Paid $300 for a 'credit sweep' service that did nothing

I saw an ad for a company called Fresh Start Credit Solutions that promised to remove bad marks from my report in 90 days so I could qualify for a home loan. I gave them $300 upfront (which was a mistake) and they just sent a few generic dispute letters that got rejected. My score only went up 5 points after four months, which is basically nothing. Has anyone actually had a good result from paying for help like this, or is it always better to just do the disputes yourself for free?

4 comments

4 Comments

taylor_patel1mo ago

Yeah, those services are almost always a scam, just do it yourself.

brookeellis1mo ago

Totally get where you're coming from, used to believe the same thing. Had a buddy pay for one of those resume writing services last year and it was a complete joke, generic stuff he could have done in an hour. But then my sister used a different one to help with her career switch into tech, and they actually knew the right keywords and format to get her past the automated filters. She got way more interviews. So I guess it really depends on the specific service and what you need it for. Some are definitely scams, but a good one for a tricky situation might be worth it.

brian_baker1mo ago

Those companies can't do anything you can't do yourself for free.

williamhenderson1d ago

Ugh, that's the worst. Sorry you got burned on that. It really does seem like most of those places just take your money and mail out the same form letters.