In the State of Maryland, a Certificate of Merit was, until recently, issued to graduating high-school seniors who met certain academic requirements (such as completion of advanced courses and a cumulative GPA of 3.00); the statewide certificate has since been replaced by endorsements defined by each local school system.
Step Two. Tell the information provider (that is, the person, company, or organization that provides information about you to a credit reporting company), in writing, that you dispute an item in your credit report. Use this sample dispute letter. Include copies (NOT originals) of documents that support your position.
The credit bureaus have 30 days to verify a dispute or it must be removed from your credit report. You can negotiate the removal upon final payment of the amount owed with the original creditor, but make sure you get this writing before paying them off.