MyCRA Specialist Credit Repair Lawyers

Tag: telco

Telco Eftel asks customers to pay $299 for their own mix up.

Media Release

Telco Eftel asks customers to pay $299 for their own mix up.

8 October 2013

A recent ‘billing system melt down’ by Eftel has seen new connections over the past 6 months being charged a fee of $299 – regardless of how much the connection actually cost them, due to a loophole in their terms and conditions.

Stated to be a “widespread problem affecting all customers who connected within the last 12 months”, the billing hiccup in August meant Eftel was able to charge its new customers between $59 and $299 as outlined in their terms and conditions.

So Eftel opted to charge customers the maximum amount, and customers have been sent a letter advising them that if their connection was less than six months old, they would be charged the rate of $299.

The letter also advised that all charges more than 6 months old would be waived.

Eftel customer John Maxwell, who also happens to work in credit repair, received a letter from Eftel in August on behalf of his partner’s Mother, whose first language is not English, stating they were charging her $299, and he saw red.

“My first response was to question why they were charging her $299 for the connection and not $59 as it was their problem affecting their customers’ accounts. They advised they would be charging the fee of $299 as this is what Telstra has charged them for all of the connections,” Mr Maxwell, Agencies Manager at MyCRA recalls.

But Mr Maxwell says, he vehemently opposed the original fee range at the time of setting up the account for his partner’s Mum, and had demanded a set connection fee be quoted before he would agree to their services.

“I requested the consultant access the recorded conversations from archives and verify what I authorised, and to call me back with an outcome,” he says.

He goes on to say, that it was several correspondences back and forth before Eftel conceded they had overcharged on the account as per his voice recording.

“I knew the facts of what went on, and that everything I had said was recorded. I advised them I was going to escalate the matter to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman for a resolution, and then I finally got someone to listen to all of the recordings,” he says.

Mr Maxwell says he is happy with the outcome but is left wondering how many thousands of other customers are in this same situation.

“How many other customers will now be charged $299 without any idea of how to argue for a fair outcome?” he says.

He worries many will be pushed into hardship upon receiving a bill they cannot afford, without receiving prior notice, or risk default.

CEO of MyCRA, Graham Doessel, says many people seeking credit repair have defaults originating from billing disputes that went unresolved.

“People can get angry and emotional over bills they think are unfair or don’t agree with, and end up defaulting on their account by refusing to pay without resolving the matter. Or other times people think they have resolved a billing dispute, only to have been defaulted anyway,” Mr Doessel says.

He has provided three of the most important things people may need to know when disputing a bill.

Billing Disputes.

1. Act quickly. Contact the Bill Provider as soon as you receive the bill and attempt to resolve the discrepancy. Ask them to note that you are disputing your bill and verify it in writing. It’s best to try to resolve the complaint prior to your account going into arrears (within 60 days).

2. Get everything in writing. Document as much as you can and send a copy of your complaint in writing. Make a note of the name of each person you speak to on the telephone, and the nature of the discussion with each. Note any resolutions that were reached and request those be emailed or sent to you in writing.

3. See it through. If the credit provider fails to honour the discrepancy, advise them you will be contacting the appropriate Ombudsman.

For direction in how to dispute a telco bill, visit the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman website www.tio.com.au.

/ENDS.

For media enquires contact:

Lisa Brewster Media Liaison media@mycra.com.au

Account of Eftel dispute by John Maxwell available upon request

For interviews contact:

Graham Doessel CEO MyCRA Ph 3124 7133

John Maxwell Agencies Manager Ph 3124 7133

Ph 07 3124 7133 www.mycra.com.au www.mycra.com.au/blog

MyCRA Credit Repair 246 Stafford Rd, STAFFORD Qld

MyCRA is Australia’s number one in credit rating repairs. We permanently remove defaults from credit files. CEO of MyCRA Graham Doessel is a frequent consumer spokesperson for credit reporting issues and is a founding member of the Credit Repair Industry Association of Australasia.

image: imagerymajestic/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

08/10/2013
Have Your Say on Bill Shock

Ever been overseas and returned home to find your mobile phone bill is as expensive as your plane ticket? You’re not alone. You may get a chance to have your say on what the telcos should do to stop bill shock and curb the excessively high data roaming charges which can see you in debt and threaten your credit rating in a new public consultation seeking to lift the telco industry.

