Tag: creditors

Case Study – Rikki from QLD had an unpaid $15,427 Esanda default removed

[fusion_builder_container background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”2″ padding_bottom=”5″ padding_left=”” padding_right=”” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=”” type=”flex” border_sizes_top=”0px” border_sizes_bottom=”0px” border_sizes_left=”0px” border_sizes_right=”0px”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”2_3″ layout=”2_3″ last=”false” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=”” border_sizes_top=”0px” border_sizes_bottom=”0px” border_sizes_left=”0px” border_sizes_right=”0px” first=”false” spacing_right=”2%” spacing_left=”2%” min_height=””][fusion_imageframe lightbox=”no” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”left” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] [/fusion_imageframe][fusion_separator style_type=”none” top_margin=”20″ bottom_margin=”10″ sep_color=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=”” /][fusion_text]

Bad Credit Rating Removal Case Study

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Client Profile:

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Name:	Rikki
State:	QLD
Sex:	Male
Age:	34
Married/Single:	Single
Listing Type:	Default
Original Creditor:	ANZ/Esanda
Current Creditor:	–
Paid / Unpaid:	Unpaid
Listing Amount:	$15,427
Commenced work:	18/11/2015
Default Resolution:	18/01/2016

[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_6″ layout=”1_6″ last=”true” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=”” border_sizes_top=”0px” border_sizes_bottom=”0px” border_sizes_left=”0px” border_sizes_right=”0px” first=”false” spacing_left=”2%” min_height=””][fusion_button link=”” text_transform=”” title=”” target=”_self” link_attributes=”” alignment_medium=”” alignment_small=”” alignment=”center” modal=”online_enquiry” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” class=”” id=”” color=”default” button_gradient_top_color=”” button_gradient_bottom_color=”” button_gradient_top_color_hover=”” button_gradient_bottom_color_hover=”” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” type=”3d” bevel_color=”” border_width=”” border_radius=”25″ border_color=”” border_hover_color=”” size=”medium” stretch=”default” margin_top=”” margin_right=”” margin_bottom=”” margin_left=”” icon=”” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ animation_offset=””]Click HERE Now To Request A Free Call Back[/fusion_button][fusion_modal name=”online_enquiry” title=”MyCRA Lawyers Secure Confidential Contact Request Form” size=”large” background=”” border_color=”” show_footer=”yes” class=”” id=””]Add your details below and one of the friendly MyCRA Lawyers team will call you for a free, no obligation chat about how best we can help you get your clean credit rating and everything that clean credit will mean for you…

[contact-form-7 id=”6642″ title=”Online Enquiry”][/fusion_modal][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”5″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”” padding_right=”” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=”” type=”flex” border_sizes_top=”0px” border_sizes_bottom=”0px” border_sizes_left=”0px” border_sizes_right=”0px”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_6″ layout=”1_6″ last=”false” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=”” border_sizes_top=”0px” border_sizes_bottom=”0px” border_sizes_left=”0px” border_sizes_right=”0px” first=”true” spacing_right=”2%” min_height=””][fusion_text][/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”2_3″ layout=”2_3″ last=”false” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=”” border_sizes_top=”0px” border_sizes_bottom=”0px” border_sizes_left=”0px” border_sizes_right=”0px” first=”false” spacing_right=”2%” spacing_left=”2%” min_height=””][fusion_text]Credit Repair Background:
Rikki’s default came from a car loan when he parted ways with his ex-wife. His ex-wife was given everything in their break up and also kept possession of the car which Rikki believed she was making regular payments on.

What were any challenges with the creditor?
ANZ/Esanda took 30 days to provide the requested documents to our firm.

Why was the listing removed?
We found a legislative error in which the default was placed against Rikki. We confirmed details with Rikki and after our case was brought to ANZ/Esanda’s attention they confirmed that there was an error and removed the default listing.

Summary:
Rikki was referred to our office by his mortgage broker. Rikki wanted the default removed from his credit file as he is trying to obtain finance. We managed to negotiate removal of the default listing in 61 days and Rikki can now move forward financially. Congratulations Rikki!

Call MyCRA Lawyers today if you are struggling with bad credit and need a hand getting it removed fast. Call 1300 667 218[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_6″ layout=”1_6″ last=”true” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=”” border_sizes_top=”0px” border_sizes_bottom=”0px” border_sizes_left=”0px” border_sizes_right=”0px” first=”false” spacing_left=”2%” min_height=””][fusion_separator style_type=”none” top_margin=”100″ bottom_margin=”10″ sep_color=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=”” /][fusion_button link=”” color=”orange” size=”medium” stretch=”yes” type=”3d” target=”_self” title=”” button_gradient_top_color=”” button_gradient_bottom_color=”” button_gradient_top_color_hover=”” button_gradient_bottom_color_hover=”” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”” icon=”” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” modal=”online_enquiry” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ animation_offset=”” alignment=”” class=”” id=”” border_radius=”25″]If You’ve Had Enough Of Putting Up With Bad Credit, Then Click HERE Right Now To Have A FREE No Obligation Chat That Just Might Change Your Life…[/fusion_button][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

03/02/2016

Case Study – Daniel From Queensland Unpaid $22,211.00 Westpac Default Removed In Just 4 Days

Bad Credit Rating Removal Case Study

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Client Profile:

Name:	Daniel
State:	QLD
Sex:	Male
Age:	38
Married/Single:	Married
Listing Type:	Default
Original Creditor:	Westpac
Current Creditor:	Westpac
Paid / Unpaid:	Unpaid
Listing Amount:	$22,211
Commenced work:	27/11/2015
Default Resolution:	1/12/2015

[contact-form-7 id=”6642″ title=”Online Enquiry”][/fusion_modal][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”5″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”” padding_right=”” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=”” type=”flex” border_sizes_top=”0px” border_sizes_bottom=”0px” border_sizes_left=”0px” border_sizes_right=”0px”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_6″ layout=”1_6″ last=”false” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=”” border_sizes_top=”0px” border_sizes_bottom=”0px” border_sizes_left=”0px” border_sizes_right=”0px” first=”true” spacing_right=”2%” min_height=””][fusion_text][/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”2_3″ layout=”2_3″ last=”false” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=”” border_sizes_top=”0px” border_sizes_bottom=”0px” border_sizes_left=”0px” border_sizes_right=”0px” first=”false” spacing_right=”2%” spacing_left=”2%” min_height=””][fusion_text]Credit Repair Background:
Daniel gave Westpac the wrong address when he signed up with them, and Westpac never investigated to confirm that they had the correct address. Daniel stated that he did not do this intentionally, but as this was never originally picked up.

What were any challenges with the creditor?
There were no issues with the creditor as we presented our case and they responded to our requests in a timely manner.

Why was the listing removed?
Westpac removed the default as a result of the negotiations and communications between Westpac and MyCRA Lawyers.

Summary:
Daniel was referred to our office by his mortgage broker. Daniel wanted his defaults removed as he was knocked back for finance. We managed to negotiate the removals of his listings in just 4 days and Daniel can now move forward financially. Congratulations Daniel!

07/01/2016

Beware banks last-ditch attempts to raise credit limits

As of July 1, the Government has banned unsolicited offers to raise people’s credit limits. So no longer will people receive offers in the mail from their bank or finance company to increase the limit on their credit card or other lines of credit. This change is part of the Government’s move to ‘responsible lending’, which also encompasses a whole host of new credit and credit reporting laws. But reports are out that some lenders are attempting to offset the deadline with a host of offers that people should be wary of. Before July 1, people need to remember their own limits when it comes to finance, to avoid debt and inevitably, bad credit history.

By Graham Doessel, Founder and CEO of MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs and www.fixmybadcredit.com.au.

Recently the ABC’s 7:30 Report featured a story titled Credit card changes bring borrower warning. It interviewed industry spokespeople including Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s (ASIC) Peter Kell:

“Unfortunately ASIC has seen some of the major lenders, some of the major banks, in fact, looking at the opportunity of the introduction of these new laws to push credit onto their customer base in a way that’s inappropriate, and in a way that arguably undermines the intent of the new laws,” Mr Kell says.

“The Commonwealth Bank recently posted a notice on their website telling customers they would “lose the chance to get credit limit offers under the new laws, and miss out on the opportunity to access extra funds,” ABC’s Stephen Long reports.

“CBA gave a court-enforceable undertaking to stop the deception, but the damage was done,” Long says. He reports there were around 100,000 responses to the advertisement.

The Australian Bankers Association’s Steven Munchenberg has defended the actions of the CBA as more a ‘different interpretation’ of new legislation than an attempt to head off the new laws :

“Look, we are very, very closely regulated industry, and ASIC is doing its job by monitoring very carefully what the banks do. There are times where the banks and ASIC will interpret legislation differently, and these are new laws. What we are learning is the approach that ASIC is going to take, and the banks will be very quick to make sure they’re compliant with ASIC’s approach,” Munchenberg says.

