How to “Cheat” My Credit Score: 3 Quick Credit Fixes (Feb. 2024)

How To Cheat My Credit Score 3 Quick Credit Fixes

In this age of helpful internet tips and shortcuts for everything, you may have found yourself thinking, “I wonder if there’s an article out there about how to cheat my credit score?” I mean surely there has to be some kind of easy trick that will bump up your score by a quick 100 points without too much work, right?

If you’re among the people looking for a quick fix to cheat your credit score, I’ve got some sad news for you. While you may not find any great results by searching “how to cheat my credit score,” three quick credit fixes (that are not cheating) may help boost your score in a timely manner.

You Cannot Cheat Your Credit Score Without Committing Fraud, But You Can Legitimately Boost it Quickly

FICO LogoThe way the FICO scoring system has been designed prevents people from artificially manipulating their credit score – at least for very long. That’s because creditors are notified when a legitimate negative entry gets removed from a credit report, and they will reinstate that entry almost immediately.

Is there a way to temporarily raise your score? Certainly there is, if you aren’t opposed to committing fraud. And be assured, your score will soon be right back to where it was. Fortunately, if you’re looking to improve your credit score and want to do it legitimately, there are a few ways to accomplish it.

1. Understand the Issue & Look for Credit Report Errors

In order to understand the need for credit repair, let’s take a look at some statistics that the government has issued regarding credit reporting errors.

  • According to the Federal Trade Commission, 1 in 5 Americans have an error on at least one of their three credit reports.
  • At least 5% of us have errors that are so serious we’re probably paying more interest than we should because of them.
  • As many as 20 million Americans have what the FTC calls “significant mistakes” on their credit reports.

It’s for the reasons listed above that we should all take a close look at our credit report, and if we see any errors – do something about it. You can obtain free copies of your credit reports at annualcreditreport.com.

2. Legitimate Credit Repair with Lexington Law

One of the best ways to respond if you’ve identified an erroneous or questionable entry on your credit report is to engage a reputable credit repair agency to help you resolve the issue. Lexington Law Credit Repair, for example, is one of the most respected names in the industry.

They have helped more than 500,000 consumers, who see an average of 10.2 negative items removed within four months. They are also affordable and have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

  • Since 2004, Lexington Law Firm clients saw over 81 million items removed from their credit reports
  • Get started today with a free online credit report consultation
  • Cancel anytime
  • See official site, terms, and details.
★★★★★

4.9

Overall Rating

Better Business Bureau In Business Since Monthly Cost Reputation Score
See BBB Listing 2004 $99.95 8/10

Alternatively, some people choose to perform their own credit repair. This is certainly a valid option, if you have the time and patience to contact the credit bureaus and follow up on your disputed entry requests. The Federal Trade Commission’s website has information on disputing credit report errors, along with tips on the best way to proceed.

3. Build Credit with a Subprime Credit Card

Finally, many people who want to legitimately raise their low credit score can benefit from getting a subprime credit card. These cards are meant for folks who might not qualify for a typical credit card, but who want to start building their credit again. Below are three of our expert’s favorite cards for rebuilding credit — click “Our Reviews” for full details of each card:

  • No credit check to apply
  • Adjustable credit limit based on what you transfer from your Chime Checking Account to the secured account
  • No interest* or annual fees
  • Chime Checking Account and qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more required to apply. See official application, terms, and details link below.
  • The secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Card is issued by Stride Bank, N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa credit cards are accepted.
  • *Out-of-network ATM withdrawal fees may apply. See here for details.
★★★★★

4.8

Overall Rating

Application Length Interest Rate Reports Monthly Reputation Score
5 minutes N/A Yes 9.5
  • $400 credit limit doubles to $800! (Simply make your first 6 monthly minimum payments on time)
  • All credit types welcome to apply
  • Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
  • Initial Credit Limit of $400.00 (Subject to available credit)
  • Fast and easy application process; results in seconds
  • Use your card at locations everywhere Mastercard® is accepted
  • Access to your Vantage 3.0 score from Experian (When you sign up for e-statements)
  • Checking Account Required
★★★★★

4.7

Overall Rating

Application Length Interest Rate Reports Monthly Reputation Score
10 minutes 29.99% Yes 7.5/10
  • Earn 3% Cash Back Rewards* on Gas, Groceries and Utility Bill Payments
  • Earn 1% Cash Back Rewards* on all other eligible purchases
  • Up to $1,000 credit limit subject to credit approval
  • Prequalify** without affecting your credit score
  • No security deposit
  • Free access to your VantageScore 4.0 score from TransUnion®†
    *See Program Terms for important information about the cash back rewards program.
    ** Prequalify means that you authorize us to make a soft inquiry (that will not affect your credit) to create an offer. If you accept an offer a hard inquiry will be made. Final approval is not guaranteed if you do not meet all applicable criteria (including adequate proof of ability to repay). Income verification through access to your bank account information may be required.
    † Your credit score will be available in your online account starting 60 days after your account is opened. (Registration required.) The free VantageScore 4.0 credit score provided by TransUnion® is for educational purposes only. This score may not be used by The Bank of Missouri (the issuer of this card) or other creditors to make credit decisions.
★★★★★

4.7

Overall Rating

Application Length Interest Rate Reports Monthly Reputation Score
7 minutes 29.99% or 36% Fixed Yes 8.0/10

As long as these cards are used responsibly and are paid on time, they can be a great way to bump up your credit score.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are no quick fixes or “cheats” to rebuilding a low credit score – but there are ways you can do it legitimately. Like most challenges in life, the best results come from facing hurdles straight-on, playing by the rules in place, and working hard to get ahead. Whether you choose to fight errors on your credit reports yourself, hire a professional credit repair service to do it for you, or rebuild your credit through new credit, we wish you the best of luck in your credit repair endeavors and hope one of these methods is right for you.

Advertiser Disclosure

BadCredit.org is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. To keep this resource 100% free for users, we receive advertising compensation from the financial products listed on this page. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear on the page (including, for example, the order in which they appear). BadCredit.org does not include listings for all financial products.

Our Editorial Review Policy

Our site is committed to publishing independent, accurate content guided by strict editorial guidelines. Before articles and reviews are published on our site, they undergo a thorough review process performed by a team of independent editors and subject-matter experts to ensure the content’s accuracy, timeliness, and impartiality. Our editorial team is separate and independent of our site’s advertisers, and the opinions they express on our site are their own. To read more about our team members and their editorial backgrounds, please visit our site’s About page.