SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A consumer advocacy organization has announced a new strategic alliance for purposes of assisting people throughout America who struggle with correcting errors on their credit reports. The non-profit foundation, Credit KODA, will turn to Scottsdale-based McCarthy Law and their national network of attorneys for legal assistance.
According to Credit KODA representatives, credit reporting errors are rampant – usually one in six are affected – and consumers are either unaware of them or unable to get them corrected when dealing with the three major credit reporting agencies.
“Unfortunately millions of people are victims of poor credit scores because they unknowingly have errors on their credits reports and they feel helpless in dealing with the big credit bureaus to get them fixed,” said Todd Westover, president of Credit KODA. “The result is their inability to live a normal life as citizens who should be trusted to use credit wisely.”
Westover says that being just 30 days late on a payment, regardless of circumstances such as Covid-19, will result in a blemish on a person’s credit report that could last up to seven years. He says the penalties are numerous and include being turned down for credit, paying higher interest rates and living with a credit score that punishes people unfairly.
Credit KODA uses a two-step process that holds credit bureaus accountable for the errors on people’s credit reports and with proper documentation, takes action to have them corrected in 45 days or less. Should that not occur, the foundation will turn to McCarthy Law for legal representation and resolution at no out-of-pocket cost to the consumer.
“Unfortunately the credit industry is stacked in favor of the big financial institutions and that’s just not fair,” said Westover. “That’s why the attorneys we’re allied with fight for people who cannot otherwise afford legal representation.”
Some of the more common credit reporting errors are outstanding balances shown when the creditor had actually been paid, accounts being incorrectly reported after being discharged in a bankruptcy, and credit accounts being reported twice, by both the original creditor and debt buyer. Various fraudulent activities can also be common.
Credit KODA Director of Client Services, Paul Kellam, says that though the working alliance is new, McCarthy Law has been correcting people’s credit reports and improving their credit scores for more than 10 years.
“The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law and it gives us the muscle to force the credit agencies to take action and correct errors in people’s reports. The law provides for the accuracy, fairness, and privacy of consumer credit information, all things that we very much care about at Credit KODA,” said Kellam.
Kellam said that the foundation will accept tax-free contributions from anyone that believes in their mission of advocating for consumer’s rights under FCRA.
For more information about obtaining credit reports, credit scores and how to work with the credit agencies to have errors corrected, contact Paul Kellam at paul.kellam@creditkoda.org.
About Credit KODA
Credit KODA is a non-profit organization that exists to advocate for consumer’s rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which was passed by Congress in 1970. The Scottsdale-based organization was established to assist consumers throughout the country with their credit reports to ensure accuracy and fairness.
About McCarthy Law
McCarthy Law PLC was established in 2010 and exists to help people who find themselves in difficult financial situations because of too much debt or errors on their credit reports. They have served thousands of consumers throughout the country over the past decade. In addition to credit correction, McCarthy is expert in settling debt with creditors, represents their clients in lawsuits.