Question 1

What is the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)?

Accepted Answer

The FCRA is a federal law (15 U.S.C. § 1681) enacted in 1970 that regulates how consumer credit information is collected, stored, and shared. It gives you the right to access your credit report, dispute inaccurate information, and require credit bureaus to correct or remove errors.

Question 2

What rights does the FCRA give me?

Accepted Answer

Under the FCRA, you have the right to: (1) Access your free credit report once a year from each bureau at AnnualCreditReport.com, (2) Dispute inaccurate or incomplete information, (3) Be notified if your credit was used against you in a decision, (4) Know who has accessed your credit report, and (5) Sue companies that violate the FCRA for damages.

Question 3

How long can negative items stay on my credit report?

Accepted Answer

Most negative items remain on your credit report for 7 years from the date of first delinquency. Bankruptcies can remain up to 10 years. Hard inquiries stay for 2 years. Once the legal reporting period expires, these items must be removed — and that's one area where we can help.

Question 4

What information can be disputed under the FCRA?

Accepted Answer

You can dispute any item you believe to be inaccurate, outdated, or unverifiable. This includes late payments reported in error, accounts that don't belong to you, incorrect balances or credit limits, duplicate accounts, outdated negative items past the legal reporting period, and unauthorized hard inquiries.

Question 5

What is the dispute process and how does it work?

Accepted Answer

The dispute process has 5 steps: (1) We review your credit reports from all 3 bureaus and identify disputable items, (2) We prepare a formal dispute letter with supporting evidence, (3) The letter is sent to the relevant credit bureau(s), (4) The bureau has 30 days to investigate — they must contact the original creditor to verify the information, (5) The bureau notifies you of the results: the item is corrected, removed, or confirmed as accurate.

Question 6

How long does a dispute investigation take?

Accepted Answer

By law, credit bureaus have 30 days to complete their investigation after receiving your dispute (45 days if you submit additional documentation). If they don't respond within this window, the item must be deleted from your report. We track all active disputes and follow up on your behalf.

Question 7

What happens after the bureau investigates?

Accepted Answer

After the investigation, you'll receive written results from the bureau. There are three possible outcomes: (1) The item is corrected — inaccurate information is updated, (2) The item is deleted — if unverifiable or confirmed as inaccurate, (3) The item is verified — the creditor confirmed the information is accurate and it remains. In case 3, you can still escalate with additional evidence.

Question 8

Can a removed item come back on my credit report?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in some cases. If a creditor later verifies the accuracy of a previously removed item, they can re-report it — but they must notify you first. This is called a 'reinsertion' and is relatively uncommon. If it happens, we'll help you dispute it again with stronger documentation.

Question 9

What is a debt validation letter?

Accepted Answer

A debt validation letter is a written request sent to a debt collector asking them to prove the debt is valid, that the amount is correct, and that they have the legal right to collect it. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), collectors must stop collection activity until they validate the debt. This is a powerful tool we use alongside FCRA disputes.

Question 10

What are the three major credit bureaus?

Accepted Answer

The three major credit bureaus are Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Each operates independently and may have different information on your credit file. That's why we dispute with all three simultaneously — to ensure complete and accurate reporting across all bureaus.

Question 11

Why might my scores differ between bureaus?

Accepted Answer

Scores differ because not all creditors report to all three bureaus, and each bureau may have slightly different information. Additionally, each bureau uses its own version of the scoring model. For a complete picture, it's important to monitor all three reports regularly.

Question 12

Do I need to file a separate dispute with each bureau?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If an error appears on all three reports, you must file a separate dispute with each bureau. They don't automatically share corrections with each other. This is one of the reasons working with Go Repair Credit is valuable — we manage all three simultaneously on your behalf.

Question 13

What factors affect my credit score?

Accepted Answer

Your FICO score is calculated using 5 main factors: (1) Payment History — 35% (most important), (2) Amounts Owed / Credit Utilization — 30%, (3) Length of Credit History — 15%, (4) Credit Mix — 10%, (5) New Credit / Hard Inquiries — 10%. Improving in all areas simultaneously leads to the fastest score growth.

Question 14

How fast can my credit score improve?

Accepted Answer

Results vary by individual. Some clients see score increases within 30–60 days after their first round of successful disputes. Others may take 3–6 months to see significant changes depending on the severity of their credit issues. We typically run a 6-month program designed to maximize improvements within that timeframe.

