Is Your Credit Score Getting in the Way?
Building or repairing your credit isn’t easy. Whether you’re starting from scratch or trying to recover after financial setbacks, staying on top of your finances can feel overwhelming.
As well, relying too heavily on credit can create its own problems. Not paying cash up front, make it easy to spend more than you can afford. Before long, monthly payments can pile up and become difficult to meet.
How to Start Building Your Credit
If you don’t have an established credit history—or you’re trying to rebuild after financial difficulties—you may need to seek some help.
Option One
One option is a secured credit card. These cards require a deposit, which typically becomes your credit limit. Because the lender has less risk, they’re often easier to obtain. Unlike debit or prepaid cards, secured credit cards require monthly payments. To get the full benefit, make sure the company reports your payment history to the credit bureaus so your positive activity helps improve your credit.
Option 2
Another option is becoming an authorized user on someone else’s credit card account. In this arrangement, the primary cardholder adds you to their account. You’ll receive a card, and the account may appear on your credit report. If the account is managed responsibly, it can help you build a positive credit history. Of course, this works best when the primary user consistently pays on time.
The key in both situations is developing consistent habits—especially paying what you owe on time.
Check Your Credit Reports Regularly
Consumers are entitled to a free credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—every week. Reviewing your reports allows you to spot mistakes or unfamiliar accounts. Use annualcreditreport.com to access your free credit reports.
Hard Inquiry v. Soft Inquiry: What’s the Difference?
Accessing your own report would be a “soft inquiry” and does not damage your credit score at all. On the other hand, your score can drop by a few points if you have a “hard inquiry”—which can occur when your credit report is accessed by a creditor. This can happen when you apply for credit, but it can also happen illegally—when a creditor pulls your credit report without your permission.
Send a written dispute if you notice inaccurate information or an impermissible hard inquiry. Correcting errors can make a meaningful increase to your credit score.
Seek Legal Help from Qualified Consumer Lawyers
Flitter Milz is a nationally recognized consumer protection law firm representing individuals facing credit reporting errors and credit privacy violations.
Your consumer credit reports (and other consumer reports) are to be kept private under federal law. If there is a lingering inaccuracy on your credit report(s), or if you believe someone has accessed your credit report without legal authorization, contact us for a no cost consultation at: Phone: 888-668-1225 Email: consumers@ConsumersLaw.com
Many Americans struggle with debt. Especially now, as recent reports show that more people are falling behind on their personal loans and credit cards. It’s not just low-income families, but higher earners are having trouble too.
Nonprofit credit counseling agencies say they are seeing more people from various income brackets asking for help. In fact, many agencies reported a big jump in new clients in 2025.
Experts say people are shifting from “extra spending” debt to “survival debt.” This means many families borrow money by using high-interest credit cards or loans to pay for basic needs such as groceries, gas, utility bills, and rent or mortgages. Although credit may act as a lifeline to prevent hunger or homelessness, it often leads to a cycle of only making minimum payments, which ultimately keeps the consumer in debt.
Falling behind on credit cards, auto loans and mortgages have become more common. For example, about 13% of people with FHA home loans show an increase in making late or missed payments. These loans, often used by first-time homebuyers, may result in mortgage foreclosures.
Some people enroll with credit counseling agencies to assist with management of debt. The agencies help with financial education, budgeting and payment plans to oversee regular payments to accounts. The advantage is that these plans may combine several obligations into one monthly payment, and offer a lower interest rate. As well, the credit bureaus may list the accounts as “current” while minimum payments are made, instead of listing late or missed payments.
Conflicts about money and finances can be destructive to relationships. When savings are gone and safety nets for emergencies are lost, pressure intensifies for couples with every bill that comes to the house.
If your phone rings with spam calls or unwanted text messages, you are not alone. Some calls are just a nuisance. Others may feel like harassment. These calls, commonly referred to as robocalls, are not only stressful and but possibly a violation to your consumer rights.
Robocalls are automated calls used by a computerized auto dialer to deliver a pre-recorded or artificial voice message. Sometimes the call may come from a live person. While some calls or texts, like appointment reminders, are legal with consent, most unsolicited sales robocalls are illegal.
Whether calls come from telemarketers, debt collectors, or even well-known businesses, if they break the law, they can be held responsible. The TCPA authorizes penalties of $500 to $1500 for each illegal call or text.
In most cases, companies must obtain your express prior consent, or have an established business relationship, to make automated communications with you. If you did not provide permission to receive these types of calls, they are not allowed to call or text you. If you have informed the company to stop contacting you, they are to stop calling or texting. If they continue contact, there may be a violation of your consumer rights.
