Troubleshooting
Bureau connections, frozen reports, sign-in issues.
- What is a charge-off and how does it affect your credit?
A charge-off is a creditor's accounting decision to record an unpaid debt as a loss. The charge-off alone does not erase the debt.
1 min read - My dispute came back "verified" — what are my next steps?
Start with the bureau response, delivery evidence and the specific information that remains wrong. A new round should address the actual unresolved issue or new evidence, and must not assert that a bureau already replied when no response exists.
1 min read - What should I do when a credit report or scan fails?
A failed scan does not establish that your credit freeze caused the problem. Federal freeze rules except a consumer's own report and a monitoring service the consumer subscribed to.
1 min read - Why isn't my credit report refreshing?
Check the report date and the screen where the failure occurs. Refresh may reuse a recent report, while Analysis & Findings works on stored data and is a separate step.
1 min read - Why won't my credit bureau connection work?
Identify whether the error is in provider verification, a report pull or Analysis & Findings. Those are different steps and do not share one default cause.
1 min read - The bureau didn't respond within 30 days. Now what?
Under FCRA Section 611, a bureau that can't complete its investigation within the deadline (30 days, extendable to 45 if you add new information mid-dispute) must delete the disputed information. If the window passes with no response, allow for mail time, confirm the dates, and then escalate: the dispute record CreditRefresh keeps is your evidence, and a CFPB complaint is the standard next step.
3 min read - I can't log in to my account. What should I do?
Start with the password reset link on the sign-in page and check your spam folder for the reset email. Make sure you're using the email address your account was created with, not a personal alias or an old address. If a payment recently failed, access can be interrupted until billing is current. If none of that gets you in, email support@creditrefresh.ai and we'll sort it out.
2 min read - Why did my credit score drop?
Credit scores are recalculated every time your report changes. Common reasons for a drop include a new hard inquiry, a higher balance or utilization, a late or missed payment, a closed account, or a new collection or charge-off. Some drops reflect real activity; others come from reporting errors you can dispute. Check what changed on your report before assuming the worst.
3 min read - What is identity theft and how does it affect your credit?
Identity theft happens when someone uses your personal information to open accounts or make purchases in your name. Signs on your report include unfamiliar accounts, hard inquiries you don't recognize, addresses you've never lived at, and collections for debts that aren't yours. Active theft requires filing an FTC report at IdentityTheft.gov, freezing your credit, and disputing fraudulent items.
4 min read - What is a credit freeze and how does it work?
A credit freeze blocks most new credit applications by preventing lenders from pulling your credit reports. It's free, federally protected, and the strongest single tool against identity-theft-driven new accounts. A freeze affects bureau pulls — including services like CreditRefresh — so frozen reports need to be temporarily thawed for scans and disputes.
3 min read