A Tale of Two Credit Cards

I joined Creditboards at the end of January, 2004. At that time my husband and I had just signed on to a one-year settlement agreement on two over-the-limit credit cards, and our scores were horrendous.

I spent a little while reading on the site, and then jumped on in. I decided to work on my own credit files first; my highest score was a 536. I disputed off all my old addresses, and fixed my name variations. Then I decided to tackle the stinkiest thing on my own report first - those two horrendous credit card tradelines. They fell without a fight - one letter to the CRAs, and they were deleted from my report. I was an AU, not a joint account holder, and that made all the difference. A difference I wouldn't have known, if it weren't for Creditboards.

Over the months, I had CAs delete. I had one that had been calling me daily for almost 2 years - it had gotten so bad that we stopped answering the phone - and through a link to the BBB (shared with me on Creditboards), I got them to stop harrassing us, and they deleted their tradeline completely. My kids are allowed to pick up the phone when it rings now!

I applied for and received my first personal credit card in May 2004. I've guarded those accounts and paid on time, and my scores are now in the mid 600s.

When I turned my attention to my husband, his highest score was 486. The little things were easy to clean up, but those two stinky credit cards kept haunting him. We finished off the settlement payment plan in December - an entire year of paying Chase Bank almost $500 a month. It had all but broken our budget, but it was done. My husband's score got up to 592, so we applied for a home loan, and were approved.

However, to our dismay - Chase Bank never cleaned up the two credit card tradelines as promised. They changed monthly, but were never correct. A few weeks ago, they changed them to currently late, with 30 day late payments for every month of the 2004 year. My husband's score lost 30 points, and we no longer qualified for a our mortgage. I was a wreck inside, but I stayed calm and followed the advice I had been taught - document everything, and if someone can't help you, find someone who can.

After 3 weeks of phone calls - calls that left me crying outwardly and dying inside - Chase Bank finally fixed things. BETTER than I had asked for. I wanted deletion, but instead my husband received something better - squeaky clean 8 year tradelines with NO lates and no derog comments. His lowest score is now 697!

We are supposed to close on our home on May 2.

We owe it all to this website. Thank you.

Super job! Proof that motivation and persistance pays off!

WOW!!! That's awesome - congrats!

I'm so happy for you. Though I just joined CB last month with scores in the mid 500's, I'm much more hopeful than I was before I found CB. I thought my negatives were there to stay for the next seven years. I now know that I CAN take control of this situation and move forward. Sure, it's a little overwhelming at first AND it's a LOT of work, but it's well worth it. Congratulations on your house!

Congrats to you!!! As somebody who's just joined w/horrible credit scores (mid 500s for myself & husband at last check), this is so encouraging! I hope to have a similar success story in the next year or so.

Congrats, and I nominated this for the success stories thread! Definately inspirational!

Oh wow!! What a story!!! I'm so glad to hear that Chase did right by you. One of the horrible things about our system is that instead of rewarding people who pay off old debt, they continue to punish forever. It's time that practice changed!!! Can't wait to hear about your closing and see your new house.

BTW, these posts are our paychecks, guys. This is why we do it.

Hah - let me tell you, I never thought Chase would help me out. But they were so clearly wrong near the end. I was on the phone EVERY SINGLE DAY for the last two weeks. I hassled anyone and everyone I could. I was surprised to see they gave my husband two perfect TLs though - I still can't believe it! They actually LOST his MasterCard account - it was completely deleted from their computer systems, like the account never existed. I sure wish that had happened before we finished paying on it! LOL Seriously though, no one over there knows what the person in the next cubicle is doing. Seriously - their computers are a mess, and no one can read the screens the same. I was told so much crap, I was knee-deep in it.

I threatened Chase with a lawsuit once my husband's score dropped 30 points and we were in danger of losing our mortgage. I had tried too hard this past year to fix our scores to have Chase ruin everything. And from what I understand, if I could prove that we lost our mortgage due to their continued incorrect reporting, we could have had them pay for our house. I would have done it too - I was THAT mad.

Now I'm a little disappointed that I deleted the tradelines from my own reports - I could use the points! Oh well.

This past year has taken a lot out of me - I've had a bunch of sleepless nights and anxiety-filled days. It wasn't easy, but I made sure to write the letters and take the time to go through the process. But it has been SO worth it!!!

Wow, amazing!

Just curious, and maybe I haven't done enough digging.....

Where do you get the 3 scores as shown at the end of your message? I've seen this with a few users, and this looks like something I need!!!! Thanks for the help!

I am so happy for you two and the fact that you are getting a house!! Great work and you should feel good about your success!! Congrats again

WOOT!!
WOOT!!!
WOOT!!!!

NOW THATS WHAT IM TALKIN'BOUT!!!!! CONGRATZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Congrats.

Your story gives me hope.

That is an amazing story! Truly inspirational!