So in other words, the banks will see what they can get away with, until ASIC raps them over the knuckles for it.

In the meantime, there are people who as Consumer Action Law Centre’s Catriona Lowe says, assume because the bank has offered them extra credit they must have been assessed as being suitable to make the repayments.

“We have seen and done research about the way in which these offers have been put together, which really encouraged people to turn off, if you like, that hard-nosed financial part of their brain, and turn on the fuzzy, “Oh yes, I deserve it, I might need it for a rainy day, the bank manager’s telling me it’s OK, I’ll just do it without thinking about it too much,” Ms Lowe says.

The ABC also reports that both Ms Lowe and Financial Counsellor Gary Rothman have seen a huge surge in offers of additional credit ahead of the start of the new responsible lending laws next month.

“It’s not uncommon for us to see people with $70,000 to 120,000 in credit card debt,” Mr Rothman says.

This report took me back to a blog post from a while back, on the notion of Affluenza. The post, titled Caught Affluenza? How it can affect your credit rating health explores the rampant notion of MORE. That we need more money, more things, and often more than we really afford.

This social disease was coined by Clive Hamilton and Richard Deniss in their book Affluenza: When Too Much Is Never Enough.

“Affluenza pulls no punches, claiming our whole society is addicted to overconsumption. It tracks how much Australians overwork, the growing mountains of stuff we throw out, the drugs we take to ‘self-medicate’ and the real meaning of ‘choice’. Fortunately there is a cure. More and more Australians are deciding to ignore the advertisers, reduce their consumer spending and recapture their time for the things that really matter.”

Basically the philosophy is we shouldn’t spend money we don’t have, on things we don’t need, and ultimately find ourselves with what we don’t want – debt, unhappiness and bad credit history.

Don’t get me wrong – I don’t advocate total credit shut-down. It isn’t very practical. Credit is necessary in today’s society. But people should use it to enhance their lives so that they can spend time with the ones they love, or to really improve their quality of life. Essentially people should make credit work for them.

I see different types of people seeking credit repair. I see many people who are perfectly capable of repaying credit, but are banned from obtaining it due to errors and inconsistencies from Creditors which lead to negative listings on their credit file. We do our darndest to help remove those from their credit reports and let people have that financial freedom back again.

But I do see a few people who have caught ‘Affluenza’, who maybe should learn the the doctrine of ‘enough’ through being banned from credit for a while. In the same token, those people need society’s support. They need laws like the ones coming through on July 1 to curb that susceptibility to offers of more, BEFORE they end up with bad credit history. They need the Creditors – so quick to issue more, and then so quick to issue defaults reined in and checked.

That consumer shift to spending reduction and savings should be embraced by banks. New laws which seek to follow and help this psychic shift in society should not have been exploited by our banks or other Creditors in the last weeks prior to their introduction.

A bad credit rating can completely change our financial situation. The black marks like defaults or Clearouts placed there by creditors show up on our credit file for between 5 and 7 years. Bad credit can limit our choices and can perpetuate the debt cycle by leading us to choose loans with higher interest rates and more fees, so the struggle to make repayments can be even harder. People should think hard about their ability to repay any credit, whatever the circumstances to avoid this situation. But if you have bad credit history which for some reason should not be there, which is stopping you from obtaining credit that you can repay, you would be a candidate for credit repair. Contact MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs on 1300 667 218 to talk to us about how we can help you recover your ability to obtain credit and give you back your financial freedom.

Top Image: adamr/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

19/06/2012
How to fix a bad credit rating – in Australia

How do you fix a bad credit rating? Well it depends on where you live. In Australia it can be difficult, but not impossible. Australians are best to follow advice from our own shores. Here’s some information on credit reporting in Australia and 5 ways you can improve your chances of obtaining credit.

By Graham Doessel, Founder and CEO of MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs and www.fixmybadcredit.com.au.

Google ‘fix bad credit rating’ and the list of articles on improving your credit score can be a mile long with countless advice on bad credit solutions and suggestions to fix what the banks see as bad credit history. People are looking for a way to overturn or ‘counteract’ a bad credit listing and get the best chance of approval for home loans, personal loans or any forms of credit.

What many don’t realise is that many articles from the U.S. and U.K. are not relevant on Australian shores. These countries have ‘positive’ credit reporting systems – very different from Australia’s. So the information, whilst good, often doesn’t apply for people in this country.

In fact, many times if Australians follow that information they may actually be hindering their chances of obtaining credit in the current market, not helping it.

So here is some information for people concerned about their credit rating, to have as a reference for what applies in this country for our unique credit reporting system.

What exactly is my credit file?

A credit file is made for every person who is credit active in Australia. The credit reporting agencies currently providing credit reports are Veda Advantage, Dun & Bradstreet, and Tasmanian Collection Service (if Tasmanian). There is also a new entrant Experian, but they are currently only collecting data.

A person’s credit file contains their personal information. It also records any credit applications, all loans which are current and also records any adverse listings such as Defaults, Writs, Judgments, Clear-outs or Bankruptcies* which are issued under that person’s name.

It is from this file that creditors make a decision whether or not to lend people money. This information is then available to banks and building societies; finance companies, utility providers, mobile phone companies and retail stores. These companies are all known as credit providers or creditors.

Any creditor may place an adverse listing on a person’s credit file if an account has been in arrears for more than 60 days. This includes phone companies, utility companies, and gyms as well as banks, finance companies and retail stores – and the outstanding amount can be for as little as $100. These listings are current for between 5 and 7 years depending on the listing, and ‘drop off’ the credit file after this time.

A negative credit reporting system

Currently Australian credit reporting operates under a ‘negative’ system. This will change as Australia moves towards comprehensive credit reporting, but until then – the rules of the game are very different from many other countries.

Only negative data is recorded on a person’s credit file. From this point of view – there is nothing people can do to counter-balance any negative data which is displayed on their credit file. It is either present – or not.

So is there anything I can do to change my bad credit rating?

The best thing you can do for your current and future credit rating is to make all of your repayments on time.

You can’t remove negative listings from your credit file unless you dispute the listing. You also can’t counteract the effect of those listings with ‘positive’ credit information yet either.

But there are a few other things you can do to improve how you appear to lenders potentially improving your chances of obtaining credit in Australia. Here are 5:

1. Reduce credit limits.
Lofty credit limits do not improve a person’s credit ‘risk’ assessment. If the loan applicant has a credit limit of say $20,000 on their credit card, the debt amount on that card will be calculated on $20,000 – even if the actual amount the applicant has owing on that card is only $5,000. So a potential borrower should seek to reduce any credit limits on cards or loans they currently hold.

2. Reduce credit enquiries.
Do not shop around for credit. Whenever a person other than the credit file holder makes an enquiry on their credit record – that enquiry is recorded on the person’s credit file. Currently there is no way of seeing on someone’s credit report if the loan was approved or not, only that the application was made. Some lenders are refusing home loan applications due to too many credit enquiries, such as two enquiries within thirty days or six within the year.

3. Check credit file regularly.
Anyone has the right to request a copy of their credit file, to see what is being said about them. This report is free for the credit file holder every 12 months. The request should be made to all the applicable credit reporting agencies, and a report will be made to the credit file holder within 10 working days.

There is the potential for creditors to make mistakes when entering listings on credit files. So anyone who is credit active should check theirs, regardless of how diligent they think they may have been with their repayments.

Many times people are unaware they have adverse listings on their file until they apply for credit and are refused. Unfortunately at that time it can be stressful, and they can lose the home or business they are trying to buy, or be forced to choose a different loan with a higher interest rate to accommodate their bad credit history.

4. Pay any outstanding amounts.
Currently even defaults which have been marked as paid may see you refused credit – but it can’t hurt to pay an overdue account if it should have been paid. Whilst the creditor cannot remove the listing, they can mark the listing as paid. Some lenders may overlook a default listing if other parts of the application present as low risk.

5. Remove errors from your credit file.
Adverse listings can sometimes occur due to identity theft; some people are caught in issues over separation from their spouse; some have been disputing the bill which went to default stage and many people are just victims of the fallout from inadequate billing procedures – wrong names, wrong addresses errors with creditor computer systems, and sometimes human error.

You have the right to have any inconsistencies on your credit file rectified. People should bear in mind that listings are not removed by creditors unless the credit file holder can provide adequate reason and lots of evidence as to why the listing should not be there.

Credit reporting is governed by strict legislation of which most consumers have limited knowledge of, and often very little time to get to know.