By Graham Doessel, Founder and CEO of MyCRA Credit Rating Repair www.fixmybadcredit.com.au, https://www.facebook.com/FixMyBadCredit.com.au.

The Government is welcoming public consultation on new standards to help Australians avoid bill shock while using their mobile phone overseas.

As part of new guidelines for Telcos, set out through the new Telecommunications Consumer Protection (TCP) Code, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) will begin consultation on developing an industry standard to help Australians best receive timely information about international roaming costs when they travel.

Minister for Broadband, Communications, and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, said in a media release late last week that Australian consumers are being price gouged by telecommunications companies every time they want to make a mobile call, send a text or go online, when overseas.

“The industry standard will be an important transparency measure. People will receive clear information about pricing, allowing them to better manage their spending and avoid bill shock.

“We also expect that the extra scrutiny provided by the standard will encourage telecommunications companies to reduce their obscenely high prices and give consumers a better deal when they travel.”

“I encourage everyone to have their say during this public consultation, which ends on 25 January,” Mr Conroy said.

Here’s what the current draft standard proposes:

A traveller receives two SMS messages when they switch on their phone when arriving overseas. The first would be sent within 10 minutes, warning the customer that extra charges will apply and allowing them to switch off international mobile roaming services.

The second would arrive within 1 hour and must detail the cost for a standard call, an SMS, and 1Mb of data.

The standard also requires mobile phone companies to develop cost effective monitoring tools for consumers to use when they travel overseas.

The new standard is expected to be in operation by the middle of next year.

In the past, we have found many times the telco customer has had difficulty disputing their phone charges before they are issued with a credit default. These credit listings can be hard to fight. Often the customer will say what they had first understood the plan to be for, or what they wanted the phone to do, was not what eventuated. This can come down to a he-said she-said situation, and the telcos – with all the power on their side can often come out on top.

As credit repairers we see many telco customers for various reasons – in fact almost 26% of our credit repair clients have telco credit listings they need removed. Many complain of confusion over bills, date allowance and plans and also difficulties with resolving disputes – which see customers with bad credit even though they had been attempting to sort out the bill discrepancy.

The multitude of official complaints in the area of ‘bill shock’ resulted in a major inquiry by the ACMA and the report – Reconnecting the Customer. This examined the root causes of the industry’s poor customer service and complaints-handling performance. The telco industry was asked to regulate or be regulated – and so the TCP Code was developed by the Communications Alliance (CA), and a final draft was registered in late July.

That TCP Code came into effect on 1 September 2012. If the code proves to be effective, there will be significant positive changes for telco customers. This public consultation and is one such proposed change coming to fruition.

So get in and have your say,

ACMA public consultation: http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_600133

18/12/2012
Mobile bill shock could cost you your home

Media Release

Mobile bill shock could cost you your home

Botched phone plans and lack of data usage monitoring is leaving many Australians stressed over their mobile bills, with bills so large many simply can’t pay up or absolutely refuse to pay up and many more are having their good credit ratings completely destroyed.

Consumer advocate, Graham Doessel of MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs says there is an alarming number of credit listing complaints from Telco consumers relating to internet data usage on mobile phones.

He says consumers are confused when it comes to data allowance on their smartphones, and the providers are not helping.

“Often clients claim they go over really quickly, or the plan they were put on was not appropriate for what they intended to use their mobile internet for. Often they can have great difficulty in cancelling the accounts or coming to a resolution with the company over these billing issues,” he says.

Mr Doessel says 28 per cent of his credit repair clientele in the financial year to date were Telco customers. See Table (A)

“Sometimes consumers reluctantly pay the bill, think the matter is settled, only to find they are defaulted anyway, and others just refuse to pay the bill until they get some resolution. Either way, they are faced with at least 5 years of bad credit from the episode unless they can make a successful complaint,” he explains.

This reflects findings from the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) report on its services for the last financial year, which was released today.

The TIO’s findings show mobile phone users are increasingly unhappy with the service they receive, with a 9 per cent rise in complaints about mobiles last financial year.

Ombudsman Simon Cohen said two out of three complaints made to the TIO were about mobile phones, with the biggest percentage rise about disputed internet usage charges (150 per cent).

