My journey to credit repair starts NOW!!!!

[smurfette]

thank you, I did think about that but I wasn't sure if you could since it was already sent to a CA.

 

When you paid them did you have a CA reporting also? If so, how did you get it removed from the CRA's? I was unsure that if I just pay the OC will the CA be able to report it as paid or do they have to delete it since I did not pay them?

I only found out I owed something when it went to a CA (I had moved overseas and even the Comcast rep I spoke to acknowledged that they were calling the phone number I had as part of their triple play service- a phone number no longer in service after I cancelled my Comcast. Don't even get me started...)

 

I contacted Comcast directly, they pulled it back from the CA and accepted my payment. After paying the OC, I disputed the CA accounts and they dropped off.

[futurehomeowner?]

STEP 11 - FOLLOWING UP WITH PREVIOUS LETTERS

 

I am now 30 days from all of my letters being sent out. An important part of this process is to follow up with your letters. CRA's expect you to just go away so I have to make sure that they know I am not going away. Over the next 4 days I am going to send out some more letters to the CA's. I am not going after the CRA's quite yet but that will be my next step. I have not heard ANYTHING from the CRA's on 75% of my letters that went out. I will post what letters that I am sending as I send them so anyone following gets an idea of the work that is going into this repair.

 

Thanks for following!!!!

[phoenixisrising]

STEP 11 - FOLLOWING UP WITH PREVIOUS LETTERS

 

I am now 30 days from all of my letters being sent out. An important part of this process is to follow up with your letters. CRA's expect you to just go away so I have to make sure that they know I am not going away. Over the next 4 days I am going to send out some more letters to the CA's. I am not going after the CRA's quite yet but that will be my next step. I have not heard ANYTHING from the CRA's on 75% of my letters that went out. I will post what letters that I am sending as I send them so anyone following gets an idea of the work that is going into this repair.

 

Thanks for following!!!!

It may be time to include copies of a certified slip in with your next letter. Also, remind them that they have yet to respond to your previous letter (sent, what it was about i.e. dispute or validation, etc).

 

Nice job You're getting this done.

 

EDIT: Agreed. may be good to post an example of what you sent but in general, if they didn't respond to a validation then going to the CRA with the copies and telling them to delete may be a close option. The CRA has to be notified though for your rights.

Edited May 8, 2013 by phoenixisrising

[chugs102]

If it's been more than 30 days, it's time to contact the CRAs to delete.

[futurehomeowner?]

If it's been more than 30 days, it's time to contact the CRAs to delete.

You are right except that since we are buying a house next year I don't want some of these to re appear so I am trying to actually pay ome of these off first. I find it quite amazing that I sent out 4 PFD letters and got 1 letter back saying they will just delete and the other 3 have been ignored. I understand if they don't want to delete but you would think they would at least respond and say no delete but give us money. They fight so hard to make people pay and I am sitting here willing to pay and they ignore me. So frustrating!!!

[GR8WhiTE]

STEP 7 - ADD NEW CREDIT LINES

 

After reading on here, it seems like you should have 6+ cards. I know the inquiries will hurt short term but removing them will be another step later on. We have added a few cards in the last 30 days and we each want to add 1 more from a major service such as visa, mastercard, or discover. We applied for the Best Buy card in hopes of getting the actual credit card but we only got approved for the store card. Last week we did the same with Wal Mart in hopes of getting their Discover but just like Best Buy they only gave us the store card. Tomorrow we are both going to apply for the new CET rewards card that is coming out. Comenity is running the card and we already have a card or 2 by this bank so I am hoping we will get this card. If we get turned down I am going to open a secured card so we can get another major card instead of a wallet full of store cards. After I get our cards tomorrow I will add step 8 which will be utilization of the cards.

My Wallet: Card/Limit

Merrick Unsecured Visa: $1400

Kay Jewelry: $2500

Giant Eagle: $300

Lane Bryant (AU): $860

Emblem Card: $149

 

Her Wallet:

Merrick unsecured: $1400

Kay Jewelry: $7600

Lane Bryant: $860

Walmart: $600

Best Buy: $600

Future.....I will be trying to keep up with your journey as well. Thanks for all these sample letters you have been posting. They are very informative and can be very helpful. One quick question I have for you or anyone reading this is: was K jewelers an easy account to open? what are their requirements? any info is helpful.

[GR8WhiTE]

 

If it's been more than 30 days, it's time to contact the CRAs to delete.

You are right except that since we are buying a house next year I don't want some of these to re appear so I am trying to actually pay ome of these off first. I find it quite amazing that I sent out 4 PFD letters and got 1 letter back saying they will just delete and the other 3 have been ignored. I understand if they don't want to delete but you would think they would at least respond and say no delete but give us money. They fight so hard to make people pay and I am sitting here willing to pay and they ignore me. So frustrating!!!