Many seek out the help of a reputable credit repairer who will be able to work on their behalf to assess their suitability for credit repair and then formulate a case based on legislation for removal – negotiating with creditors to have the default or other listing removed.

People can visit the MyCRA Credit Repairs website for more help with their credit rating, and help to repair a bad credit rating.

*Bankruptcies cannot be removed from credit files.

Image: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

01/05/2012
How to help more clients… A former award winning broker shows why the millions of Aussies with bad credit are not lost

Those brokers who are just in it for the money are few and far between in this market. Those that have hung around despite all the market conditions thrust upon them must have a passion for the job, and a drive to see people realise their dreams of home or business ownership. We show you why more of the people you come across every day could end up being your biggest fans and clients for life.

By Graham Doessel, Founder and CEO of MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs and www.fixmybadcredit.com.au.

As brokers, you are restrained by so many conditions which are simply out of your control in the current market.

Left over from the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) are tighter lending conditions and nervous borrowers. Put this together with regulations for National Consumer Credit Protection (NCCP) compliance, and the result is unfortunately a diminished client base.

Let’s face it – in this market, if you have to pick between a client with a perfect application or one which is slightly tarnished or impaired with bad credit (paid or unpaid), then it’s likely that you’ll choose the squeaky clean one…no headaches, no worries…and no extra indemnity insurance on a non-conforming loan.

But most brokers do not know there is another way.

In more than 9 out of 10 cases, bad credit history can actually be repaired. Engaging credit rating repair for a bad credit client gives the client the home at the best possible interest rates, and you the commission – and trail.

Everyone wins.

Plus, all parties are doing their part to help improve consistency in credit reporting through ensuring creditors enter listings fairly and accurately.

For those who don’t know, here is how credit rating repair works…

Bad credit can occur for a number of reasons:
• Due to a dispute on a bill, such as a telephone or power bill;
• Because of a change of address;
• A major sudden upheaval such as illness or death;
• Identity theft or fraud; or
• Simple human error by the creditor

The creditor defaults the consumer on one or more of their credit records held by the three (soon to be four) Credit Reporting Agencies in Australia.

Defaults and other negative listing entries are strictly controlled by several pieces of legislation and several more codes of conduct. This aspect itself creates many grey areas and of course, is subject to interpretation.

Consumers are blessed in Australia to live in a place where they are highly protected. Some of these protections are spelled out throughout the several thousand pages of legislation that works with and around Credit Reporting Law.

Because the legislation is lengthy and involved, it gives those that are informed quite a lot of power. This knowledge is sometimes weighted heavily on the side of the creditor and leaves consumers with little ability to effect change in their own circumstances.

For this reason, credit rating repairers have grown in popularity, as we are often the only people on the side of the consumer with the knowledge needed to fight the case on their behalf.

As credit rating repairers we know this legislation. We review and consult it on a daily basis, looking to discover new and interesting methods to have bad credit set aside.

During the process of discovery, we receive mountains of paperwork from your client’s creditors – which often include account statements, invoices, contracts and file notes.

We review this documentation, constantly referring back to the legislation to formulate a case for your client. Once we are aware of any errors in the way the listing was added to your client’s credit report, we alert the creditor that the listing may be unlawful and request its immediate removal.

At this stage it can sometimes get interesting, as many creditors genuinely believe that what they have done has been lawful and it’s up to us to educate them on where they have made errors.

Occasionally, this can be a lengthy process and sometimes it may require the assistance and rulings of external governmental bodies.

In more than 9 out of 10 cases, your client will be victorious. They can then go back to you to have their mortgage approved, their home loan settled, and their family can move into their very own home.

I’m imagining a blue, round kiddie pool in the backyard, with a little sandy coloured puppy chasing the kids as they run up the slide to the cubby house, laughing and giggling all the way. That was my backyard a few years ago. My kids are all grown up now – one is about to get married. But those fond memories of us as a young family in our own home still remain.

That is the power you have in your hands right now – to make someone’s dreams come true.

Contact MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs tollfree on 1300 667 218 to speak with a consultant about our broker referral system.

About Graham Doessel and MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs.

Graham Doessel is the founder and CEO of MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs – Australia and New Zealand’s leading credit rating repair specialists.

Graham’s origins are in finance, and he formed/owned the award-winning non-conforming brokerage “Mortgage Now.”
Graham is a consistent spokesperson in the media for credit reporting issues in Australia and New Zealand.

MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs, now in its fourth year of operation, has recorded an impressive track record of up to 91.7% rate of removal of inconsistent or inaccurate negative data from the Australian and New Zealand credit reports of both consumers and commercial entities.

Graham and MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs are proud to be a part of developing a self-regulating framework for the credit rating repair industry through the lead role in the formation of a credit rating repair industry body.

MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs is nominated for the 2012 Telstra Small Business Awards and the 2012 Start-Up Smart Awards.

25/03/2012
Financial hardship biggest reason for complaints to Credit Ombudsman

Financial hardship cases are reportedly the biggest single cause of complaint to The Credit Ombundsman Service. This is where a consumer claims the creditor has issued defaults for late payment of accounts without considering the consumer’s claim of financial hardship. We look at why this is occurring, and what people can do in circumstances of financial hardship to ensure they do not receive a bad credit score from creditors.

By Graham Doessel, Founder and CEO of MyCRA Credit Repairs and www.fixmybadcreditcom.au.

The Credit Ombudsman is continuing to be flooded with complaints. COSL’s annual report for 2011 released early this month showed a 72% increase in complaints from 2010, with financial hardship cases continuing to feature as the single largest source.

Mr Raj Venga, Credit Ombudsman, attributed the significant spike in complaints received by his office to an increase in consumer awareness, and changes to legislation requiring lenders to enter external dispute resolution processes.

“Regrettably, 34% of all complaints we receive relate in some way to financial hardship, specifically the failure of a lender to agree to a payment variation on grounds of financial hardship. This level of financial hardship complaints is similar to previous years and we do not anticipate a reduction in the forseeable future,” Mr Venga says.

“The underlying causes of the financial hardship complaints we see are unemployment or reduced income (30%), cost of living, including other debt (21%), followed closely by illness of the borrower or their family member (19%), business failure (14%), interest rate increases (8%), relationship breakdown (7%) and natural disasters (1%)” observed Mr Venga.

Broker News featured more on Mr Venga’s take on financial hardship issues, in its story ‘Hardship complaints show no signs of easing’. Venga says some lenders issued defaults too quickly.

“We achieved a satisfactory outcome for the consumer in 46% of the financial hardship cases we closed. This suggests that not all lenders are, before issuing default notices or commencing enforcement action, properly considering the possibility that the borrower may be in financial hardship and whether a change in the borrower’s payment obligations may be appropriate in the circumstances,” Venga said.

Creditors can be eager to issue defaults, and it is essential there is a system of redress for consumers – particularly when in times of financial hardship their requests are ignored.

A bad credit score can be debilitating for the consumer for years after the event, with defaults remaining on a person’s credit file for 5 years from the date of listing. People are generally unable to even get a mobile phone plan let alone loans or mortgages.

Applying for financial hardship

If a person’s circumstances change due to unemployment, illness or some other reasonable change in circumstances, they should ask their lender for a hardship variation.

Money Help, a website run by the Victorian State Government offers some help on how to apply for hardship with creditors in the correct way.

“If you wish to ask for hardship consideration, it is always better to put your request in writing as this means you can keep a copy of the request as a record. It is more difficult to prove the details of a request made by phone. If you entered into your loan agreement after July 1 2010, or if your debt relates to a credit card, then your credit provider must respond to you within 21 days of your application.”

Money Help advises people to work out what they can afford to pay prior to requesting a hardship variation. They explain the benefits in applying for hardship can range from more affordable payments, to putting a stop on action towards defaulting your credit file.

Our extra tip is for people to make it clear to the creditor what they are requesting. It would be a good idea to specifically request a ‘financial hardship’ variation to their repayments – in writing, so there is no confusion.

What about if the creditor refuses to agree to a hardship variation?

Creditors are legally required to consider a person’s request for variation on payment arrangements, but are not obliged to agree to any hardship variation proposal put forward. This is the grey area that finds complaints being put forward to COSL in more frequency.

If a lender either refuses or fails to respond to are hardship request within 21 days, (or a shorter time if the situation is urgent) consumers can lodge a complaint with the credit provider’s independent dispute resolution scheme.

What about if the creditor has already issued a default?

If a default has been issued which consumers believe is unjust, unfair, in error or shouldn’t be there, people have the right under Australian credit reporting legislation to have the inconsistency rectified.

The problem with seeking redress as an individual is two-fold. Firstly, without extensive knowledge of credit reporting legislation it can be difficult to enforce ruling that creditors are bound with without knowledge of what the rules are.

