Here's a question, What affect would it have on my CR or with how creditors and CRA's view me, if I were to rent a mail box from the Post Office here in my town, and use that as my main mailing address from now on versus using my street address? Here's why, first, it may help when disputing some TL's and accounts in the future, but more importantly because there is a VERY similar street name just about 1/2 mile away from me, and I KNOW that some of my mail gets sent incorrectly there. I know this must be true, because at least one to two times a month I will get their mail. We have the same street number and the street names are only different by a few letters. I always mark on the letter "wrong address" and put it back in the mail box, but I believe the people who are getting my mail just toss it in the trash. Several times I have been late with various bills because I never received the bill, and I just don't have it embedded in my mind all the things that I should be getting monthly statements for. Usually things like the water bill that comes every 2 months, or the power bill or phone bill, I seem to not notice if I don't get one after 30 days from the last one. So, I want to get a mail box at the local post office and have all my mail delivered there, this way I know I won't be losing any of it. But, will this cause a flag or something with the CRA's? FedUp2003
There is anecdotal evidence which supports a couple of things in this regard: 1) Lenders are less likely to award new credit or increase credit lines for those customers who use temporary addresses like post office boxes. 2) FICO scores are dependent in some small degree upon the existence of a permanent address. Some consumer analysts have suggested (again, only anecdotally since Fair Isaac hasn't released their algorithms) that FICO scores can even be impacted by zip code (which opens a whole other bag of worms). Of course we're talking Plato (opinions) here rather than Aristotle (empirical proof), so I'm sure others may present other views. Doc
Hi FedUp, If you are going this route, I would suggest renting a mailbox from MailBoxes Etc. rather than the post office. Then, use the street address of MailBoxes Etc. and your box number as the address ... this avoids noting "P. O. Box xxx " on your change of address. If a MailBoxes Etc. is located at "123 Main Street" , and your box number is 456, use the following format for your change-of-address: 123 Main Street, #456, Anytown, CA 90210 instead of saying 123 Main Street, P. O. Box 456, Anytown, CA 90210 Your mail gets there regardless of which address format you use; but with the former you have the advantage of the address looking like an apartment number. Best of luck
Well, I've read in other posts that using something like Mailboxes, etc ... will cause a flag in your file and eventually the CRA's discover that you are using a MBE and this is even worse in your file. I'm not really trying to fake out anybody on addresses or trying to change my address and then do some disputes, hoping that because the address is now different they can't verify... I'm simply looking for a way to get my mail without having to worry that it's going to the wrong address. It is safe to say that in the past year, I have probably received over 20 pieces of mail that are not mine, and I can only assume that a like number of letters meant for me are going to the other address, and I fear that they just get tossed in the trash. I've submitted numerous complaints to my local post office, but nothing ever gets done. All I ever get told is that they will talk to the route carrier, and sometimes they tell me that the original carrier was pregnant and out a lot, so a temp or substitue driver would fill in and this is why mistakes were made, or that the carrier was sick and a fill-in carrier made the mistake. I have also been told that if I receive magazines, that a lot of times letters will sometimes get stuck in with these and that's how they get mixed up, etc ... All sounds like B.S. to me, but what can I do? I've asked to written complaint forms or for a manager, etc ... and all I ever get is the same person. Is there a State or Regional or Federal person that I can complain too? This is why I want to get a P.O. Box, not to trick or circumvent anything, but just to be sure I get my mail.... ...and my question is what kind of effect might this have with creditors and how the CRA's treat me. FedUp2003
Well I live at a residence and for some reason, the CRA's have a notation in my file that my address is a business/amusement/commercial building. Is this affecting my score? If so, WTF? Hating CRA's and FICO more and more, Me
I believe that I have read in some other threads here that having that notation, or them knowing that your address is a commercial or business or MBE type address does somehow affect your FICO score. It's like they think you are being under-handed or something. FedUp2003
I wonder what I have to do to prove them that it's not a commercial building? Invite them all to dinner, have them hypnotized and have them delete ALL of our negative info. the next day. Then make them squack like chickens everytime the phone rings.
I must have been tired last night. Chickens don't squack. As a matter of fact what goes squack? Any way, I meant cluck.