“Complaints about unexpectedly high bills and unnecessary financial overcommitment point to the urgent need for strong spend management rules, including those that are included in the new ‘Telecommunications Consumer Protection Code’,” Mr Cohen said.

The ‘Telecommunications Consumer Protection Code’ has recently been pushed through with the guidance of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) which will amongst other things, force telcos to provide their customers with notifications when they have used 80% and 100% of their data allowance in the plan.

These changes come after pressure from ACMA for Telcos to offer better protection for consumers, or face external regulation.

The TIO’s annual report also shows a rise in complaints about credit default listings. Complaints about consumers being credit default listed while their debt was in dispute increased 18 per cent from 3,700 to 4,370. There was also a 16 per cent increase in complaints about consumers being credit default listed without proper notification, up from 3,220 to 3,730.

“I am very concerned about the increase in the number of complaints where credit default listings are disputed,” Mr Cohen said “Credit listings can have very significant impacts on people – affecting applications for credit, including for housing and personal loans. Any credit default listing should only occur after the correct procedures have been followed.”

Mr Doessel says preventing a credit file default on your mobile phone bill often comes down to awareness of legalities.

“Many people don’t know the rules well enough when dealing with these big companies, so it can be a little like David and Goliath and many times the big guy wins,” he says.

He gives some ideas on what you can do if you disagree with a mobile phone bill:

How to Dispute That Shocking Mobile Bill

1. Attempt to resolve the dispute with the Telco first. If a bill has just popped up you don’t agree with, let your Provider know, and DOCUMENT ALL CORRESPONDENCE WITH THEM (and document who you speak with if you are calling).

2. You may need to make a formal complaint in writing. If there is no resolution over the telephone, set out what specific resolution you require, and all the details of your complaint. The telco has 30 days to answer any written complaint you make.

3. Get all responses in writing. The matter may seem at an end, but sometimes people believe they have sorted it out only to find out later they have been defaulted anyway. If you have come to a resolution with the telco verbally, get it in writing and make sure it clearly states what will happen from here.

4. If the matter can’t be resolved to your satisfaction internally, take your case to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman. The TIO will make a decision on the matter, and their decision will decide your case. Make sure you provide as much evidence as you can for the Ombudsman to make an informed decision – you may only get one chance at it.

5. If at any stage you have a credit file listing from a Telco which you believe shouldn’t be there, you can undertake professional credit repair services. The credit repairer works on the consumer’s behalf to champion for the removal of credit file listings which contain errors or inconsistencies or just out and out shouldn’t be there. The credit repairer may escalate the matter to the TIO on the client’s behalf if necessary, but it may not be the only option.

“A good credit repairer will conduct an audit-like investigation to uncover errors or non-compliance that may still see the default removed, even where an Ombudsman has sided with the Credit Provider,” Mr Doessel explains.

/ENDS.

Please contact:

Graham Doessel – Founder and CEO MyCRA Ph 3124 7133

Lisa Brewster – Media Relations MyCRA Ph 3124 7133 media@mycra.com.au

http://www.mycra.com.au/ www.mycra.com.au/blog

246 Stafford Rd, STAFFORD Qld

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

——————————————————————————–

http://www.tio.com.au/publications/media/mobile-phone-complaints-rise-against-overall-decrease-in-telco-complaints-during-2011-12

http://www.tio.com.au/publications/media/mobile-phone-complaints-rise-against

Image: maya picture/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

08/11/2012
Bill Shock: telco bills ruining credit ratings

Botched phone plans and lack of data usage monitoring is leaving many Australians shell shocked over their mobile bills, with bills so large many can’t pay up or refuse to pay up, leading to an increased rate of defaults. We look at what is happening with Telco consumers, the new laws that have come in to combat bill shock, and some practical things that you can do to prevent it happening to you, and threatening your good credit rating.

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

A large number of current credit listing complaints we receive from telco consumers relate to data usage on mobile phones. Consumers are confused when it comes to data allowance on their smartphones, and the providers up till now, have not been helping.

Often clients claim they have gone over their allowance really quickly, or the plan they were put on was not appropriate for what they intended to use their mobile internet for. Often they can have great difficulty in cancelling the accounts or coming to a resolution with telcos over these billing issues.

Our current statistics show almost 26% of our credit repair clientele in the 12 months to July were telco customers.