Secondly, people negotiating on their own behalf can be problematic in many cases. People have often attempted to remove the default themselves, and have been told defaults DONT EVER get removed. The best they can do is mark the listing as paid (if it’s been paid).

This may be both unfair for the consumer and is generally insufficient to ensure credit is obtained with some lenders.

Alternatively, a professional credit repairer works with creditors to negotiate on the consumer’s behalf and work for the best outcome based on the creditor’s compliancy with the current legislation. They will also look at any other extenuating circumstances to determine if there is an avenue that can be investigated which results in having the listing removed.

Contact us for more information at www.mycra.com.au or tollfree on 1300 667 218 for consultation with a professional credit repairer.

20/02/2012
What you may not know about taking out credit in Australia

Many Australians are very unaware of what happens behind the scenes when they take out credit. We break it down and show you what it involves, and how your good name and ability to continually obtain credit all hinders on what creditors say about you on your ‘credit file’.

By Graham Doessel, Founder and CEO of MyCRA Credit Repairs and www.fixmybadcredit.com.au.

What is being ‘credit active’?

When you take out your first piece of credit – you become ‘credit active’. This could be a mobile phone plan, a loan with a bank, a credit card, or even a utility account. The creditor opens up a credit file in your name with one or more of Australia’s credit reporting agencies – Veda Advantage, Dun & Bradstreet, Tasmanian Collection Services TASCOL (if in Tasmania) or new entrant Experian Australia.

What is on my credit file?

Your credit file details all of your personally identifiable information including full name, date of birth, current address and also the type of credit that has been taken out now and in the past. Also recorded, are any times you have applied for credit ‘credit enquiries’ and any negative notations put there by creditors during the course of the credit agreement.

What is a credit rating?

Your credit rating is a term used for what happens when a potential creditor makes a request to see what is reported about you on your credit file. The creditor uses the information on your credit file to determine the amount you are able to borrow and your ability to repay the loan.

What is defined as a ‘bad’ credit rating?

In broad terms, any credit defaults, court actions or writs, external administrations and bankruptcy are all recorded on your credit file and would be considered ‘bad’ credit history by most credit providers.
In this current economic climate basic defaults and even too many credit enquiries or applications for credit may be considered to be tarnishes on your credit rating.

How do I get a bad credit rating?

If you fail to make repayments on any credit account past 60 days, then by Australian law the creditor has the right to notify you in writing of their intention to list the non-payment as a default on your credit file. This default remains present on your credit file for 5 years, after which time it drops off. If the creditor can’t contact you, and suspects you have left the premises or tried to avoid contact – they may list the non-payment as a ‘clear-out’ which means you would incur 7 years of bad credit.

How do I know if I have a bad credit rating?

Most people know they have a bad credit rating, because the creditor has advised them in writing that they intend to list something negative on their credit file. But many times, people are not aware they have a bad credit rating until they apply for a loan and a ‘surprise’ default or clear-out shows up.

If you are unsure what is on your credit file, you should take the time to find out.

The three major credit reporting agencies in Australia hold the credit file of millions of Australians. Veda Advantage alone holds over 14 million credit files.

You can write to or email one of these agencies and request a credit report, which is a copy of your credit file. If you are not in a hurry then under Australian law your credit report is free, and will be sent within 10 working days from application to receive this information. There are further charges for a faster service with many agencies.

I have found a default on my credit rating, what are the consequences of this?

If you discover you have a bad credit file, you will find it very difficult to obtain credit in the future. Generally this problem will keep occurring for the 5 years the default is on your file. This will probably prevent you from obtaining a home loan with most lenders and possibly lead to credit refusal of many kinds from cards to phone plans. Even if this bill is paid and noted on your file, this default usually remains on your record for 5 years and will be a detriment to any further credit you wish to take out during this time.

What can I do to fix the default on my credit rating?

Once you have obtained a report there are three things to consider about the negative listing:
1. Is it accurate?
2. Was I informed?
3. Is it fair?

If the report contains errors, or inconsistencies with the credit reporting process, be aware you do have the right to have errors rectified. Creditors do make mistakes in credit reporting. The way we handle it can be make-or-break for our good credit rating.

In many cases where people have attempted to remove the default themselves, they have come across difficulties and defaults have not been cleared. Most times the creditor will explain to the client that defaults DONT EVER get removed. The best they can do is mark the listing as paid (if it’s been paid). This may be both unfair and may not be sufficient to ensure credit is obtained with some lenders.

Can I employ someone to fix my bad credit?

If you have a default, writ or Judgment that has errors or just shouldn’t be there – there is a good chance that a professional credit repairer can actually remove it – meaning your financial future is looking a whole lot brighter.

A professional credit repairer works with creditors to negotiate on your behalf and work for your best outcome based on the creditor’s compliancy with the current legislation. They will also look at any other extenuating circumstances to determine if there is an avenue that can be investigated which results in having the listing removed.

Can I make positive changes to my credit file?

As the legislation currently stands in Australia, there is no way of off-setting bad credit history with ‘good’ credit history. Currently only negative entries are recorded – so you are considered to have good credit history if your credit file is essentially clear.

Australia is moving towards a form of positive credit reporting this year – but we believe banks will still not take kindly to any form of negative entry on a person’s credit file in this current economic climate.

How do I keep a clear credit rating?

To avoid a bad credit rating, it is essential to make repayments on time! If there is a problem with a bill, you still need to pay it on time. If there is hardship and you are finding repayments difficult, tell creditors. Most creditors have policies in place to assist with financial difficulties – but you must tell them to be eligible for this.

Keep your contact details current with your creditors so if there are problems they can contact you.

And make sure there are no mistakes on your credit file…

The best thing every credit-active person can do is to keep abreast of what is being said about them on their credit file with those free yearly credit file checks. This way, if there’s anything that appears on there that you are not sure about, you can look into it and get your credit file cleared if it should not be there BEFORE you front up to apply for any new credit.

If you have a bad credit rating, go through these 6 simple steps to see whether you may qualify for credit repair, or contact us tollfree on 1300 667 218 or visit our main website www.mycra.com.au :

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15/02/2012
The dead not protected from identity theft

Even in grief identity theft can strike us and affect our credit file and the clear credit file of those we leave behind. Grieving relatives may need to protect themselves and their loved one’s good name against this fraud, following a recent spate of identity theft of deceased individuals.

By Graham Doessel, Founder and CEO of MyCRA Credit Repairs and www.fixmybadcredit.com.au.

There are so many things to think about when someone dies and it is very unfair that grieving relatives need to think about possible identity fraud on top of everything else, but the fact is it may be necessary to protect not only their memory, but the good credit file of the living.

Last year a Sydney court sentenced a man and a woman to two years jail for identity theft.

The Courier Mail ran details of the story in September last year, in which the court heard the couple “spent nine years trawling cemeteries across Australia collecting the details of dead people, with Queensland targets including a disabled man and a baby less than two days old.”

“The couple created fake “identity kits” using the details of the deceased, including bogus passports, Medicare cards, drivers’ licences and bank accounts, which they sold to criminals for up to $30,000 each”, the story said.

In October, The Australian ran a story ‘Backlog of births, death records prone to identity theft’, detailing the possible prevalence of these instances of ID Theft. It told of data processing backlogs at some government birth, deaths and marriages registries that have left the door open for fraudsters to assume the identities of dead Australians.

The fixing of the identity loophole had been delayed by a dispute with developer UXC, whose contract with the NSW Registry was terminated in 2009. The registry said it had received $2.9 million in damages as a result.

A new contract had now been negotiated with Objective Consulting for $11.4m, with the first release of a new registry due in June next year.

Queensland too is yet to digitise its birth, death and marriages records to enable automatic cross-checking between births and deaths data.

“The project is currently in the final stages of contract negotiation with digitisation currently scheduled to run from early 2012 to 2014,” a Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry spokeswoman said.

Queensland’s 2009-10 budget had allocated $20.8m for digitisation of records.

The spokeswoman said when digitised, its operators would be required to complete an electronic search of Queensland death records before releasing a birth certificate.

Software developer John Doolan, who has worked with birth, deaths and marriages registries across the Australian eastern seaboard for more than 20 years, said the enormous backlog in unmatched birth and death records was a headache.

“We are aware of cases of false identities that have been created and stolen,” said Mr Doolan, the chief executive of KE Software, which has different versions of its software operating in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and Tasmania.

The ability of a person involved in immigration fraud, tax evasion, social security rorts and even terrorism to obtain a legitimate birth certificate by using a dead person’s identity is still possible at these registries.

While states are rushing to digitise this process, relatives should be aware of how a deceased person’s personal information could be compromised, and act quickly to protect their credit file and good name in death.

