Mateo Reyes writes about debt collection, the FDCPA and the debt-buying market for CreditRefresh. Mateo worked as a community financial counselor and, before that, inside a collection agency, which showed the gap between what a collector can legally do and what collectors try anyway. Mateo explains the rules in plain English so readers know where they stand.
You will learn what a done-for-you firm includes, how it compares on price and bureau coverage with software you control, and which to choose for your situation.
Mateo ReyesNov 11, 202611 min read
You will learn the federal ceiling on each type of wage garnishment, how each is calculated on your disposable pay, and which limits do not apply.
Mateo ReyesNov 10, 202612 min read
Learn the current average U.S. FICO Score, what counts as a good score, and why an error on your report can be a cause of a low number.
Mateo ReyesNov 3, 20269 min read
You will learn what a zombie mortgage is, why an old balance alone does not authorize foreclosure, and how the lien status and time limit decide whether a holder can act.
Mateo ReyesNov 2, 202610 min read
You will learn what Sky Blue Credit Repair charges, what it can and cannot remove, and when paying a monthly fee makes sense compared with disputing errors yourself.
Mateo ReyesNov 2, 202610 min read
You learn which three credit repair mistakes cost the most and how to dispute only items that look inaccurate, incomplete, unverifiable or too old to report.
Mateo ReyesOct 29, 202617 min read
Learn the difference between watching your credit reports and disputing errors on them, and which one your situation calls for.
Mateo ReyesOct 28, 202616 min read
Lexington Law is a real, attorney-handled credit repair firm with a public CFPB enforcement record. Learn what that record covers and whether you need to pay for disputes.
Mateo ReyesOct 27, 20267 min read
You will learn when a debt collector may call your cell phone, which federal limits apply, and how to stop the calls in writing.
Mateo ReyesOct 26, 202610 min read
You will learn how to pull reports from all three bureaus, spot errors, and dispute them before a lender prices your loan.
Mateo ReyesOct 25, 202611 min read
You will learn why a disputed account can stall your mortgage, what FHA and Fannie Mae require lenders to do, and how the $1,000 disputed-balance threshold affects your file.
Mateo ReyesOct 25, 20269 min read
You will learn how to notify Equifax, Experian and TransUnion of a spouse’s death, handle joint and authorized-user accounts, and dispute errors on your own report.
Mateo ReyesOct 24, 202612 min read
Learn how to read your Desktop Underwriter findings message and which of its two paths determines your next step. The message shows whether the disputed account was counted when the loan was approved.
Mateo ReyesOct 24, 20269 min read
You learn why disputing or requesting validation before paying protects your money, and why the 30-day window matters.
Mateo ReyesOct 23, 202610 min read
Learn why disputing with both the credit bureau and the furnisher at the same time can get an error removed faster, and how the FCRA supports each route.
Mateo ReyesOct 23, 202613 min read
You’ll learn why Clarity Services doesn’t appear on your Experian report and how to request your separate Clarity file to check for errors.
Mateo ReyesOct 22, 20269 min read
You will learn when a late payment can be disputed, why an accurate late mark stays put, and what to ask the lender instead.
Mateo ReyesOct 22, 202611 min read
Learn why a credit bureau cannot reject a dispute simply because software drafted it, which reasons a bureau can legally use, and how to read a rejection notice.
Mateo ReyesOct 21, 202610 min read
You will learn how to confirm your card limit, check all three bureau reports for a blank limit field, and send a written FCRA dispute with your statement attached.
Mateo ReyesOct 21, 202610 min read
Learn why an unpaid medical collection is not an automatic FHA denial, how it still affects your file, and when disputing it makes sense.
Mateo ReyesOct 21, 20268 min read
Learn why a debt you paid to the original creditor can still appear unpaid, and how proof of payment and a written FCRA dispute to each bureau can correct it.
Mateo ReyesOct 20, 202612 min read
Learn how HUD Handbook 4000.1 treats non-medical collections in FHA debt-to-income ratios, and why each collection’s balance and validity matter.
Mateo ReyesOct 16, 202610 min read
Learn how the 30-day validation window works under the FDCPA, what the collector must send you, and how to dispute the same debt with the credit bureaus.
Mateo ReyesOct 16, 202612 min read
You’ll learn why fixing report errors before applying for a card can change your result, how long a dispute typically takes, and when opening the card first makes sense.
Mateo ReyesOct 16, 202611 min read
Learn why a closed card still carries your balance and interest, and how to check all three credit reports for a wrong closure entry.
Mateo ReyesOct 14, 202610 min read
Learn why no tool can wipe a credit file, and how AI can actually help you find and dispute items that shouldn’t be on your reports.
Mateo ReyesOct 14, 20269 min read
Learn why an unsecured credit card debt cannot directly seize your home, what steps a card issuer must take first, and what to do with the debt collector’s notice.
Mateo ReyesOct 13, 202610 min read
You will learn how a creditor freeze happens, which deadlines to track, and the order of steps that can release your money. Start by calling your bank today.
Mateo ReyesOct 13, 202611 min read
Learn why the court deadline on your summons comes first, how to read the complaint, and when to challenge your credit reports.
Mateo ReyesOct 12, 202610 min read
You’ll learn how to identify the reason for a credit-based rental denial and why checking all three bureau reports and any tenant screening file comes first.