Consumers have either reluctantly paid the bill, thought the matter was settled, only to find they were defaulted anyway, or they have just refused to pay the bill until they got some resolution – but have copped a bad credit rating through the account being more than 60 days in arrears.

Either way, they were dished out at least 5 years of bad credit from the episode unless they have been able to make a successful complaint.

Complaints numbers

Recently the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) surveyed its services. It counted 52,231 new complaints about telcos received between January and March 2012. Almost two-thirds were about mobile phone services.

The TIO reports new complaints about over-commitment caused by inadequate spend controls have over doubled in 12 months (4,282 in the January-March 2012 quarter, compared to 2,181 in the same quarter in 2011). In the same periods, new complaints about disputed internet charges increased 180 per cent (From 981 to 2,823).

“It is well known that more internet browsing and downloads are now done on mobile phones and other mobile devices. With this change in consumer behaviour, we have seen complaints about excess data charges almost treble over the last year,” Ombudsman Simon Cohen said. “The incidence of these complaints will reduce if consumers are only contracted for services they can afford, and where spend management tools such as notifications and usage meters are accurate and reliable”.

The powers that be have heard the many complaints. Some changes have been swiftly made to improve transparency and service for telco customers. A revised Telecommunications Consumer Protection Code has been made in conjunction with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) which will amongst other things require telcos to provide their customers with notifications when they have used 80% and 100% of their data usage in the plan.

These changes come after pressure from ACMA for Telcos to offer better protection for consumers, or face external regulation.

For more information on the TCP Code, see our September post ‘Telco bill shock should in theory now be a thing of the past.’

In the meantime, many consumers are still facing bill shock. We look at what you can do to prevent it.

Preventing Bill Shock

Savingguide.com.au published a great article late last week detailing some practical things that you can do to avoid bill shock. Here is an excerpt from ‘How to Avoid Bill Shock’:

Read Your Contract

I’ve said it before and somehow I feel I shall say it again: read the contract. From start to end. Before signing up to anything. Now, let’s just say you have already signed up and you didn’t read it before, you are not off the hook. Read it now. I’m serious, go do it… like, right now!

Now that you’ve read your contract, you’ll know exactly how much data you get for your regular fee and how much you’re going to pay if you exceed that limit. Without this knowledge, you’re really just playing a guessing game and you’re probably going to lose.

Don’t be Silly

Seems obvious, doesn’t it? Yet here we are. If you are on a limited data allowance, don’t fritter it away on silly things! When I first got my smart phone I was so enamoured by the fact that I could get the internet on my handset that I would lie in bed, checking the week ahead’s weather on my mobile rather than simple make the walk to the study and use my PC, on which the internet is virtually limitless! Fortunately, I did not have to learn the hard way but many people will. Don’t be one of them.

Start Downloading

I know, I know, I just told you not to download stuff but this is the exception. Downloading the right apps is going to make all the difference, in fact these two apps are the best way to keep your data use under control.

Data Usage Monitor

A data usage monitor like 3G Watchdog (Android) is a brilliant addition to your phone. Simply enter the date your billing cycle commences and your data allowance, and a little symbol appears on your phone’s desktop, changing colour to warn you when you’re reaching your limit.

Programme Closing

A programme-closing app is your next best friend. Apps like Advanced Task Killer enable you to close any programmes that might be running without your knowledge with the push of a button. And without programmes secretly running, chewing into your data allowance, you’re much less likely to suffer that dreaded disease, bill shock.

This is great advice. But what about if you already have a phone bill that has left your head spinning?

How to Dispute That Shocking Mobile Bill

1. Attempt to resolve the dispute with the Telco first. If a bill has just popped up you don’t agree with, let your Provider know, and DOCUMENT ALL CORRESPONDENCE WITH THEM (and document who you speak with if you are calling).

2. You may need to make a formal complaint in writing. If there is no resolution over the telephone, set out what specific resolution you require, and all the details of your complaint. The telco has 30 days to answer any written complaint you make.

2. Get all responses in writing. The matter may seem at an end, but sometimes people believe they have sorted it out only to find out later they have been defaulted anyway. If you have come to a resolution with the telco verbally, get it in writing and make sure it clearly states what will happen from here.

3. If the matter can’t be resolved to your satisfaction internally, take your case to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman. The TIO will make a decision on the matter, and their decision will be final. Make sure you provide as much evidence as you can for the Ombudsman to make an informed decision – you may only get one shot at it.

