Your credit controls a lot in your life. It can impact your ability to get a car, a home, insurance, and some employers will even pull a credit score as part of their reference check. When your credit is not up to snuff, you may find it difficult to obtain even the most minimal credit, and when you do find it you’ll likely be paying sky-high interest.

This is where credit repair companies enter the scene. Often we try on our own at first to fix problem credit, trying hard to make more than minimum payments in an attempt to pay off debt and work on bringing a credit score back up. However, if you’ve decided that this route just isn’t working, and you need a little extra help and guidance, you may be considering a credit repair company’s services.

Great. These companies exist for a reason, and that reason is to help average Canadians deal with problem credit. That being said, all credit repair companies are not created equal. While some are fantastic and honestly aim to help you repair your credit as quickly as possible, others are really little more than smash and grab schemers with no intention of actually helping you reach your goal.

So, how do you choose the one that will truly help? There are certain things to look for, and certain things that should be considered red flags.

Start online. Check reviews and social media to see what others are saying. Is the company on Facebook or Twitter? Are they active? This is usually a sign that they are genuine since others can post about the company. Activity which includes content that is valuable to you is also a good thing – it shows the company is taking the time to address your needs, whether you are a client or not.

Does the company have a physical address? Are you able to find them on Google Maps and drive to an office and speak with someone? Can you find the contact information of owners and employees on the company’s website? Those smash and grab companies we spoke of earlier – they are taking money with the promise of assistance and behind the scenes the only thing they are doing is pocketing it. If there is no office, there is no real way to find a person if things go south.

When you call for a consultation, how many solutions are offered? If there is only one solution suggested, and the underlying factors which led to the problem credit in the first place are not addressed, you may want to go with a different company on the list. The one you choose should be able to provide a plan following a review of your credit and financial profile and a process to follow-up your success.

Credit repair is about more than just credit. Credit repair may involve changing habits and addressing debts, and these two things require a strategy.

At DebtCare, we’ll sit down and work with you on a strategy that fits your unique situation, fixing your credit effectively, as quickly as possible. Call us today at 1-888-890-0888.