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The Library
Plain-English explainers, not sales copy. Start with whichever one matches your actual question.
What is credit repair, actually?What a credit repair company can legally do for you — and what you can do yourself, for free.The advance-fee rule, explainedWhy "pay us upfront" is close to a hard legal red flag in this industry — and the two different federal rules that make it one.Credit repair vs. debt settlement vs. debt consolidationThree different products, often marketed as if they were interchangeable. They aren't.CPN scams, explained"Credit profile numbers" aren't a legal fresh start — selling or using one this way is a federal crime, not a loophole.Warning signs to watch for before you signTen specific things a legitimate credit repair or debt settlement company will never do.Nonprofit credit counseling & DMPs, explainedWhat real NFCC/FCAA accreditation requires, what it actually costs, what it does to your credit, and how to spot a fake "nonprofit."What to actually expect from debt settlementThe dedicated account, the credit damage it requires before it can work, the tax bill many people don't see coming, the lawsuit risk, and how many people actually finish.State credit-repair bonding & registration, explainedCROA doesn't require any state to register or bond a credit repair company. Most states added that layer themselves, one bans the industry outright, and a few have nothing at all.Furnishers and your FCRA dispute rights, explainedThe lesser-known right to dispute directly with the company that reported the item — and the real legal gap between that route and disputing through a bureau.Secured cards and credit-builder loans, explainedHow both actually work, what the government's own research found, and what to check before picking one over paying a credit repair company.