I've been lurking and learning for several months now, and am starting to get some positive first round results from a strategy I put together from things learned here. Here's a newbie question regarding a goodwill adjustment. After disputing some Exxon lates with the CRAs, the account came back verified, so I sent a goodwill letter (customized version of what I found in the archives here) about a month ago to the OC requesting that the lates be removed. Results: Exp: Lates are gone. Changed from showing seven 30 day lates to "no status". Interesting thing is that under "Your Statement", there is now a comment that says "Account in dispute inder Fair Credit Billing Act." I never asked for a comment to be inserted, and this was not there during my initial dispute with EXP. Comment appears to be a result of the goodwill letter, which never referenced the Fair Credit Billing Act. No score change, probably since several of the lates are fairly old. They range from 1997 to 1999. It's an old TL dating back to 1987 so I hate to tinker with this too much if this is not worth pursuing further. Should I worry about the comment/ can I get it removed? EQ: Entry completely removed from "Delenquencies and Dergogatory Information" section, but still includes all of the original lates in the "Accounts Sumary: section just as did before. Maybe it just takes some time for changes to make it through EQ's system? "High Volume" message is keeping me from checking again today. TU: Who knows? I'm locked out, apparently because of a wrong answer to a security question about one of my accounts. (I was using THIER data from a TU credit report as my answer!) Guess I'll wait to see the change in a snail mail update from them. Overall first round progress, getting about half of the negative items removed via online disputes with EXP & TU, written disputes with EQ. I mostly just have a bunch of 30 day lates with a variety of dates. Also much improvement in the last year from generally cleaning up my act financially. I took Citibank up on thier offer to reinstate my once-cancelled VISA, then the next month they dropped my interest rate from 19.99 to 14.99 without my asking. I expect scores to zoom when I get high utilization on a few cards under control. EQ 07/2002 596 now 629 EXP 07/2002 was 605 now 637 TU 7/2002 749 now ??? (Kinda makes you go hmmmmm....) Thanks to all for the great info. I'm finding it CAN be done with study and patience. automatr
I have that same statement on my Household account (Is Exxon Household too???). The account was paid off but was still showing a small balance. I was preparing to apply for a mortgage and wanted it to show paid off. I disputed it, it came back verified (even the the account had been paid off for a good 6 months!!) and with that statement. It was not a big deal and I didn't worry too much about it. A little later I disputed the account trying to get that stupid statement off there. THE STATEMENT CAME BACK VERIFIED!!! I called Experian and explained it and she said Household put it on there and they could not remove it. I called Household and they said they were required by law to place it on there because I disputed something that came back verified. She couldn't explain how it was verified as having a 26.00 balance when my balance was 0 but she refused to remove it. I should fight them but it is just so very stupid.
how long did it take for the goodwill letters to work? I sent one to associates/citi and one to discover about 3 weeks ago... still no response.. blah!
