Credit Score War · verified 2026-10-24
Credit Score War: fix your credit, free first.
Start free: get your credit reports from all three bureaus every week at AnnualCreditReport.com, dispute mistakes yourself for free with each bureau, and call an NFCC nonprofit credit counselor if you're behind on debt. No company can legally remove accurate, current negative information, and it's illegal for credit repair companies to charge before they do the work.
Step 1: The free moves
| Move | What you get | Source |
|---|---|---|
| AnnualCreditReport.com | Free credit reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, every week. The only site the three bureaus created for this. Checking your own report doesn't affect your score. | Open |
| Dispute errors yourself (free) | Disputing mistakes is free. Write to the bureau and to the business that reported it. File online with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion; the FTC has sample letters. Equifax disputes · Experian disputes · TransUnion disputes | Open |
| Free scores | Many banks and card issuers show a free credit score in their apps. Dovly AI's free plan (below) also includes a monthly TransUnion report and score. | Open |
| NFCC nonprofit credit counseling | National Foundation for Credit Counseling: nonprofit network with 1,500+ certified credit counselors, helping with budgets and debt management plans since 1951. | Open |
Step 2: Credit repair and building programs (only if you want help)
We list a program only if it publishes its pricing and says it follows the Credit Repair Organizations Act (no fees before work is done).
| Program | Published pricing | What it does | Rules | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dovly AI | Free plan $0/month; Premium: free to start, then $19.99/month | AI-assisted disputes with TransUnion, credit monitoring, credit-building tools | States it is CROA-compliant; soft pull only; cancel anytime | Visit Dovly AI as of 2026-10-24 |
Not listed: Fee-first credit repair firms: Excluded anything that charges before work is done or doesn't publish full pricing. CROA bans fees before services are performed. Lexington Law / CreditRepair.com: A federal court found in 2023 that they collected illegal advance fees (CFPB case); not listed.
FTC warning signs of a credit repair scam
- They insist you pay before they help you.
- They tell you not to contact the credit bureaus directly.
- They tell you to dispute information you know is accurate.
- They tell you to lie on credit or loan applications.
- They tell you to file a false identity theft report.
- They don't explain your legal rights.
- They promise a "new credit identity" or to hide bankruptcy.
Source: FTC, Fixing Your Credit FAQs. Credit repair companies must give you a written contract with the total cost and a three-day right to cancel.
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CashWars is not a credit repair organization and doesn't sell credit services. Not financial advice.
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