– Relatives can start by obtaining several copies of their loved one’s death certificate, and providing one to each credit reporting agency in Australia. The credit reporting agency can then ‘flag’ the credit file so that no future credit is issued in that name.

– Also pay particular attention to how much information is given away in the obituary. As in life, in death, personal information is a valuable commodity. Restrict the publication of any details which could allow fraudsters to piece together details to create a false identity.

– It is also important to provide a death certificate to financial institutions and notify all other credit facilities of the death, particularly where joint accounts may be involved. This could prevent the other person attached to the joint account of the deceased having their clear credit file compromised by possible identity theft.

If fraudsters gain access to someone’s good name – living or dead they may be able to drain bank accounts, or open new lines of credit in the person’s name.

Often people don’t find out about the identity fraud until they attempt to take out credit and then find out they have a bad credit score due to a series of defaults they have no knowledge of. It was reported that in the case heard by the Sydney courts, the names of the deceased were used to create false Medicare cards, birth certificates, drivers’ licences, bank accounts and credit cards. Forged documentation and identities were sold to criminals, including members of the Lone Wolf bikie gang, so they could apply for passports.

Any kind of credit account (from mortgages and credit cards through to mobile phone accounts) which remains unpaid past 60 days can be listed as a default by creditors on the victim’s credit rating, and those defaults remain there for 5 years.

Relatives left with the task of trying to repair the credit file of their deceased, particularly the credit files of joint account owners can find the task a difficult one. To restore the clear credit file the identity theft victim needs to prove to creditors they did not initiate the credit. Not only are victims generally required to produce police reports, but large amounts of documentary evidence to substantiate to creditors the case of identity theft.

If people need help credit rebuilding and restoring credit activeness following identity theft, please contact MyCRA Credit Repairs tollfree on 1300 667 218 or visit the main website www.mycra.com.au

Credit rebuilding is not easy for anyone to undertake themselves, particularly those who are facing grief. Many times when restoring credit individuals will be told that listings can be marked as paid, but this does not give the victim a clear credit file.

Using a credit repairer skilled in credit reporting legislation will help to enforce rules creditors are bound to comply with, and coupled with negotiations will ensure the best chance at a clear credit file.

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08/02/2012
How to dispute a bill and keep a clear credit file

What many credit repairers don’t want you to know…There’s a wrong way to dispute your bill. The wrong way can lead to bad credit history – leaving you unable to obtain credit for 5 to 7 years. Here is how you should dispute your telephone, internet, energy or basically any bill which you disagree with before it ruins your credit file.

By Graham Doessel, CEO and founder of MyCRA Credit Repairs and www.fixmybadcredit.com.au.

Customers who refuse to pay a bill because they believe it has errors are making a grave mistake that could harm their ability to get credit in the future.

One of the most common mistakes people make which leads to bad credit history is not paying a disputed bill by the due date.

Creditors make mistakes with billing all the time, otherwise however infallible they may like to think their system is, otherwise there would be no need for professional credit repair.

It can be really difficult getting the matter resolved with some creditors. But no news is definitely not good news.

Where many customers go wrong, is assuming just because they have spoken to someone on the phone about the bill, they are no longer obliged to pay it by the due date.

Under current credit reporting legislation, an account which is more than 60 days late can be listed by the creditor as ‘unpaid’ on the customer’s credit file. This is regardless of whether the customer believes there are errors in the details of the bill or with the payment amount.

Many clients dispute the offending bill with the company and made the mistake of leaving the bill unpaid well past the due date while waiting for correspondence from the company. Many are not aware they have incurred a default anyway, until they apply for credit in a different circumstance.

These defaults remain on a person’s credit file for 5 years. Under current legislation, defaults generally don’t get removed from a credit file, but can be marked as paid if they have been paid.

Currently, defaults – even those that are marked as ‘paid’, will prevent you from obtaining a home loan with most lenders. In fact, even having a few too many credit enquiries can be enough for an automatic decline.

So it’s really important we don’t leave ourselves open to having a default listing slapped on our credit file, ruining our good name.

Here is the process people should take when disputing a bill in Australia:

1. Contact the bill provider as soon as you receive the bill and attempt to resolve the discrepancy.

2. Make a note of the date of all conversations, the name of each person you speak to and the nature of the discussion with each. Note any resolutions that were reached and ask that those be emailed or sent to you in writing.

3. If the credit provider fails to honour the discrepancy, advise them you will be contacting the appropriate ombudsman.

4. If the due date for the bill approaches and the issue has not been resolved, pay the bill by the due date. You can always seek reimbursement at a later date, but this will prevent a default for that bill being listed on your credit file.

5. If there is still no resolution, take the matter further, usually with the appropriate Ombudsman.

So don’t assume anything or take someone’s word for it, get it in writing and preserve your clear credit file.

If you already have bad credit history from a bill dispute that went wrong – it may not be all lost. The best way to fix your credit score is to seek professional credit repair.

Australian credit reporting legislation allows for you to resolve any inconsistencies on your credit report. But the problem with attempting to dispute errors on your credit file with creditors yourself is two-fold. Without knowledge of the legislation, people almost invariably get caught in legal ‘loop-holes’ which see the default, writ or Judgment left on the credit file, or at best see the listing marked as ‘paid’.

Both of these results DO NOT fix your credit rating because lenders still consider even a ‘paid’ listing as bad credit history. Secondly, by negotiating with creditors, people can also accidentally ‘alert’ creditors to any mistakes the creditor may have made in the initial method of credit reporting – allowing them to fix up their mistakes and negate the need to remove the credit file default which was placed in error.

Good professional credit repair gives you the best chance at fixing your credit. A credit repairer can help you get a free copy of your credit file, and go through the bad credit history with you. They can then use their knowledge of credit reporting legislation to see where any errors in credit reporting were made, and help to enforce the legislation that creditors are bound to comply with.

If they are successful, you not only get help with removing errors from your credit file, but many times you are able to start off with a completely clean credit rating.

06/02/2012
Safer Internet Day February 7 2012: be cyber-smart for a future clear credit file

How to be cybersmart – that’s an important topic. On February 7, Australians have the opportunity to raise awareness as to how children and parents alike can be smart on the internet. This is essential for many reasons, one of which is to preserve our personal information, our financial identities and our clear credit file. Cyber-smart are hosting ‘Safer Internet Day’ with this year’s theme, ‘connecting generations and educating each other’, focusing on promoting a dialogue on online safety amongst all generations.

By Graham Doessel, Founder and CEO of MyCRA Credit Repairs and www.fixmybadcredit.com.au.

Cybersmart’s key messages for schools, libraries and families this Safer Internet Day are:
•Talk about online safety—with all members of your family and school community
•Protect Your Privacy—check your privacy settings and update your software
•Educate yourself about the online world—check out the Cybersmart resources.

How can a young person’s clear credit file be put at risk from their internet use?

Our young people need to be cyber-smart and also, young people need to be credit-savvy to get along in this modern world.

One issue we wish to highlight to help young people stay smart online is for them to be aware of the ways in which they can be putting their clear credit file at risk every time they post information publicly on the internet, even before they are credit-active.

It’s unfortunate that teenagers in Australia today are not immune to identity fraud. Even though they are not yet 18, the personal information that is made public today could be used against them in the future.

Many teenagers do not know the risks of having a public ‘profile’ on sites like Facebook and Twitter, but fraudsters do. With the volume of personal information that is publicly available about our young people on social network sites, what’s to say fraudsters can’t pull that information and use it to build a profile that could allow them to create a fake identity?

A young person who becomes the vicitm of identity theft could have their clear credit file ruined for five years. They may not even get a chance to get a mobile phone or take out a credit card themselves.

Late last year, the Australian Federal Police’s national co-ordinator of identity security strike team, Ben McQuillan spoke about the dangers of identity crime at a forum on money laundering and terrorism.

He warned forum listeners about the new trend of ‘data warehousing’ which involves storing data for a time, making it harder for a victim or bank to trace where and when the data was stolen.

”If people know your full name, your date of birth, where you went to school and other lifestyle issues, and they were to warehouse that data, there is a prospect that could then be used to take out loans or credit cards or to create a bank account that could then be used to launder money,” Mr McQuillan told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Identity theft is not only about the initial loss of monies, but if the fraud amounts to credit accounts in the young victim’s name going undetected and unpaid past 60 days, creditors will issue defaults. It need not be major fraud to have a detrimental effect to the young person’s clear credit file. Credit file defaults for as little as $100 can stop someone from being able to obtain credit. So any misuse of someone’s credit file can be extremely significant.

Repairing bad credit, even following identity theft is not easy. The onus is on the victim to prove to creditors they didn’t initiate the credit. The fact that the perpetrator is long gone and the actual act of identity theft happened years earlier will only add to the difficulty for the young person in recovering their clear credit file.