4. If at any stage you have a credit file listing from a Telco which you believe shouldn’t be there, you can undertake professional credit repair services. The credit repairer works on the consumer’s behalf to remove credit file listings which contain errors or inconsistencies or just out and out shouldn’t be there. It gives the consumer the best chance of presenting the best case for removal of a disputed listing, and actually having an unfair listing removed completely off your credit file. The credit repairer can also escalate the matter to the TIO on the client’s behalf if necessary.

If you would like help disputing your telco default or other credit listing, contact a Credit Repair Advisor on 1300 667 218 or visit our main website for more information MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs www.mycra.com.au.

Image: Ambro/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

15/10/2012
Phone bill complaints – the dangers for your credit rating
Media Release

15 August 2011

Customers who are fed up with the process of disputing their phone or internet bills are warned they still need to follow the system to avoid finding themselves with a bad credit rating, according to a national credit file repairer.

Director of MyCRA Credit Repairs, Graham Doessel says when disputing bills with Telco providers, people make two common mistakes which can cost them their good credit rating unnecessarily.

“Phone companies make mistakes with billing all the time, and undoubtedly some of those mistakes are difficult to resolve. Where their customers go wrong, is assuming just because they have spoken to someone on the phone about the bill, they are no longer obliged to comply with its due date.”

“Consumers also need to ensure when they are disputing a bill, they obtain any resolution in writing before assuming the matter is fixed,” Mr Doessel says.

Under current legislation, an account which is more than 60 days in arrears can be listed by the creditor as being 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.

This comes as the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman reveals unhappy customers experience repeated and time consuming contact with Telcos before referring their matter to the TIO.

The TIO released findings from its research paper, Resilient Consumers, on Friday, a survey of more than 500 consumers who lodged complaints between July and August 2010.

The survey revealed more than half of consumers reported contact with their service providers five or more times before ringing the TIO. It also revealed most consumers reported spending three hours or more unsuccessfully trying to solve their complaint, with one in 5 saying they spent more than nine hours.

“Consumers who come to the TIO report spending substantial time and effort solving their complaints,” said Ombudsman Simon Cohen. “They report being transferred from department to department, not being transferred to supervisors and, perhaps most frustratingly, getting no solution or a broken promise for their efforts. They are – by any measure – resilient consumers.”

Mr Doessel says unresolved bill disputes with Telcos, where people end up with defaults on their credit rating would make up about one-third of his clients.

“Many clients get nowhere trying to dispute the bill with the phone company, and end up copping a default on the chin if they refuse to pay the bill.”

“Some also believe the matter has been resolved. It is not until they apply for credit in a different circumstance that they realise the Telco has placed a default on their credit record,” he says.

Defaults remain on a person’s credit file for 5 years. Under current legislation, defaults generally do not get removed from an individual’s 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” he says.

Mr Doessel says many people are unfairly penalised with a bad credit rating when the matter could have been dealt with better by the Telco in the first place.

“It is astounding the number of Telco credit file listings which contain errors, or have been put there unjustly or unfairly. Under current legislation, people do have the right to have credit file discrepancies resolved. But unfortunately it can be difficult for customers if they are not aware of the appropriate legislation and don’t have time to negotiate with creditors,” he says.

MyCRA Credit Repairs outlines the process they recommend 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 name of each person you speak to. Note any resolutions that were reached and request those be 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 seek reimbursement at a later date, but this will prevent a default for that bill being listed on your credit file.
5. Hang in there, play by the rules of the game and you should find your matter sorted out eventually. But at least once the matter is sorted out you aren’t left attempting to remove a default on your credit file as well.
/ ENDS

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

Graham Doessel – Director Ph: 3124 7133 http://www.mycra.com.au/

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

Links:

http://www.tio.com.au/media_statements/RELEASES/2011/08_12_Resilient_Consumers_Report.html

Image: Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
18/08/2011
Caught in the credit card trap

CREDIT cards are easy to come by, but not so easy to make work for you. Consumers are warned being caught out by credit cards could cost you your financial future.

National credit rating repair company Director GRAHAM DOESSEL urges people to educate themselves on credit cards and their credit rating – to avoid paying the price for years to come.

