Skip to Content
chevron-left chevron-right chevron-up chevron-right chevron-left arrow-back star phone quote checkbox-checked search wrench info shield play connection mobile coin-dollar spoon-knife ticket pushpin location gift fire feed bubbles home heart calendar price-tag credit-card clock envelop facebook instagram twitter youtube pinterest yelp google reddit linkedin envelope bbb pinterest homeadvisor angies

If you have been struggling to pay your bills and missed some credit card payments or a car payment, you made be concerned about your credit score. An experienced credit and debt relief lawyer can help you ensure that your credit score is accurate. Many Americans are unaware that credit reporting agencies can and do make mistakes. Even if you have missed one or more payments, your credit score may be lower than it should be. 

Credit reporting companies have a track record of carelessly handling consumer information. In many cases, there are resulting errors on credit reports that are harmful to consumers’ credit scores. If you notice any inaccurate information on your credit report, a credit, and debt relief lawyer can help you fix the problem. Credit and debt relief lawyers can send the credit reporting company a dispute letter that identifies all of the inaccurate or missing information and provides evidence. 

Under federal law, credit reporting companies must investigate any disputed items, typically within 30 days. They must give all of the relevant evidence you and your lawyer provide about the inaccurate credit score reporting to the organization that provided them with the information. After the information provider receives the letter outlining the dispute, it has a legal obligation to review all relevant information and report back to the credit reporting company. 

Should the information provider find that the disputed information is inaccurate, it must notify the three nationwide credit reporting companies to correct your file. After the investigation is finished, the credit reporting company must give you their findings in writing as well as a free copy of your report if your letter of dispute resulted in a change in your file. Unfortunately, we have seen many cases in which credit reporting companies fail to properly investigate and take action to correct errors in our clients’ credit scores. 

Attorney Carolyn Secor has helped many Clearwater Florida clients successfully challenge credit reporting companies who have incorrectly calculated their credit scores. She has successfully sued credit reporting bureaus on behalf of clients for violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act and has made them pay for her clients’ legal costs and fees. In some cases, she can help her clients collect damages for their inaccurate credit reports.

 

Credit Report Repair After Identity Theft

Unfortunately, identity theft has become more common than ever. Many Florida residents have been the victim of identity theft. Identity theft often destroys victims’ personal finances and ruins their credit reports. As mentioned above, credit reports are fixable, but fixing credit reports is not an easy process. Credit reporting agencies are often skeptical that a person has been the victim of identity theft. They are not likely to quickly correct errors in a person’s credit report on their own.

Even when a credit reporting bureau does agree that identity theft has occurred, they are often slow to recover and repair a person’s credit score. Attorney Carolyn Secor knows how to deal with credit bureaus after identity theft has occurred. She will work with the credit bureau to get any unauthorized transactions and fraudulent accounts removed from credit reports. She will write any necessary dispute letters on your behalf and double-check your documents once they have been resolved. When necessary, she will continue disputing your report until it is entirely accurate and reflects your true credit score.

 

Stopping Harassment From Debt Collectors

Many of our clients come to us after rude and aggressive debt collectors have harassed them. One of the worst aspects of not paying your bills on time is dealing with debt collectors. Even though the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDPA) protects consumers from being harassed by debt collectors, many debt collectors ignore the law. 

Many Florida residents do not speak out about debt collector harassment because they think they have no rights or are embarrassed that they owe money. On the contrary, if debt collectors are harassing you, your rights are being violated. Attorney Carolyn Secor can help you stop the harassment by enforcing your rights under the FDPA. In some cases, we can even make the debt collector pay you damages for the harassment.

 

We Can Help You Improve Your Credit Score

If you have an incorrect or unfair negative item on at least one of your three credit reports, your score may be too low. As discussed above, attorney Carolyn Sector can help you alert credit bureaus to fix these errors and raise your credit score. Even if you do not have any errors on your credit score, attorney Carolyn Secor can help you raise your credit score. She will review your credit reports and your credit history and communicate with creditors on your behalf. 

Many people assume that there is no room to negotiate when it comes to credit card debt. However, it may be possible to negotiate with some of your creditors and settle for an amount less than the total amount you owe. For example, a creditor may be willing to allow you to make monthly payments at a lower rate or will enable you to pay a lump sum that is lower than the total amount you owe. She can also advise you on different ways to improve your credit score while you continue paying off your debt. 

If necessary, she can take legal action against the credit bureau or debt collectors who have been harassing you. Depending on the case, she may be able to obtain damages on your behalf as well as payment for your legal fees and costs. If you are struggling with debt or a low credit score, it is worth working with an experienced lawyer who will help you determine the best path forward. 

 

Get Legal Help from a Clearwater, Florida, Credit and Debt Relief Lawyer

Are you struggling to pay your bills? Are you being harassed by debt collectors? If so, you are not alone. Attorney Carolyn Secor is here to help. She will review your case and advise you of all your legal options. Contact her today to schedule your free initial consultation.