Experts recommend parents and young people continue to update their skills on how to be cyber-smart.

The government’s ‘stay smart online’ website offers some top tips about using the internet which can be discussed with young people at home and school:

Top tips

Make sure your computer is secure—follow the advice in the Secure your computer section of this [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][stay smart online] website.

Set strong passwords, particularly for important online accounts and change them regularly—consider making a diary entry to remind yourself.

Stop and think before you share any personal or financial information—about you, your friends or family. Don’t disclose identity information (drivers licence, Medicare No, birth date, address) through email or online unless you have initiated the contact and you know the other person involved.

Don’t give your email address out without needing to. Think about why you are providing it, what the benefit is for you and whether it will mean you are sent emails you don’t want.

Be very suspicious of emails from people you don’t know, particularly if they promise you money, good health or a solution to all your problems. The same applies for websites. Remember, anything that looks too good to be true usually is.

Limit the amount and type of identity information you post on social networking sites. Don’t put sensitive, private or confidential information on your public profile.

When shopping online use a secure payment method such as PayPal, BPay, or your credit card. Avoid money transfers and direct debit, as these can be open to abuse. Never send your bank or credit card details via email.

When using a public computer, don’t submit or access any sensitive information online. Public computers may have a keystroke logger installed which can capture your password, credit card number and bank details.

We encourage anyone who is interested in protecting their identity and their clear credit file whilst online to visit the stay smart online website regularly, and if people have children, the Cybersmart website is essential reading for both the young person and parent.

Get involved in the Safer Internet Day, and help educate someone you know about online safety.

If you require further information about maintaining a clear credit file or repairing bad credit, visit our main site www.mycra.com.au or call us tollfree on 1300 667 218.

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02/02/2012
MyCRA clients tell their stories: Telco mistakes threatening home ownership

Two of our credit repair clients share their stories on how their good credit rating suffered at the hands of Telco mix-ups. Their stories demonstrate how bill and service disputes can be difficult for customers to resolve, and can ultimately lead to a bad credit rating.

By Graham Doessel CEO of MyCRA Credit Repairs and www.fixmybadcredit.com.au.

DANIEL

A NSW client, Daniel and his young family were shocked when they applied for a home loan last year to find they were refused due to a whopping $8,000 debt and five years of bad credit when a botched phone plan with Telstra in 2006 came back to haunt them.

Daniel was told by the lender there was no way he would be given a home loan with a black mark against his name – a mark Daniel says was a huge mistake.

“I was on a 10MB plan initially, but wanted to start using the internet from my phone. I contacted Telstra to get upgraded to 1GB, which the operator agreed to. It wasn’t until I got the bill for $4,000 that I saw the operator hadn’t changed the data allowance and I was still on 10MB,” he explains.

Daniel says he spent more than 3 months in contact with Telstra attempting to resolve the problem, and was passed on from one person to another.

“All the operators said they didn’t have the authority to remove this bill or change it. No one was willing to help they all just kept passing me around operators which lead to hours on end being caught up on the phone without getting answers,” he says.

“After a few months they disconnected my phone, but I had no idea they had referred the debt to a collection agency, and banned me from credit for 5 years.”

Thousands of Telco customers are living with negative listings on their credit file that just shouldn’t be there, and this should serve as a warning to all credit active individuals to check the accuracy of their own credit rating.

Consumers need to know that mistakes do happen for a variety of reasons, and often it is not until people apply for credit in a separate instance that they find out – by then it is too late.

An annual report released November last year by the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) reporting on the number and nature of consumer complaints in the 2010-11 year, revealed a staggering 18 per cent increase in complaints from the previous year.

The TIO report attributes the rise in complaints to them to mobile phone service faults and increased smart phones use.

“The record number of complaints made to the TIO is disappointing. Customers who have complained to us have been frustrated not only by mobile telephone problems, but also by deficient customer service and complaint handling,” Ombudsman Simon Cohen said.

Daniel says trying to get the mistake fixed up and rebuild his credit file himself, was problematic.

“I tried to clear it with Baycorp, they told me if I paid the debt they would reduce it to $6,000 – which I did. Unfortunately that didn’t clear my credit file, it was only marked as ‘paid’ and was no use to me getting a home loan,” he says.

Many people have trouble resolving errors themselves, because they aren’t familiar with the legislation and find it difficult to negotiate with creditors.

Customers can often be given the run-around by creditors, and can find it difficult to apply the letter of the law to their own circumstances when they have no knowledge of what the rules are. Sometimes that can do their case more harm than good.

Daniel’s case has since been resolved, and MyCRA Credit Repairs have been successful in recovering the $6,000 he paid out to Baycorp.

“We’re relieved to be finally getting a home, but the whole thing has left us very disappointed in big corporations – you really don’t get looked after,” he says.

BRENT

Another client, Brent from Western Australia had a contract with provider, ‘3’ in 2009 that went badly.

About 3 months into his phone contract, Brent experienced numerous problems with his phone, sending it to be repaired 3 times before requesting a replacement. He posted the phone back to Sydney and received a new phone.

A month later Brent’s phone was barred, and he received a phone call from 3 stating that he owed $1200 for the phone which 3 said was never returned.

Brent spent a few months dealing with 3 trying to track down the phone in their warehouse and the postal system, before they eventually located it.

It wasn’t until he applied for a loan and was turned away that he found out 3 had placed a default on his credit file anyway, despite an agreement to put a note on the account so that the outstanding amount for the missing phone did not get referred to a debt collector.

MyCRA Credit Repairs fought for Brent to have the default removed from his credit file.

It is so important for people to cover themselves when resolving bill and service disputes with Telcos or any creditor for that matter.

People should never assume mistakes are rectified until they have confirmation in writing from the company. If you have a problem with a bill or service, take extensive notes and names and request confirmation of all decisions and outcomes in writing.

If people are worried about what may have been reported about them on their credit report, they are entitled to obtain a copy of their credit file for free from the credit reporting agencies in Australia once every 12 months.

The report is mailed to the credit file holder within 10 working days. If consumers find errors, or listings which they believe are inaccurate or unjust they have the right to have them removed.

For help with rebuilding a credit history and repairing your bad credit rating contact MyCRA Credit Repairs tollfree on 1300 667 218 or visit the main website, www.mycra.com.au.

Image: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

01/02/2012
Australia Day – New Australians left in the dark over credit system

Media Release

New Australians left in the dark over credit system

24 January 2012

Australia Day is the time when thousands of new Australians are welcomed into the country’s dynamic multi-cultural society, but a national credit repairer says the road to financial success in Australia can be a harsh one for new migrants.

He says new Australians don’t get enough help to make the most of their finances, and to ensure they are never blacklisted once they become credit-active.

MyCRA’s CEO, Graham Doessel says he deals first-hand with many new migrants who have struggled to come to terms with a credit system which is far different to the one they are used to, and ultimately their Australian credit rating can suffer.

“I am seeing more new Australians caught out with the system here, being banned from new credit – can’t get a home or car loan and often from fairly small amounts in arrears on their credit accounts,” Mr Doessel says.

Australia’s credit reporting system is fairly unique in the fact that it is currently a negative reporting system. There is no way of balancing out a bad credit report with good repayments, and any negative listing remains on a person’s credit file for 5-7 years.

Once an individual is 18 and is credit-active, they have a credit file issued in their name. It is even at this early stage where some new migrants come unstuck. Sometimes in those early stages the credit file can be issued under the wrong name.

“Creditors have been known to mix up names or put someone’s last name as their first name. This could potentially open up a can of worms in terms of correct listing,” he says.

Creditors can also place a default on the wrong person’s file.

“We have a case at the moment where a lady had a default listing placed on her file which was for a male with a similar name. It wasn’t until our client applied for a loan that she found out about the default placed on her file from someone else’s account,” he says.

It is suggested that new Australians make a point of ensuring continuity with their name on any credit they take out and requesting changes to any bills or documentation which come back incorrect.

They should also check their credit file to make sure everything reads correctly.

“It’s actually not just new Aussies who are kept in the dark. Many Australian-born Aussies are unaware they should be checking their credit file regularly and that they can obtain a credit report for free every 12 months,” Mr Doessel says.

Many people are unaware that once an account goes past 60 days in arrears, it will be listed as a default on the person’s credit file for 5 years.

A common reason people can have defaults go unnoticed is after they move house or when they go overseas for extended holidays. They fail to divert their mail, and do not receive the written notification of either the late account, or the creditor’s intention to list the late payment as a default on the person’s credit file.

