Hello. This is my first time here, and I have many questions. This will probably be long...Just so you know Here is my situation: I just got a copy of my credit report from all 3 agencies for the first time. I know very little about credit scores, but according to the score given by the company I got the reports from, it is 575 = POOR. I do not have the actual scores from the 3 agencies. It took me a lot of years to grow up, and it reflects on my credit report. There are 13 accounts that went to collections (I think a few are duplicates with different collections names). There are 4 charge off's as well. There is something from AFCA that bothers me. I think this was a service I looked into, but decided I didn't want it. It shows 13 90+ lates. I NEVER paid for this because I didnt want it, and I told them that! I think this must be killing me ! There are a few things on the report that I know I paid, but are still on the reports. There is something from CFG Acceptance (I think it is for some company called GREEN COUNTRY) for $844. I was told by someone that this company got sued, and this is supposed to be off my record with nothing owed. I am not sure. And I show several very little ($40 - $100) items in collections. Now, here are my questions--- As I pay off these little items, will they make an impact on my score ? If so, how many points do you think these kind of things are worth ? Is it even possible for someone with my score to ever build my score to where I dont have to worry about being approved for a car loan or store credit card ? Are store credit cards harder/easier to obtain than regular credit cards? What I have done---- I have obtained a credit card from CROSS COUNTRY, and have a $700 limit. I have one from FIRST PREMIER for $250. I have also accepted an additional card from CROSS COUNTRY with a $500 limit. I have started to pay the small affordable items on my report, and disputing the larger ones. Is it possible for these people to completly remove my charge off items if I pay them in full ? Sorry for all the questions...Ummm....You still awake ? Hello ? Okay..Just checking. If anyone can help with any of this, please let me know. I am desperate to get my credit back in order, and will do anything it takes. Maybe pay some company to do it for me ? Good/Bad idea ? I am a police officer, and it is important for me to get my credit score up for future promotions (yes, they check this stuff) Thanks people. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I plan to make this site my new home : ) Deputy
Whoops...2 more things. How long can it take for me to raise my score to a respectable level, and how can I obtain my actual scores from the credit reporting agencies? Thanks again.
Deputy, Paying a charge-off or collection account does not improve your score unless the creditor agrees to delete the tradeline upon payment. I made this mistake. I paid a collection account and the creditor updated it as paid in full. It remains as a negative on my report. I managed to get it deleted from two CRA's but a third surprised me and didn't delete. The most beneficial way to do it is this: Get an agreement in writing with the creditor that upon payment the account will be deleted from all CRA's. For the accounts you think that don't belong on your report, dispute them as not mine. Then wait and see what happens before your next move. For the accounts that are duplicates, I suggest that you dispute as not mine before disputing as duplicates. Some people have had success simply by disputing as not mine. If the creditor doesn't respond to the CRA in 30 days, the account is supposed to be deleted. Dispute as not mine and see what happens. Oh by the way have you checked to ensure none of your accounts are not over 7 years past delinquency? Just yesterday a friend pulled his CR and ask me to look at it. He had 3 charge-offs that should have been deleted last year due to 7 year rule. He even had an account that defaulted in 1986 that had been re-aged! Check for these kind of errors. If you want a free score from TU simply go to their website and order on line. You get a free report and score when you indicate that you have been denied credit in the past 60 days. You must list the creditor's name and the date the creditor made an inquiry into your credit. I've done this over and over again. Just select any creditor that inquired into your credit in the last 60 days. It works! You can pull your worthknowing.com report first (it's a TU report) then you will see creditors and dates. Use those creditors and dates on the TU site.
www.transunion.com FREE report if you put that you were denied for credit (I always put Citibank and then a recent date, even if I wasn't denied) www.creditexpert.com 30 day free trial, some people pay the $80 after the 30 days, others cancel before the 30 days and then resign up free on day 32. www.equifax.com NO FREEBIES here. $12.95 for score power which gives you one report. $39? for a subsciption to score power? you get 4 reports, for the price of 3, for the year. I do this one because i check every 30 days. When you dispute, only dispute about 3-4 items per dispute, and start off with not mine. Personally I would dispute the paid ones first, then the unpaid ones. Goodluck!