Question 15

What is a good credit score range?

Accepted Answer

Credit scores typically range from 300 to 850. Here's the breakdown: 300–579 = Poor, 580–669 = Fair, 670–739 = Good, 740–799 = Very Good, 800–850 = Exceptional. Our goal is to help you reach at least the 'Good' range (670+), which qualifies you for better rates on loans, credit cards, and mortgages.

Question 16

Will disputing items hurt my credit score?

Accepted Answer

No. Filing a dispute does not negatively impact your credit score. In fact, successfully resolving disputes by removing inaccurate negative items typically improves your score. The dispute process itself is a consumer right, not a negative action.

Question 17

What are authorized user tradelines?

Accepted Answer

An authorized user tradeline is when you are added as an authorized user to someone else's established credit card account. The account's positive history — age, credit limit, and on-time payments — appears on your credit report, boosting your score without you ever using the card. This is a standard, legal practice recognized by all three credit bureaus.

Question 18

Are authorized user tradelines legal?

Accepted Answer

Yes, 100% legal. Being added as an authorized user is a standard feature offered by every major credit card issuer and has been for decades. It is explicitly permitted under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — all recognize and report authorized user accounts. There is no law against purchasing this service.

Question 19

How much can my score increase with a tradeline?

Accepted Answer

Results vary based on your current credit profile. Clients with thin credit files or scores below 600 typically see the most dramatic improvements — often 40–120+ points. Clients with existing good credit may see smaller but still meaningful gains. The key factors are the tradeline's credit limit, account age, and your current utilization ratio.

Question 20

How long does it take for a tradeline to show on my report?

Accepted Answer

Most tradelines report within 7–15 business days after you are added as an authorized user. The exact timing depends on the card issuer's reporting cycle and which bureau they report to. Our Prime and Elite packages offer priority reporting cycles of 5–7 business days.

Question 21

Does adding a tradeline require a hard inquiry?

Accepted Answer

No. Being added as an authorized user does not trigger a hard inquiry on your credit report. There is no credit check, no minimum score requirement, and no application process. This is one of the key advantages of authorized user tradelines over other credit-building methods.

Question 22

What is the difference between a tradeline and credit repair?

Accepted Answer

Credit repair removes negative items from your report (late payments, collections, charge-offs, etc.). Tradelines add positive history (age, high limits, perfect payment record). They work best together: credit repair cleans up the negatives while tradelines build up the positives. Combined, they are the fastest path to a 700+ score.

Question 23

Do you offer tradelines in Spanish?

Accepted Answer

Yes! We offer a fully bilingual tradeline service with Spanish-speaking advisors available by phone, WhatsApp, and email. Visit our Spanish tradelines page at /tradelines-es for full details and to place an order.

Question 24

What happens after I sign up?

Accepted Answer

After signing up and completing payment, you'll go through our onboarding process where we gather your personal information and credit report details. Your assigned advisor will review your reports, identify disputable items, and begin preparing dispute letters within your first billing cycle. You'll see progress tracked in real time from your dashboard.

Question 25

How do I track the progress of my disputes?

Accepted Answer

You'll have access to your personal client dashboard where you can see all active disputes, their status (pending, in progress, resolved), which bureau each dispute was filed with, and the estimated points impact. Your advisor will also send you notifications whenever there's an update on your case.

Question 26

Do I need to do anything during the program?

Accepted Answer

Yes — your participation is key. You should: (1) Make sure we have current and accurate contact and financial information, (2) Open and read any correspondence from the credit bureaus (they may send you results directly), (3) Follow the credit-building recommendations your advisor provides, such as keeping utilization low and making payments on time, (4) Avoid taking on new debt or closing old accounts during the program.

Question 27

What is included in my monthly service?

Accepted Answer

Your monthly service includes: ongoing dispute management across all 3 bureaus, credit monitoring alerts, access to your personal dashboard, advisor communications, status updates on all disputes, and credit-building coaching. Premium plans may also include identity protection features and priority advisor access.

Question 28

Can I cancel at any time?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can cancel your service at any time by contacting us in writing. Cancellations apply to future billing cycles — you won't be charged for the next period after we confirm your cancellation. To cancel, email us at support@gorepaircredit.com or call (951) 428-3202.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)

The Dispute Process — Step by Step

The Three Credit Bureaus

Understanding Credit Scores

Authorized User Tradelines — Are They Legal?

How Go Repair Credit Works