Identity theft can also occur, with current statistics showing 1 in 6 Australians are currently affected. (1)

“Identity theft is a major problem in this country, and many new migrants are not aware of the frequency of attacks, or the need to safeguard their personal information. They end up with their identities stolen, and credit taken out in their name,” Mr Doessel says.

Sometimes migrants can become victims of identity theft before they even get on the plane. In December, 2010 Immigration Minister, Chris Bowen warned new migrants of online scams that often leave them without a visa and at a loss for the money they have spent. (2)

“It is vital that people are aware of fraudsters’ tricks before handing over money for immigration assistance which is never provided,” Mr Bowen said.

Mr Doessel is offering new migrants free information on using credit in Australia, and how they can best keep their credit file clean. Contact info@mycra.com.au or call tollfree 1300 667 218 for more information.

“We should use Australia Day to help our fellow Aussies, and raise awareness of the problems our new migrants face, so we can all experience financial success,” he says.

/ENDS.

Please contact:

Lisa Brewster – Media Relations Mob: 0450 554 007 media@mycra.com.au

Graham Doessel – Director Ph 07 3124 7133

www.mycra.com.au www.mycra.com.au/blog 246 Stafford Rd, STAFFORD Qld

MyCRA Credit Repairs is Australia’s leader in credit rating repairs. We permanently remove defaults from credit files.

(1)http://www.ag.gov.au/www/ministers/mcclelland.nsf/Page/MediaReleases_2011_ThirdQuarter_3July2011-Newresearchshowsidentitytheftaffectsoneinsixpeople
(2)http://www.migrationexpert.com/australia/visa/australian_immigration_news/2010/oct/1/384/online_help_for_immigrants

Image: Salvatore Vuono/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

24/01/2012
Tax fraud worth $33 million linked to identity crime

Victims struggle with recovery after tax fraud leaves them out of pocket. Could this type of identity crime threaten their credit file?

According to public documents, a staggering $33 million worth of suspected fraudulent tax refunds linked to identity crime have been blocked since July this year. Last week SC Magazine released an article ‘ID thieves steal tax returns’ revealing these figures.

It reports criminals are lodging fraudulent returns with the ATO and also creating fake group certificates linked to real businesses.

SC reports that the process of finding the fraudsters and reimburing victims is complicated and difficult:

“Australian Federal Police are understood to be only able to investigate instances of fraud against the ATO if banks supply suspect account details. This is thought to scarcely occur.”

“The task facing the ATO’s team of anti-fraud investigators is hard to overstate. The $33 million in fraudulent returns blocked since tax time represented a mere 0.67 per cent of total returns processed over the same period. The ATO had withheld pending review 1.2 per cent of returns amounting to $401 million in claims which it considered “overstated” or “potentially fraudulent”.

And with the lion’s share of legitimate and fraudulent returns filed within four months, the office’s sophisticated fraud-detection systems are put on a hunt for the proverbial needle in the hack stack,” the article says.

The ATO says it could not comment on investigations, but has promised to reimburse victims, saying they have a:

“strong focus on raising awareness within the community about the importance of TFN protection and personal information,” it told SC Magazine.

In the meantime, two of the victims interviewed by SC reported experiencing many issues with attempting to get to the bottom of the fraud themselves. There has reportedly been little assistance from the accountants responsible for lodging the fraudulent claims (they are reportedly not liable having lodged the claim in good faith), and after 30 calls to the ATO from one of the victims, still no answers and no refund yet.

What we found most interesting about this article, was the last few paragraphs on the Australian Federal Police’s response to SC:

“Matters of individual tax fraud should be handled by the ATO it [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][the AFP] said.

It has five officers dedicated to investigating such fraud across Australia. it believed the victims should consult state police.

For Cameron and Mansfield [the alleged fraud victims featured in the article], it remains unclear who they can turn to for assistance to recoup their lost tax claims.

Short of obtaining a new TFN, agencies could offer little advice for victims of tax fraud.

Government agencies broadly suggest victims of identity theft purchase a credit monitoring service and regularly check bank accounts,” the article says.

The comments illustrate where we believe Australia can do more when it comes to identity theft – identity theft recovery.

The media seems to frequently speak to identity theft victims, but many of them seem to have been unable to recover their lost monies, to find someone who shoulders the responsibility or gives them the answers or help they are looking for.

Albeit it is early days for identity theft as a crime, but with a recent survey commissioned by the former Attorney-General revealing 1 in 6 people know someone or themselves have been a victim of identity theft, and the Australian Crime Commission citing identity crime as the fastest growing crime in Australia, it may be a pertinent time for victim recovery to be given more focus.

In the SC article, it was recognised that the actual victim of fraud was the ATO, whose money was stolen by fraudsters. But what about the person whose identity was stolen? Are they at risk of further fraud in other areas?

The fraudsters have detailed personal information on the victims, what to say they can’t take credit out in the victim’s name or use the information for other illegal purposes? Where should they go to be given advice on what to do?

Recently we investigated identity theft recovery, and how it specifically relates to repairing a damaged credit rating. A damaged credit rating from identity theft can hurt the victim sometimes more than the original fraud. Not only can they owe the debt, and all subsequent fees to creditors they can be blacklisted from obtaining further credit in their names for 5 to 7 years. An identity theft victim who is not able to recover their credit rating is facing years of hardship. So where can victims turn for help?

“Government agencies broadly suggest victims of identity theft purchase a credit monitoring service and regularly check bank accounts”

This is true, but what was missed from the quotes in this article, was the fact that these victims may be eligible to apply at a Magistrate’s Court for a Commonwealth Victims of Identity Crime Certificate. Were victims told about their options in this regard?

This Certificate is designed to give Commonwealth identity theft victims some kind of official substantiation to their claims of fraud.

“A Commonwealth Victims’ Certificate helps support your claim that you have been the victim of Commonwealth identity crime. You can present the Certificate to an organisation such as a Government agency, or a business (such as a financial institution or credit agency). This may help you negotiate with them to re‑establish your credentials or to remove a fraudulent transaction from their records.

A certificate does not compel any organisation to take a particular action. It will not automatically re-establish a person’s credit rating or remove a fraudulent transaction from their record. It is also not admissible in any legal proceedings.” The Attorney-General’s website says.

With recovery obviously so difficult, victims need any help they can get.

If victims have their credit rating damaged for example, black marks are quite difficult for the individual to remove. When it comes to identity theft in our experience, creditors demand documentary proof to help with establishing that the victim did not initiate the credit in the first place. This certificate could certainly be a very valuable document for victims and we feel would greatly assist victims in substantiating their claims to creditors.

During our investigations, we found it difficult to establish the ground rules as to what constituted a Commonwealth Indictable Offence, and a State Offence.

The Attorney-General’s office advised us that the list of offences against the Commonwealth are so great, it is difficult to provide a full list for the public. They say that if any person suspects identity theft, they may be eligible and should just apply for the Certificate, and a magistrate in their State will decide whether it is possible to obtain one on Commonwealth grounds.

And as to whether these tax fraud victims would be eligible? A spokesperson for the Attorney-General advised us that that a Commonwealth indictable offence would include some instances of tax fraud:

“This includes conduct relating to tax fraud such as when an individual dishonestly obtains a financial benefit from the Commonwealth by using another person’s identity,” the spokesperson said.

They say it is up to the Police to pass on information on the Certificate to victims as they see appropriate for each individual fraud case. Apart from that, information is available on the Attorney-General’s website.

It may be that the tax fraud victims at this stage have no need or claim for an identity crime certificate. But broadly speaking, it should be something which is promoted by all agencies as an avenue for recovery for victims. It could also be something State-based agencies could also look at adopting for identity theft victims.

In the meantime, identity theft continues to affect 1 in 6 of us, and while Australia continues to iron out its laws and streamline its investigations, we believe the current victims are unlucky to be at the beginning of our development of effective recovery processes.
For further help with credit repair information following identity theft, contact MyCRA Credit Repairs tollfree on 1300 667 218 or visit the main website www.mycra.com.au.

Image: Arvind Balaraman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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15/12/2011
The Christmas credit risks you need to know about

5 Reasons why the Christmas season is the time you are most at risk of damaging your credit rating

As credit repairers, our busiest period is in the first few months after Christmas. Clients come to us desperate for help to remove the negative listings from their credit files that are causing them to be refused home loans, car loans, personal loans and even mobile phone plans. At this time it is heads down and tails up for our team as we plough through the many cases we receive.

Before this time, we thought we’d review why the post-Christmas credit crunch may occur, and hopefully help some of you stay out of trouble.

Here are 5 Christmas hazards you should be aware of:

1. Identity theft.

With identity theft growing in severity and volume to now be the fastest growing crime in Australia, the perfect time for fraud could be the Christmas period. Scammers are out in full force and people can be lax with their personal information – never an ideal combination. Many news outlets report of fraudsters ramping up tactics – accessing people’s bank accounts and using personal information to steal identities and ruin good credit ratings.