Squack! Is this sound I make every time I try to deal with a CRA or CA or CSR rep. I was really hoping to get more responses than this, cause I'm sure there must be some folks out there who have had personal experince with this. Would it be a good idea or bad idea, in regards to credit issues/standing, to get a post office mailbox and have all my monthly billing/business/recurring account types of letters sent there, and only use my street address for friends and relatives to use to send me Birthday cards and such, or would I be better off letting everything come to my street address (other than the mail that gets mis-directed to another address.) FedUp2003
Looking for more comments about using a P.O. box versus my street address. Even after numerous complaints to my local Post Office, I still get other peoples mail (the same 1 or 2 people again and again) and I'm certain that some of my mail gets mis-directed as well. Would using a P/O/ box screw up my credit profile or credit reports, etc .... FedUp2003
Re: Re: --> Question about Addresses Once you get the card...you can change the "BILLING" ADDRESS TO A PO BOX... MANY applications say "NO PO BOX ADDRESSES"
Re: Re: --> Question about Addresses Some people I know live in the "BOONIES" the POST OFFICE does NOT deliver mail to their house...they have a FREE PO BOX at the nearest POST OFFICE... Some have even had a VERY HARD TIME USING A PO BOX NUMBER AS THEIR ADDRESS FOR APPLICATIONS OR HAVING BILLS SENT TO...EVEN WITH A LETTER FROM THE POST OFFICE SAYING THAT IS IS REQUIRED TO HAVE A PO BOX!!! But many others have had NO PROBLEMS... YMMV F.I.C.O. as far as I can tell...should have NO difference with a PO BOX vs STREET ADDRESS
Re: Re: --> Question about Addresses Thanks, That's what I was thinking about doing. When filling something out or when a street address is required, then use the street address, but then try to have everything else sent to a P.O. box. I guess with the CC's I currently have, could use the change of address form on the back of the statements and change it to the P.O. box, and in the future if I get more, use the street address first, then use same procedure. I don't know how this would affect the FICO scores. Does FICO factor in whether your address is a P.O. box or a regular street address? Anyone know? (I know, this is a pretty dumb question cause does anyone REALLY know how FICO works!) FedUp2003
Re: Re: --> Question about Addresses this might be a dumb question, but have you ever tried talking to the people who live at the other address? also, what about paying bills online instead of relying on the paper bill to remind you in the mail? i've found that paying bills online is very easy. i only have 1 or 2 i still send out via snailmail. this would solve a lot of your problems as far as paying bills ontime is concerned, as long as you write down the due dates, or get email reminders. however, if you're like me and are neck deep in credit repair and go to that mailbox every day looking for green cards, etc. you need something more reliable than what you have. maybe you could just use a po box only for correspondence for credit repair issues. would the po box even show up on a CR if it was only used for that purpose i wonder? if it was me, thats what i'd do. sorry i couldnt give you any examples of real life experiences with this.
Re: Re: --> Question about Addresses ***F.I.C.O. as far as I can tell...should have NO difference with a PO BOX vs STREET ADDRESS
Re: Re: --> Question about Addresses Crowmom, I actually have gone by the other address 2 times, but each time no one was home. Guess I could write them, but I just felt that I should be complaining to the Post Office and that they should correct the situation. As far as online billing, I do pay a majority over the Internet, but things like phone bills, power bills, water bills, gas bills, cable, etc ... don't have an online payment option. It's these things that I usually get caught forgetting. And for some reason, if I don't get that paper statement/bill in the mail, I forget exactly when it's due or on what date. I have so much stress and other things going on in my life, that I really need these reminders. I'm a single parent raising 2 kids, up till this May was going to college full time, 3 nights a week (plus homework), and then went through the layoff situation and dealing with all that paperwork and legal crap as far as trying to get the rest of my severance, etc .... and now for the past 6 months I've been on 3rd shift, and unless you have ever worked that shift for a while, you can't imagine how much it turns you around. There are many days that I'm not sure what day or date it is. When I wake up, I have to lay there a few minutes or get up and walk around the house or turn to some news channel or the Weather Channel to figure out what day it is and whether it is A.M. or P.M.!!!! Anyhow, maybe I get delivery of all my mail to the P.O. box, except for things like CC's that I can pay online. Thanks to everyone who commented. FedUp2003