“Overdue payments on all bills, including repayments on credit cards are the biggest reason for defaults on your credit rating. These defaults can remain on your credit rating for 5 years, and impact your chances of obtaining further credit in the future” he says.

According to new figures from the RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, we are sinking into record levels of credit debt. We now collectively owe close to $49 billion, having been approved for 14.8 million credit cards – more than ever before. More than two-thirds of this whopping bill, or $35.5 billion, is accruing interest every day at an average punitive rate of 19.7 per cent per annum. It means Australians are wasting $7 billion a year in interest on credit cards.

Mr DOESSEL says more education is needed to ensure people are aware of the implications of both applying for and repaying credit debt.

“The statistics, and our experience shows Australians are struggling with credit. People need to develop the ethos that credit is not something that is granted, it is something that is earned. What they do right now can affect them for at least five years – good and bad” he says.

5 WAYS TO MAKE CREDIT CARDS WORK FOR YOU

1. Set yourself a limit and set your credit limit to this – then you won’t be tempted to overstep what you can afford to repay.

2. Don’t exceed the credit limit.

3. Don’t pay just the minimum balance on your card. If possible, pay off the entire balance within the interest free period. If you don’t, you will be charged interest right back to the date of purchase on each item thus forfeiting the interest-free period on those PAST purchases. What’s worse, you must pay the balance off in full before you will get any interest-free period on CURRENT and FUTURE purchases. If you have debt that remains on your card month to month you should look at a card that has a lower interest rate. It may not offer an interest free period, but the lower interest rate should save you more in the long run.

4. Be aware that interest usually applies immediately on any cash advances from credit cards – whether the withdrawal is within the interest free period or not.

5. Read the fine print on all credit applications and make sure the deal is right for you. Don’t be lured by promises of rewards or other special deals – concentrate on the fees, interest and repayments.

Mr DOESSEL advises anyone who has ever been credit active to obtain a copy of their credit file and check for any discrepancies. They can do so for free from the major credit reporting agencies – Veda Advantage, Dun & Bradstreet or Tasmanian Collection Services (if you are Tasmanian). This will be provided within 10 working days – or for a fee it can be provided urgently.

“It is common for people to not even realise they have a default until they apply for a car or home loan and are declined due to a bad credit rating” he says.

A credit file is compiled on any person who has ever been ‘credit active’. It lists personal details like name and address, but also any times the person has applied for credit, any defaults (overdue accounts), court judgements, writs and bankruptcies.

“A clear and healthy credit file really is the ticket to financial freedom. It allows people to do things on a whim – travel, borrow money, buy goods and go into business” Mr DOESSEL says.

If a credit file check does uncover some nasty surprises – it could be possible to repair the damage done by seeking out a reputable credit file repairer.

If people have any default, writs or judgements which have errors, have been entered unfairly, unjustly or just shouldn’t be there at all, a credit file repairer can help to remove the offending black mark and clear the file – something which people find very difficult to do on their own.

“Most times a credit reporting agency will tell clients that defaults are never removed, but can be marked as paid. People are then stuck with a dodgy credit rating for 5 years. But they shouldn’t have to put up with it, as it is possible to have many defaults removed. MyCRA has had up to a 91.7% success rate in removing defaults on files we’ve take on. Usually the turn around is 3-21 days” Mr DOESSEL says.

(Update: turn around times have increased on some files to 45 – 60 days due mainly to the delays in processing from creditors and ombudsmen services.)

The MY CRA website has more information for people who need advice on their credit file. There are fact sheets on how to go about removing defaults and more information on credit and its consequences in AUSTRALIA today.

###

Links:

http://au.pfinance.yahoo.com/credit-cards/features/credit_card_tips/index.html http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/australians-hit-record-credit-card-debt/story-e6frea6u-1225988447714 http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/money/money-matters/tips-for-reducing-credit-card-debt/story-fn3hwldr-1225995954494

Please contact:

Graham Doessel http://www.mycra.com.au/

Ph: 07 3124 7133

246 Stafford Road, STAFFORD QLD.

About MyCRA.com.au MyCRA.com.au is 100% Australian owned and operated and we are based in Stafford, a northern suburb of Brisbane in Qld. My CRA was developed for the sole purpose of giving clients access and ability to work with their Credit File. This is in order to give them the best chance of getting approval, getting a lower interest rate or just to reduce the upfront fees that can be associated with obtaining credit.

