The credit bureaus want you to believe that you do not need professional help in correcting your credit reports. They maintain that you should be able to do it yourself just by talking or writing to one of their representatives. The Internet is absolutely full of similar advice and counsel (which we find to be largely obsolete, by the way).
If this is true, why is it necessary to continuously amend the law and related administrative protocols to protect consumers? If it is so easy to do, why is it that almost no one has even the least idea of what their rights are in their relationship with credit bureaus? Do you feel safe in letting the private credit bureaus explain themselves to you? And if professionals are so unnecessary, why is their caseload increasing at record rates?
It is true that many people will find it possible to correct their own credit reports. You have every right to try it and you may very well be successful particularly if you have a more simplistic situation. You can purchase any number of publications that will help guide you through the process. Just remember that you will have a lot of letters to write and follow up on, which will take some time and attention, and you will need to know what to do if the credit bureaus don’t respond as you feel they should in the time specified. It would also be helpful for you to familiarize yourself with the various laws and amendments to be sure you are being treated fairly and legally.
Like most industries, there are unscrupulous people in the credit repair business. Some are dishonest and others are incompetent and they make a bad name for the rest of the industry. But the vast majority of professional credit repair people are trying to do a good job and help their clients achieve what they are entitled to under the law. The challenge is to find out which companies can really do the job you require and will do it at a reasonable cost. But isn’t that really the challenge in buying any professional service? As a non-profit Christian ministry, what we want to do is demonstrate that the function of credit repair can be carried out in an honest and conscientious manner with the first priority of actually helping people instead of just taking their money.
Here are some tips to help in deciding on the professional that will do the best job for you:                                                  

1.- Don’t be afraid to shop around. Ask for prices and credentials. Find out if you are getting anything extra from the higher priced companies. There is a significant cost range without necessarily a corresponding variation in the quality of service.

2.- Find out how long the professional has been doing credit repair, the longer the better.

3.- Watch out if the professional “guarantees” that it can do anything other than remove erroneous and obsolete items from your credit report and/or help you increase your FICO Score. Other types of  guarantees are unethical and of questionable legality

4.-Find out if the professional is a member of the Better Business Bureau and if they have had any complaints. Find out how long they have been a member of the BBB.

5.- Be on guard if the professional is unable or unwilling to provide you with useful information similar to this article before it charges you a fee. The professional credit repair service should be willing to provide you with this preliminary counseling service without charge.

6.-The professional credit repair service should be able and willing to refer you to a competent credit counselor if some of the items on your credit report are related to unpaid indebtedness. Some firms such as Exodus Financial Services offer both services.  

7.- Take extra care to verify the authenticity and reliability of “professional” credit repair firms if they are located outside your home state. Don’t deal with anyone through a post office box number; they should be substantial enough to have a real office with a physical address.

8.- Be aware of the law titled the Credit Repair Organization Act that prohibits “credit repair clinics” from collecting up front fees without completing the service first. Nevertheless, there is a distinction between the type of organization referred to in this law and a non-profit agency. Non-profit organizations are exempt from the guidelines of the Credit Repair Organization Act and can charge fees in the manner they find appropriate so immediate costs can be covered due to cash flow limitations. For your information, Exodus Financial Services is not a "credit repair clinic" but is a full service financial counseling agency and a Florida 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. As a result, Cornerstone is exempt from the guidelines of this law and charges for administrative work involved with verifying the accuracy of credit reports the same way as other services offered which is by having an enrollment fee. This procedure is perfectly acceptable and legal among non-profit organizations.
One of the reasons “for-profit credit repair clinics” are not allowed to charge an up front fee is that it has been these types of clinics that in the past have been known to make false guarantees and receive money from customers with the intention of not performing the promised services. The Credit Repair Organization Act was created to stop these kinds of practices. The consumer needs to be educated in making the distinction between the two types of organizations and understand that the law applies to only the one type. Nevertheless, many of the for-profit clinics get around the law by selling an “educational service” or an educational publication or something similar instead of the actual credit repair service. Be careful! Consumers need to be on their guard when they venture out into this industry.