How to Get Credit Score Tips

There are a huge number of websites and books offering you all sorts of credit tips, but many of them are unreliable or even outright scams. However, there are a number of reliable resources for credit score tips--you simply need to know the right places to look.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Access tips on the MyFICO website (see Resources below). The Fair Isaac Corporation, which developed the FICO credit score, runs the MyFICO website and offers the most reliable advice on how to boost your FICO score.
2. Browse the Federal Trade Commission's credit resources, including tips on how to improve your credit scores and repair your credit history (see Resources below). You can also register complaints about creditors on their website.
3. Get tips from Myvesta Consumer Finance Assistance, a nonprofit foundation that offers links to all sorts of credit tips, all of which have been checked and are considered dependable (see Resources below).
4. Talk to a financial adviser or planner. While most charge fees, some professional organizations, community organizations and employers set up events to allow you to talk to a financial planner for reduced rates.
5. Consult a credit counseling service if your credit is very poor. Keep in mind that counseling services typically do not provide services for individuals with good credit, although they may provide a list of general tips.

Tips & Warnings

• The majority of credit score tips are variations on the idea of paying your bills on time, keeping your account balances low and only taking out new credit when you need it.
• You can do the majority of any recommended credit repair tactics yourself and for no extra expense. You can even do most of them online.
• Legitimate credit counselors operate as part of nonprofit agencies.
• Do not work with a financial adviser or planner that will not tell you their fees up front.
• There are many scams that target individuals trying to improve their credit score.
• If you are the victim of a credit scam, you can report it to the Federal Trade Commission or your state agency.
• Avoid any company that asks you to pay for credit repair services without an itemized list of what steps they will take, offer to create a new credit identity or take any steps that seem illegal.