My CRA are able to help you get a copy of your credit file and from that determine how we can help repair a credit file. We have more than 15 years combined experience in working with and helping clients with their credit files. We are the fastest known credit rating repair agency in Australia. We can often remove judgements in as little as 3 days.

As Director I [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”][GRAHAM DOESSEL] previously owned a very successful mortgage brokerage company “Mortgage Now” before establishing My CRA because I saw a great need in the industry for credit repair.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

12/03/2011
Has Telstra Put 220,000 Clients At Risk Of Identity Theft By Their Error?

Telstr has sent out 220,000 ‘botched’ letters to clients with other customers information showing what Plans, Phone numbers, even Silent Numbers and Names of other clients.

This could SERIOUSLY affect the privacy of 220,000 people in a real way and The Australian Privacy Commissioner is not happy.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority Chairman, Mr. Chris Chapman said yesterday “The main priority initially is to limit the damageto consumers caught up in

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Chris Chapman, Chairman of the ACMA

this mail out and where possible to ensure remedies are quickly implimented.”

“I have spoken with Telstra and they have assured us they will fully co-operate with the ACMA and other regulatory agencies to minimise the fall out for customers,” Mr Chapman said.

Mr. Timmothy Pilgrim (The Australian Privacy Commisioner) has advised that his office will commence an investigation into the matter.

Mr. Pilgrim went on to say, “While I welcome Telstra’s prompt advice that this incident occurred and that it has taken steps to contact affected customers, I am concerned about the amount of personal information that has been disclosed which includes potentially sensitive information such as silent numbers.”

“Customers expect their personal data to be protected by organisations and incidents such as this are very serious. For this reason my Office will be opening an investigation into the matter today,” Mr. Pilgrim continued.

Telstra has acted quickly to set up a hotline for its affected customers 1800 307 987.

Graham Doessel CEO of National Credit File Repair Firm My CRA said, “While Telstra,

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Graham Doessel, MyCRA CEO

The Privacy Commissioner and The ACMA are all working together to get this mess cleaned up, the simple truth is the damage has already been done. The amount of information contained in these letters could be the last piece in the Identity Theft Puzzle.”

“There are organised gangs that actually go through peoples rubbish just looking for discarded rates notices, phone bills, credit card and bank statements, old rego papers and anything else they can use to convince the authorities that they are you,” Graham Doessel continued.

Mr. Doessel also commented, “Once the organised gangs have come back enough times (can take many months), got the paperwork they need, they will systematically go about building a copy of your identity. Then they can access bank accounts, get credit cards, apply for loans, phone accounts, and in some cases, buy property in your name. Some have even mortgaged or sold the family home of their Identity Theft Victims.”

A 2007 Australian Breau of Statistics survey shows over 500,000 people in Australia have been victim of Identity Fraud, with the majority coming from Credit or Bank Card Fraud.

If you think there is even a small chance that you may be the victim of Identity Fraud, (also known as Identity Theft) the simplest thing you can do is to contact www.MyCreditFile.com.au and request a Free copy of your credit file.

You are entitled to one free copy of your credit report ever year and it will arive within 10 working days. If you need a copy of your credit rating any sooner, you can pay a small fee to have it emailed to you within a couple of hours.

If you do discover there are concering entries on your credit rating, you have hte right to contest those and potentially have them ammended or removed.

Contact your creditor and ask that the items are updated or removed though we do find that unfortunately many clients are bluffed by their creditors and are unsuccessful after many months of trying.

If you are time poor or just want he best chance of repairing your credit rating, investigate the option of engaging a professional credit repair firm.

All professional credit repair firms will have a detailed website, publish all of their prices, have success stories from real clients and display their success rates.

Do your home work and then get your financial integrity back.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

29/10/2010
Another Optus Default removed

Today we notified our Client Juan M. of WA that his OPTUS default was removed.

We began work on the 21st of September and the default was removed today (the 30th of September 2010) Just 7 working days…

Case Study.

Client went overseas for 3 months and was unaware of the outstanding account. As soon as he was made aware of the bill he paid it immediately.

The Client provided detailed and accurate accounts of dates he traveled, amounts paid, dates paid, evidence of travel and payments etc to back up his claims. This greatly assisted in the speedy removal of the default.

30/09/2010