Can Bad Debts Really Be Wiped From My Credit Report?

Any credit repair company that promises to remove legitimate bad debts from your credit history is lying. Under the Consumer Credit Protection Act, such information remains on your credit report — which determines your credit score — for about seven years. Shady credit repair firms often deluge credit bureaus with frivolous disputes to make bad debts disappear — but only temporarily. For help, check out the National Foundation for Credit Counseling at 1-800-388-2227 (nfcc.org), which represents agencies that can advise about a plan to improve your credit score.

Sid Kirchheimer writes about consumer and health issues.