and discipline, but it is possible and beneficial.

If you see anything on those reports that concerns you, you should contact the credit bureau by whatever dispute method they prefer. Refer to our section on “How to Dispute Errors” for more information on filing disputes with the three credit reporting bureaus.

Quick Notes on the Law About Credit Repair

Before you sign a contract, credit repair organizations must give you a copy of the “Consumer Credit File Rights Under State and Federal Law.” They also must give you a written contract that spells out your rights and obligations.

You must sign a written contract. Online applications do not constitute a contract under the federal law.

After you sign the contract, there is a three-day waiting period during which you may cancel without paying any fees.

The contract must clearly spell out these things:

  • Terms and conditions of payment. This must show the total of all payments you are supposed to make to the company or any other person for services covered under this contract.
  • A detailed description of the services you are buying. This includes any guarantees of performance, and the length of time it will take to accomplish what is promised.
  • The organization’s name and principle business address
  • The statement informing you of your right to cancel within three days