You’re trying to get a credit card, but you can’t because there are serious errors on your credit report. You know they’re not grounded in reality, but the credit card companies don’t care. They won’t issue you a line of credit.
You’re thinking about taking the next step and going to court. You don’t know what else to do. You have to get this sorted out so that you can clear up the mistakes on your report, fix your score and move forward with your life.
If so, be sure you have plenty of evidence to back up your case. Here are four critical reasons why:
1. Lack of evidence can cost you the jury.
Without enough evidence, your case may never make it to a jury. Instead, a judge will be assigned to the case and told to make the decision.
You can still win if this happens. The judge can rule in your favor. However, it may be in your best interests to have a jury weigh in, and you need evidence for that to happen.
2. Evidence reveals a factual disagreement.
Remember that the goal is to demonstrate that you have a factual disagreement with the report. You’re not simply saying that the report isn’t in your favor. You’re saying that the very facts are wrong.
For instance, perhaps the report says you never paid off a debt that you know you paid off. You’re not complaining about having a debt that you voluntarily took on. You’re saying that the report is factually wrong in saying that you didn’t pay it, and that’s why you want it removed.
3. The credit bureau could lose your documents.
Don’t mail any documents without getting a receipt, which you can get with certified mail. This shows that you really did send the documents and they arrived on the other end. Many times, the credit companies say that they never heard about the dispute at all or lost the letters. Having proof that you really sent them goes a long way. They can’t claim that you never started the dispute and didn’t provide the necessary documentation.
4. Denials show harm.
Remember, what you’re trying to prove is that you have been financially harmed. You weren’t able to access the credit that you needed, when you needed it. Keep any denial letters. They don’t show that the report was wrong, per se, but they may help you seek compensation after you prove that the report was wrong. Both components are very important.
If you have the proper evidence and documentation, be sure you fully understand all of your legal options. You do have rights as a consumer if unaddressed mistakes on the report cost you in a big way.