Car repossessions are increasing across the United States. A repossession can happen when a borrower does not satisfy the terms of their loan. The numbers are rising quickly. In 2025, there were approximately 3 million vehicle repossessions across the country. We have not seen levels this high since the Great Recession of 2008 – 2009.
The cost of purchasing a car is higher than ever. Last year, the average price of a new car was more than $50,000, and used cars about $26,000. It has been reported that the average monthly payment for a new car is about $749, where a used car is about $529.
1) Gather all documents from the sale
Electronic payments are part of everyday life. Using a debit card, withdrawing cash from an ATM, paying bills automatically, sending money through a payment app, or receiving your direct deposit all involve moving money electronically into or out your bank account. These payments transact very quickly and often without a paper record. Correcting the errors can be very challenging and time consuming.
Legally, an “electronic transfer” is considered one where money is moved between accounts using computer-based systems that rely on secure networks to send electronic instructions between financial institutions. Transactions initiated by check or telephone are not considered electronic transfers.
An “unauthorized” electronic payment is one that was not approved, not expected, and where no benefit was received by the consumer. Often this occurs when a debit card is stolen, account information is compromised, or someone gains access to online banking accounts without the consumer’s knowledge.
Consumers must review bank statements regularly for accuracy and evaluate whether any listed transactions are erroneous. If a transaction was made without permission, there are two questions: Who is responsible for the error? Should the bank return the funds, or is the consumer left responsible for the loss?
Once the bank receives the written dispute, they may provisionally credit your account for the amount of the erroneous transfer. However, they will follow procedures for investigation of the issue. A determination will be made of whether the transaction was actually approved by you. A written reply will be sent identifying the next actions.
This can cause immediate problems such as bounced checks or missed payments—especially for accounts that are set up with automatic or scheduled payments such as rent, mortgage, or other bills. As well, charges for everyday expenses like groceries or gas, may be rejected as the actual amount of cash available is lower than expected.
Credit cards work differently. Charges made to a credit card are paid or “advanced” by the credit card company. The consumer receives a statement at the end of the billing period and reviews all listed charges for accuracy.
Unauthorized charges are when funds are transferred to an account, or charged to an account, by someone other than yourself, without your permission, and without any benefit to you.
All dispute correspondence should be sent by a traceable means, such as Certified Mail – Return Receipt, so that you know when your letter was received.
Electronic signatures—or e-signatures—are everywhere. We click “Agree” or type our name on a device to open bank accounts, purchase vehicles, rent apartments, or accept online terms. Before you sign electronically, here’s what to know.
1. The option to receive paper copies
The key is intent—you must intend to sign the electronic contract that your signature is applied to. But some companies may forge or copy and paste e-signatures to contracts that were never approved by the consumer. Forging an e-signature is illegal, just like forging a signature in ink on paper.
While e-signatures are legal on many documents, some notices, such as those listed below, are required to be delivered in paper form and signed in ink. This is to insure that the person is fully informed and in agreement with the document.
E-signatures are legally valid in most places, which means they carry the same weight as a handwritten signature. The problem is that many e-signature platforms don’t do much to confirm someone’s identity before they sign. If a crooked salesman gets into your email or other online accounts, they may be able to sign contracts in your name without you knowing. Unlike a physical signature, there’s no handwriting to compare, so proving you didn’t sign can be very difficult.
With handwritten signatures, experts can look for clues—like pen pressure, writing style, and unique letter shapes—to spot a forgery. But with e-signatures, there’s nothing physical to examine. Many systems let you “draw” a signature with a mouse or finger, but a scammer can copy yours from another document or even generate one that looks close enough.
When signing electronically, we recommend that you add the date immediately next to your signature. For example, this might look like “John Doe 8/15/2025.” Even if there is a separate space or line for the date, you reduce the risk of loss from a stolen signature by placing the date immediately next to your signature every time.
CARS TRUCKS MOTORCYCLES BOATS RVs
Did the repo agent act abusively or damage property?
Did the police come and assist the repo agent with the repossession?
Did you receive proper notices from your lender after the repossession?
Was your vehicle repossessed within the past six years?
Collection of the deficient balance owed on your auto loan?
Did the lender file a lawsuit to collect the deficient balance?
Flitter Milz attorneys know repossession law and can protect borrowers from illegal tactics used by banks, credit unions and financial institutions. We represent consumers in cases without filing bankruptcy.
Many consumer-facing companies have trended towards including an arbitration clause in their contracts. This “forced arbitration” is a form of resolving disputes outside of the courts. Instead of being able to go to trial before a judge and jury, cases are presented to an arbitrator who decides the case.
litigated the enforceability of arbitration agreements countless times. Send your contract for a no-cost legal review. Our attorneys will determine whether your arbitration clause is binding.
