Quick answer. You can do everything a credit repair company does yourself, for free: get your reports weekly at AnnualCreditReport.com, dispute errors with the bureau and the business that reported them, and freeze your credit. No one can legally remove accurate, current information. Work through the checklist below.
Your step-by-step checklist
Tick each step as you finish it. Tags show which steps are free, which are free requests you make in writing (postage if you mail them), and which may cost money.
Tick steps as you finish them.
Getting your reports
The CFPB says you can get a free copy of your report from each of the three nationwide companies once a week at AnnualCreditReport.com, and you also have the right to one free report from each every 12 months. Other ways to order: (877) 322-8228, or the request form by mail to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. The FTC says AnnualCreditReport.com is the only site authorized to fill orders for the free annual reports. Confirm the current schedule on AnnualCreditReport.com when you order.
Disputing errors
Dispute with each bureau showing the error, in writing, with copies of your proof; the bureau has 30 days to investigate and must forward your evidence to the business that reported it. Also write to that business; if it finds the information inaccurate, it must tell the bureaus to correct or delete it. If a dispute isn't resolved, you can ask for a statement of the dispute to be added to your file (FTC).
Credit repair companies and the law
Under the federal Credit Repair Organizations Act, a credit repair organization may not charge for a service before it is fully performed (15 U.S.C. 1679b(b)), must give you a written, dated contract showing the total cost, the services, any guarantees and an estimated completion time before it starts (1679d), and must let you cancel without penalty before midnight of the 3rd business day after you sign (1679e). The FTC warns against companies that promise a "new credit identity", including by getting you an Employer Identification Number under false pretenses.
Sources
- CFPB: How do I get a free copy of my credit reports?
- FTC: Free Credit Reports
- AnnualCreditReport.com (the official site for free credit reports)
- FTC: Disputing Errors on Your Credit Reports
- FTC: Is a credit freeze or fraud alert right for you?
- FTC: Fixing Your Credit FAQs
- 15 U.S.C. 1679b, Prohibited practices (govinfo.gov)
- 15 U.S.C. 1679d, Credit repair organizations contracts (govinfo.gov)
- 15 U.S.C. 1679e, Right to cancel contract (govinfo.gov)
General information checked November 2026 against AnnualCreditReport.com, the CFPB and FTC pages and the statute above. Not legal, credit or financial advice, and not affiliated with any agency, creditor or credit bureau. The tool runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent or saved.
Related free pages
- Privacy opt-out checklist for New Jersey (credit freezes and junk-mail opt-outs)
- Debt collector rights checker and dispute deadline
- Hardship letters and a free sample
- Debt payoff calculator
Common questions
How often can I get my credit reports for free?
Once a week from each of Equifax, Experian and TransUnion at AnnualCreditReport.com, according to the CFPB and FTC. You also have a legal right to one free report from each every 12 months.
How long does a credit bureau have to investigate a dispute?
The FTC says the credit bureau has 30 days to investigate, must forward your evidence to the business that reported the information, and must send you the results in writing.
Can anyone remove accurate negative information?
No. The FTC says no one can legally remove information that is both accurate and current. Most negative information stays seven years, and bankruptcy information 10 years.
Is a credit freeze free?
Yes. The FTC says placing and lifting a freeze is free, it lasts until you remove it, and it must be placed with each of the three bureaus.
What are the signs of a credit repair scam?
The FTC lists a company that wants payment before helping, tells you not to contact the bureaus, tells you to dispute accurate information or lie on applications, tells you to file a false identity theft report, or doesn't explain your rights.
Does a goodwill letter work?
It's only a request. A lender can say no or not reply, and there's no guaranteed outcome. Goodwill letters are for accurate items; errors should be disputed.