I love reading these stories!!! I joined last year and thank God I did as people with horrible credit feel they are alone, but they are not. This board is such a big help. My score was a little less than 500 and I though it will be this way forever, but when you have a family you look for help and this board was it!!! Closed 3 weeks ago with score of 625, rates ok, but will refinance when I have a chance. I will recommend this board to all my friends.

Awesome! and you got your house!!!

Excellent examplery success information.

Yay!! for you & your success. Reading these stories is so motivational, thank you for sharing.

The scores I get from myFICO.com -- I used to use the real myFICO image, but now I just do my own photoshop graphic. Because I can, y'know?

congrats

Just wanted to say thank you CB all of you guys were a huge help to me. my credit rateing has gone from

T.U. 492 11/05
EXP 492 11/05
EQX 492 11/05

To

T.U 563 02/06
EXP 537 02/06
EQX 576 02/06

I have sent letter constantly dispute after dispute and things are looking up. im self employed and i dont want to get a mortgage till i reach 620. but i know its on the way thanks guys.

wow=- wtg

Amazing success!! Congrats on the grand prize of your new mortgage.

HI. Good Work and Good Luck. One question if I may? I have tried to get those 3 to fix my addresses and only eq has complied, but how would I get them to fix my various names? I only have one lol b ut they have my name listed a few different ways? any advise?

I have a credit card that I have had for over three years, and paid it on time every time except once , but
all the other times it was paid early. But the one time about a year ago I mailed my payment off, now this
was during Christmas time but I mailed it eight days early. But they sat that it was two days late and now
my interest rate went from 12% to 29.99% because they said I defaulted by two days . They will not
lower my interest rate. And now that the interest rate is so high I am only able to pay amount owed and
about 30.00 extra with that. And I guess thats not enough because a couple of times they said I went
over my credit limit,because of all the interest and fees . I only owe them $4554.00


How can I get them to please lower my interest rate. I am a single mother of thee and I really need to
get rid of this bill. I need help . Please help me !

Thank s so much for you help.

Tammy
bullo6@aol.com

I have a credit card that I have had for over three years, and paid it on time every time except once , but
all the other times it was paid early. But the one time about a year ago I mailed my payment off, now this
was during Christmas time but I mailed it eight days early. But they sat that it was two days late and now
my interest rate went from 12% to 29.99% because they said I defaulted by two days . They will not
lower my interest rate. And now that the interest rate is so high I am only able to pay amount owed and
about 30.00 extra with that. And I guess thats not enough because a couple of times they said I went
over my credit limit,because of all the interest and fees . I only owe them $4554.00


How can I get them to please lower my interest rate. I am a single mother of thee and I really need to
get rid of this bill. I need help . Please help me !

Thank s so much for you help.

Tammy
bullo6@aol.com

Congrats! Hope to be in that boat in 4-5 months!

Lanell,

Apply for this credit card at UFCU. They go by your credit score and your report shouldn't reflect any lates from that Chase account as long as you weren't 30 days.

UFCU's Great Rate VISA®
(effective 8/30/2004)Excellent Good Average Fair /
No Score Marginal Poor
6.90% 9.90% 11.90% 15.90% 17.90% 17.90%

WWW.UFCU.ORG

Actually, call them over the phone and apply. Tell them you are interested in balance transferring so they know you want a high limit as well.

-Rick

Maybe if you call and threaten to cancel the account they will lower your interest rate.

Melissa

Congrats on the success.

Maybe if you call and threaten to cancel the account they will lower your interest rate.

Melissa
>>>>>

Doubtful. I went through a similar situation with HSBC and they took the position that I was free to cancel my account as soon as my balance was $0, but until then I would be paying the 30% interest they were charging.

And what made it worse was that my interest rate went from 20%-30% overnight and when I called to find out why HSBC informed me that I had been late on a payment. I pointed out that it had been more than two years since I was late on any payment with them or any other creditor and I was told "Yes, but you were late so you're a credit risk."

Congrats !

Especially on your new home.

Congrats on the new home

CONGRATS!!! MY WAR BEGINS THIS YEAR!!!

Here's my need for help.

I talked with the CC and they agree to reduce my debt and settle for an amount. I agree to pay and gave them my bank info and the debt was supposedly settled. I suddenly found out that they applied the amount to one of the two accounts I had with Bank of America. They did not apply to the one I wanted, they applied it to the lowest interest account and not the high interest account I was discussing with them. I told them my problem and they told me I could settle for x amount on the higher limit account. I said I would like to speak to the manager to see if I could work out a payment plan. They said he would call me back, he never did. Every time I called the customer service they said it couldn't be done, and one fired a email off telling the one that gave me a settlement on the first card that they couldn't do that as the account was going to be sent to collections. I called so many different people and never could get back to my settlement negotiations. Now I just received a letter from a collection agency. I want to settle my account but how now? This settlement talk was all over the phone with the bank of America and how can I prove they offered me a settlement on one card but not the other. I was told that they would settle on both, but I am now being in a collection fight.