Mateo ReyesOct 11, 20269 min read
Learn the levers that can stop or reduce a wage garnishment, how federal law caps what can be taken, and why checking the debt comes first.
Mateo ReyesOct 11, 20269 min read
Learn why the IRS will not send your refund to a credit card company, and how a court judgment can still reach that money after it is deposited.
Mateo ReyesOct 11, 20269 min read
Learn the five changes that most often cause a sudden 100-point drop, which ones can happen without your action, and how to tell an accurate mark from an error worth disputing.
Mateo ReyesOct 10, 202610 min read
Closing the fake card is only the first step. Learn the five things to do today, and how to get the fraudulent account off all three of your credit reports.
Mateo ReyesOct 9, 20269 min read
Learn how bankruptcy treats a car loan, why staying current on payments matters most, and which questions to bring to your bankruptcy attorney.
Mateo ReyesOct 9, 202610 min read
Learn why a paid-off garnishment never appears on your credit report and what the account behind it is actually showing.
Mateo ReyesOct 8, 20269 min read
What Dispute Beast reviewers actually report, and why a bureau’s obligation to investigate depends on the letter, not the app.
Mateo ReyesOct 7, 202613 min read
What a charge-off actually means on the lender’s books, and why the debt itself can still be collected, transferred, or sold.
Mateo ReyesOct 7, 202613 min read
Why a deleted item with a date and a letter behind it tells you more than a score that moves for reasons unrelated to your disputes.
Mateo ReyesOct 7, 202611 min read
Learn why a utility bill in your name stays your responsibility if a roommate skips out, and what actually settles that debt with a collector.
Mateo ReyesOct 7, 2026 min read
No credit score cutoff exists for buy now, pay later or rent-to-own. Learn what each actually checks before approving you.
Mateo ReyesOct 7, 202611 min read
Learn how unpaid rent from a roommate can land on your credit report as a collection when your name is on the lease, and what you can do about it early.
Mateo ReyesOct 7, 202610 min read
Your lender must give you the reason for a denied refinance, and it is often not the item you removed. Learn what the notice must say and how to use it.
Mateo ReyesOct 6, 202611 min read
Learn which specialty files sit behind a landlord, bank or insurer denial, how to request each one free, and how to dispute errors under the FCRA.
Mateo ReyesOct 5, 202611 min read
Software cannot sue a bureau for you, but it can build the dated paper trail an attorney asks for first. Learn where the tool stops and where a lawyer begins.
Mateo ReyesOct 5, 202610 min read
Learn how a servicer handoff can put a duplicate loan or a false late payment on your report, and how two dates and a balance let you dispute it.
Mateo ReyesOct 4, 202610 min read
Why a state medical debt ban may not clear your credit report, how the FCRA’s 1996 carve-out decides it, and the dispute right that still holds up.
Mateo ReyesOct 3, 202611 min read
Learn when a dealership runs a soft pull versus a hard pull, what each does to your score, and why the errors in your file matter more than the pull itself.
Mateo ReyesOct 2, 202610 min read
Removal takes weight off a report but adds no points. Learn how the five FICO factors, from payment history to credit mix, decide your score once the clean-up is done.
Mateo ReyesOct 2, 20269 min read
Learn which of the four dates on a collection starts the seven-year clock, why the date of first delinquency is the one that matters, and where to check it on your report.
Mateo ReyesOct 1, 20269 min read
Learn what “reasonable reinvestigation” means under the FCRA, why “verified” can mean less than you think, and how what you send shapes the checking a bureau owes you.
Mateo ReyesOct 1, 202611 min read
A garnishment is a court order, not a credit verdict. Learn what to check on your Equifax, Experian and TransUnion reports first, and why those steps come before paying anyone.
Mateo ReyesSep 30, 20269 min read
You still owe a charged-off debt, but paying it does not wipe the slate. Learn who owns the debt, what your report shows, and when paying makes sense.
Mateo ReyesSep 30, 202610 min read
A 460 to 579 score is in FICO’s Poor band. See what that costs on loans, cards, and rates, and why the report behind the number is worth checking for errors.
Mateo ReyesSep 29, 202612 min read
Child support garnishment sits outside the 25% wage cap and gets paid before other garnishments. Learn which income can be taken and what to check on your pay stub.
Mateo ReyesSep 29, 202611 min read
What a $49.99 subscription does that a free dispute letter does not, and when the free letter is the better call.
Mateo ReyesSep 28, 202617 min read
What Credit Saint costs, what its reviewers report, and why a dispute only fixes errors, not unpaid balances.
Mateo ReyesSep 28, 202612 min read
How CreditRefresh and Dispute Beast actually differ: who each was built for, what they charge, and what work is still left to you.
Mateo ReyesSep 28, 202612 min read
A side-by-side of what each service costs, who signs the dispute letters, and what that difference means for your three credit reports.
Mateo ReyesSep 28, 202617 min read
Credit Karma’s Dispute button only reaches one bureau. Learn when that is enough and when you need all three covered.
Mateo ReyesSep 28, 202615 min read
Learn why a repossession usually costs more than a charge-off, and what part of that damage is still worth disputing.
Mateo ReyesSep 24, 202610 min read
What actually decides approval after a charge off, and how to check the entry itself before you apply.
Mateo ReyesSep 24, 202610 min read