Repair Credit Score

Credit Report Errors (continued...)

When must I dispute credit card bills?

You must send the letter within sixty days of the date of the credit card bill and send it certified mail, return receipt requested. The creditor has thirty days to acknowledge receipt of your letter. You may withhold payment for a disputed item on the credit card bill (not the whole credit card bill, just the item you are disputing) if:

• the charge is over $50 and
• the store is within one hundred miles of your residence or is in your state.

Before you do so, you must:

• first attempt to resolve the billing dispute with the store the item is from and
• inform the credit card company in writing about the dispute.

Will my credit card account be delinquent during the credit card bill dispute?

The credit card company cannot report your account as delinquent while the dispute is being handled, and they must resolve it within two billing cycles (or ninety days).

Check all bills for errors - always write a letter!

You should always check your bills (credit card bills or otherwiese) for errors. Make sure you are being charged for services or goods you used or purchased. If you find an error on a bill, it is ok to call about it, but always follow this phone call up with a letter to document the problem and your telephone call that reported it.

How to deal with Collection Agency?

A disputed bill is often sent to collection. The first thing you can try is a letter to the collection agency telling them to cease and desist contacting you and that you will only deal with the original creditor. However, this usually does not work. The next step, if you are disputing the bill, is to send a request for validation of the debt.