Equifax urges Australians to be wary of 'credit repair' style organisations. In particular, you should think twice before paying for the services of a company that claims they can repair your Credit Report.
Credit repair companies
Credit repair companies claim they can fix your Credit Report or clear your credit history. Equifax urges Australians to be careful of such companies. They claim, not always credibly, to be able to remove negative information from people’s Credit Reports. The charge for this is often over $1,000.
Yes, in some circumstances you can. If you believe inaccurate information has been put in your Credit Report, you can ask the credit provider who supplied that information, or the credit reporting body that received it to investigate. Such investigations are free and if the disputed information is found to be inaccurate or incomplete, it will be deleted or modified. If you are unsatisfied with the response of the credit provider or credit reporting body, you can also seek advice from a community legal service or financial counsellor. Organisations such as National Debt Helpline and Good Shepherd provide assistance at no or minimal cost.
In addition, if you are dissatisfied with the outcome of an investigation by the credit provider or credit reporting body, you can utilise the services of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). ACFA provides free services to Australian consumers.
For more information on the Equifax complaints process please visit our Complaints section in the Help Centre.
Need more information?
ASIC MoneySmart also provides information on credit repair and financial counselling.
CreditSmart warns consumers to beware of credit repair companies and also provides information on legal advice.