The Government website SCAMwatch has released the 12 scams of Christmas – a report on what consumers should watch out for. A few of the prominent scams for 2011 include:

Holiday scams. Consumers are warned to look out for fake accommodation vouchers, scam travel clubs and scammers asking you to pay upfront deposits for properties which aren’t actually available for rent.
Flight scams. Scammers set up fake websites which look genuine and make you believe you are purchasing an authentic flight ticket. When you arrive at the airport you may find your booking was a fake.
Charity scams. At Christmas many legitimate charities appeal for donations of money, food, clothing and children’s gifts. Unfortunately scammers also try to get your money by camouflaging themselves as genuine charities.
Online shopping. Beware, scammers post fake classified ads, auction listings, and run bogus websites. If you get caught by a scammer you will not only lose your money but will also never receive the item you were trying to purchase!

If fraudsters are able to access your personal details in full to commit identity theft – they have basically the key to your good credit rating. They can run up credit all over town in your name. Often it’s not until you go to apply for credit in your own right and are refused that you realise your credit file has been misused. With adverse listings difficult for the individual to remove, and with defaults remaining on your credit file for 5 years your life is basically set to be turned upside down without the help of a credit repairer.

2. Overlooking bill payments.

There is no doubt the lead up to Christmas is busy. Work is incredibly fast-paced, kids have prizegivings, graduations, Christmas parties and holidays, the Christmas shopping needs to get finished, Christmas food needs to be bought, and holidays need to be booked and planned. The fallout from all of this stress can be the little $180 phone bill that gets shoved in a drawer to think about at a later date, or you can even forget to transfer money for the mortgage payment.

Then you go away for a few weeks in January to unwind trying to put Christmas, work, and stress behind you while you dip your toes in the water and sip your margarita.

When you get back, there may be a notice in the mail saying the phone company or the bank has listed your account as unpaid and put a default listing on your credit file. Or it may not be until you apply for credit again that you find out about the bill – but by then it is much too late.

60 days is all it takes to have an unpaid account listed as a default on your credit file.

Before you get into the Christmas rush, nominate a place for all of your bills and make a point of actioning them all as soon as you can. Don’t let the New Year go by without clearing your debts – especially if you are going on holiday for a significant period.

3. Moving and transfers.

Moving house is a very common reason people have bills and even default notices go undetected which can lead to a bad credit rating. As Christmas and New Year is a very common time for transfers and other work changes to occur that could see you moving interstate it is very important to tie up all loose ends in your current address.

At least two weeks prior to your move, notify all creditors of your change of address and when that will occur and get confirmation of the receipt of your new address in writing or via email from them. When cancelling utility and phone accounts, give those creditors the date of your move and request to settle the account on that date. Ask for confirmation that the account has been settled sent to you via email or to your new address. Make a diary note to chase this up if it has not been sent within a week of your move.

The number one rule for moving is get all changes confirmed in writing. Otherwise accounts may not be completely settled, and the creditors may not have your new address to send you any outstanding debts, resulting in a bad credit rating which you would only find out about when you are going for credit in a separate instance.

4. Over committing and spiralling into debt.

It may be a simple rule, but one which can be difficult to apply when you get caught up in the “Christmas spirit” – don’t spend what you can’t afford.

You may, as many do, feel the pressure to “give” so much you do so at the expense of your own budget and ultimately end up with a debt you cannot pay back. The end result of this can be getting into more debt to pay the original debt. It eventually catches up with you, and you end up with loan commitments you can’t meet or other bills get neglected because you just can’t afford to pay it all. Creditors start to default your credit file. Your financial freedom is compromised.

Savings guide Australia offers some tips this season on ways to have a great Christmas without blowing the budget. Our best advice is actually to have a budget and stick to it. Reducing spending on each person by even 20% will make a massive difference at the end of your shopping. You should also write a shopping list and stick to it, minimising the likelihood of impulse buying.

Remember it’s the thought that counts!

5. Overlooking errors and omissions from Creditors.

This is the silly season – and everyone is busy and preoccupied. The volume of transactions may increase while staff decrease, putting stress on Creditors’ systems. For this reason it is crucial to keep an eye on your own finances.

Check your bank statements (it could even help with Christmas budgeting), check your bills as they come in and make sure everything is as it should be. Know which bills are due and when. If you don’t receive a bill for whatever reason, chase it up. The Creditor will more than likely still have a record of the bill – it may have been lost in the mail or sent to the wrong person. But in the end you are the one who will pay for their oversight.

This is also a good time to request a free copy of your credit file from one or more of the credit reporting agencies if you haven’t already this year. You will receive a copy of your credit report within 10 working days. You should check that all of your details are correct. Check there are no adverse listings on your credit file which could prevent you from accessing credit in the future. If there are negative listings – defaults, writs or Judgments which you believe contain errors, are unfair or just shouldn’t be there, you have the right to have these entries rectified.

Make your life easier and ensure you get the best chance of getting the listing/s removed by instilling the help of a credit repairer. Visit MyCRA Credit Repairs for more information on how credit repair works, or call tollfree on 1300 667 218.

Image: Stuart Miles/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

1. Image: Chris Sharp / FreeDigitalPhotos.net 3. Image: Digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net 4. Image: worradmu / FreeDigitalPhotos.net 5. Image: nuttakit / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

01/12/2011
Thousands of Christmas flights won’t be honoured

Media Release
4th November 2011

Australian travellers may be left stranded at the airport holding bogus airline tickets at Christmas time after suffering at the hands of scammers.

A government agency has warned Australians about cheap flight deals through fake travel websites which have travellers believing they have purchased legitimate airline tickets, but all they have done is been skimmed of their money and left vulnerable to identity theft.

With a current warning issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s SCAMwatch website (www.scamwatch.gov.au ) for flight booking scams, a national credit repairer, MyCRA’s, Graham Doessel says people could find it is more than just Christmas that is ruined.

“It’s all bad for these poor scam victims. At best they can be left with no holiday – but at worst fraudsters can take their personal details and use them to construct a fake identity which would allow them to borrow in their name – the ramifications of that can last for years,” Mr Doessel says.

SCAMwatch says it has received a number of reports of fraudulent traders who have copied the ABN and look of legitimate travel websites.

“Some victims have lost in excess of $1000 for fake international flight bookings, while others report instances of identity theft after interactions with the fake trader,” the SCAMwatch website warns.

Currently the Australian Crime Commission sites identity theft as the fastest growing crime in Australia, and a recent study presented by the Attorney-General’s office revealed 1 in 6 people have had their identity stolen or misused in some way.

Identity theft occurs when criminals use a person’s personal details, usually to obtain credit in their name. The benefits can be lucrative, gaining access to large amounts of credit – enough even to mortgage a property in the victim’s name. It is often not until the victim goes to apply for credit in their own right and are refused because of credit rating defaults they didn’t initiate, that they realise they have had their credit file misused.

“Unfortunately identity theft can turn the victim’s life upside down. Adverse listings can be difficult to have removed, simply because it is up to the victim to prove to creditors they didn’t initiate the credit,” Mr Doessel says.

MyCRA advises people to take these precautions when booking travel:

– Be wary of any offer that comes via an unsolicited email.

– For legitimate-looking websites, check the URL is correct for that company. If it looks suspicious – it may be a fake. Do the research on the airline or travel agency’s own website or contact the company directly to verify details in the offer.

– Never make the purchase through a link in an email.

– Take five minutes extra to research the company that is offering the deal to ensure they are genuine.

– If the flight seems too cheap – it may be a fake.

– For people who think they may have fallen prey to a scam, they should contact Police, and if they think their personal details may have been compromised – obtain a copy of their credit file.

Australians are able to obtain a free copy of their credit report every 12 months from one or more of the credit reporting agencies.

“If someone suspects fraud, their credit file could show changes, which if detected early, would prevent their good name from being ruined. If there are any unusual credit enquiries, or some attempt to alter personal contact details this should be a red flag. People should alert creditors to prevent their credit rating from being ruined and protect their ability to obtain credit in the future,” he says.

For more information on identity theft, people can visit the MyCRA Credit Repairs website www.mycra.com.au.

/ENDS.

Lisa Brewster – Media Relations media@mycra.com.au

Graham Doessel – Director Ph 07 3124 7133

www.mycra.com.au www.mycra.com.au/blog 246 Stafford Rd, STAFFORD Qld

MyCRA Credit Repairs is Australia’s leader in credit rating repairs. We permanently remove defaults from credit files.

Image: Free DigitalPhotos.net

07/11/2011

Tag: creditors

Media Release

New Australians left in the dark over credit system