Expert Credit Witness Scores Again
Quick, what do you call a three-digit number that can open doors for you—or ruin your life? If you answered “credit score,” go to the head of the class. Many people (and this includes distinguished members of the legal profession) pay scant attention to their credit scores, and that can end up costing them big time.
Meet Valerie Van de Zilver, the tough-minded expert credit witness whom lawyers love to call. Orange County law professionals know from working with her that Valerie won’t wilt on the witness stand. They know that she’s a strong witness who can keep her composure under relentless questioning, thanks to her encyclopedic grasp of credit-related issues. And they’ve grown to appreciate her combative spirit and disciplined work habits. It’s a brand of expert assistance that helps them remedy injustices, restore reputations and win cases.
Having studied over 12,000 individual credit reports, Valerie is an expert on credit scores and the credit industry’s scoring models, credit repair, the Fair Credit Report Act (FCRA), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), predatory lending practices, and dealing with the financial fallout from identity theft.
"Credit scores have become more important in everyday life," Valerie explains. "Initially, credit scores were important only if someone was buying a home. But their role has changed dramatically—one might almost say insidiously—over the years. Your credit scores are now used to determine everything from insurance rates to loan and credit card rates. What’s more, credit scores are increasingly used to evaluate employment and rental applications. That’s why it pays to take an active role in managing your credit profile instead of waiting until the next time you think of buying a house."
