curious about peoples scores...

Okay, you asked for it.

Last time we obtained our scores was about 18 months ago before we re-financed our house, so I'm sure they are different now.

TU/EX approx 805
EQ 733 if I remember correctly.

Equifax had a bogus paid collection and a bogus un-paid collection on my record. I contacted the CAs, worked it out with them, and disputed with Equifax and they were gone 30 days later. Not sure what the current number is.

One mortgage, always on time (although I had fits with those idiots at Countrywide, who punched holes in the MICR strip of my check and wanted to charge me late fees and a $25 check return fee as if it was my fault...amazing what a complaint to the appropriate state agency can accomplish), one really active credit card (airline miles) that is paid off monthly, one other card used rarely as a reserve, an equity account for $26K, occasionally with a balance on it.

Oh yeah and TONS of open accounts with no balance. Mostly as a result of taking advantage of those buy now, pay nothing for 12 months and no interest if paid in full in advance of that, which we always do.

Why am I here? To make sure I don't get screwed with anymore. There is another person who lived in my city with the same name who I continue to get associated to (the paid collection to the local phone company), a CAs calls for $19,000 for a debt of his, and the same OC (different branch) filing suit against me for a similar bill.

I'm a fool no longer. Okay, maybe I am, but I'm getting smarter.

 

Just to show how NOT to do things, here's mine.

By way of explanation, I've spent 3-1/2 years under-employed due to the tech recession. Our household is still making < 50% of what it was in 2001. I'm making 30% of what I was in 2001.

There were a couple of good years before that, and before that, I had the aftermath of my late husband's death credit spree, which still has its some effect on my report (he died, I was sad, I bought a lot of stuff, I couldn't work, etc.).

FICO 485 to 543 (depending on bureau)
PG FAKO has improved an average of 4 points per bureau in last month (which is how long I've been working on this).

Open credit cards: 5, all small balances and limits.

Three of them have 2-3 30 day lates in the last 24 months (some of them in last 3 months due to an oops on my part -- I tucked the prepared bills into my briefcase and forgot to mail them). Overall utilization: 86% (down from 96%).

Car loan with 4 30-day lates in last 24 months, but none in last six months.

No mortgage.

Three to seven collection accounts, depending upon bureau. Most of these duplicate original creditor charge-off records, so I get a double-whammy.

And lots of student loans. TU has them on twice with balances (oh joy!). Due to a sale and consolidation, some loans have three entries on my report.

Part of my problem was that I was taught that running cards fairly close to the limit was "good." Just last month, I discover that isn't true. So I'm working on it, it'll just take a while.

Even without getting any negative items removed, I can probably get up into the 600 range by:

1) Reducing utilization;
2) Continuing to make on-time payments;
3) A goodwill letter (I wasn't going to try writing one until I'd done both of the following: a) kept my utilization at no more than 35% for six months; b) on-time payments for a year).