It truly is frustrating. The thing that kills me is that you work so hard, for so long to keep your credit perfect and so you can be seen as a serious contender when applying for anything....But it takes just one or two small late payments to make that small empire you created to just crumble overnight....you feel like you went from a heavyweight to a featherweight overnight.....and to top it all off.....it can take months or even years to make a come back....that spontaneous vacation you use to be able to take just disappears because now it requires you have cash only...I remember I use to go to Miami last minute...I'd book a flight and a room for 10 days...get my rental car and fill up my fridge with beers ALL on credit!! Let's say everything combined along with other expenses came out to $3k...I'd come back and give them $300...but I'd make sure to eliminate everything in 6 months (those were the 760 FICO days)

 

But the last couple of years when I really needed a vacation and not want it....I couldn't do that because I didn't just have $3k to go on vacation with (probably $5k now due to inflation) Anyway.....the moral of this story is: WITHOUT CREDIT YOU ARE DONE!

 

The one thing I forgot to add is that I see brighter days ahead and that's because I choose to keep my head up. I am close to the 700 mark from 560's (I still have CA's and some little items) But the big question is, where was I last year? 2 years ago? 3 years ago? and where can I be next year? or the year after? If I keep chipping away. Patience is your ONLY choice.

Edited May 12, 2013 by steelcity

[melikey]

OP what is a Comenity CET card? What's the CET stand for?

[futurehomeowner?]

OP what is a Comenity CET card? What's the CET stand for?

CET= Ceasers Entertainment= Harrah's

 

EAS is getting on my nerves. This is my smallest debt and the one that will stay on for the longest. They have not responded to my PFD letters so I sent them a DV letter. There is still 10 days before they have to respond but its looking like they will not. Hopefully I will get this removed by the CRA's.

 

I called comcast to try to get this paid but on their end they are showing that I owe $365 and not the $130 the EAS is showing so I decided not to pay them. It is possible that part of that money is from another house that I lived at a long time ago but once the automated system gave me that amount I just hung up.

[gooddfella]

If it's been more than 30 days, it's time to contact the CRAs to delete.

 

Do you know if this has worked before?

 

 

STEP 11 - FOLLOWING UP WITH PREVIOUS LETTERS

 

I am now 30 days from all of my letters being sent out. An important part of this process is to follow up with your letters. CRA's expect you to just go away so I have to make sure that they know I am not going away. Over the next 4 days I am going to send out some more letters to the CA's. I am not going after the CRA's quite yet but that will be my next step. I have not heard ANYTHING from the CRA's on 75% of my letters that went out. I will post what letters that I am sending as I send them so anyone following gets an idea of the work that is going into this repair.

 

Thanks for following!!!!

It may be time to include copies of a certified slip in with your next letter. Also, remind them that they have yet to respond to your previous letter (sent, what it was about i.e. dispute or validation, etc).

 

Nice job You're getting this done.

 

EDIT: Agreed. may be good to post an example of what you sent but in general, if they didn't respond to a validation then going to the CRA with the copies and telling them to delete may be a close option. The CRA has to be notified though for your rights.

Same question, do you know if anyone has been successful removing a collection by sending in a CRA dispute along with return receipts of validation to the CA?

[305_sigma]

Future I've sent out all of my letters and one of them was actually to Midland. Can I ask what violations did they commit for you to do file a lawsuit? What's the status on the lawsuit?

[futurehomeowner?]

Future I've sent out all of my letters and one of them was actually to Midland. Can I ask what violations did they commit for you to do file a lawsuit? What's the status on the lawsuit?

The main ones are they called my cell phone which was never given to them or the OC. They probably pulled it from my credit report. They called me from a spoofed number and they called from a private number. They also called my wifes cell phone without permission. When I talked to my lawyer about 10 days ago he said that he was going to get them served and he is hopeful for a resolution before the end of June. I have not heard from him since but I don't want to keep pestering him.

 

 

If it's been more than 30 days, it's time to contact the CRAs to delete.

 

Do you know if this has worked before?

 

>

STEP 11 - FOLLOWING UP WITH PREVIOUS LETTERS

 

I am now 30 days from all of my letters being sent out. An important part of this process is to follow up with your letters. CRA's expect you to just go away so I have to make sure that they know I am not going away. Over the next 4 days I am going to send out some more letters to the CA's. I am not going after the CRA's quite yet but that will be my next step. I have not heard ANYTHING from the CRA's on 75% of my letters that went out. I will post what letters that I am sending as I send them so anyone following gets an idea of the work that is going into this repair.

 

Thanks for following!!!!

It may be time to include copies of a certified slip in with your next letter. Also, remind them that they have yet to respond to your previous letter (sent, what it was about i.e. dispute or validation, etc).

 

Nice job You're getting this done.

 

EDIT: Agreed. may be good to post an example of what you sent but in general, if they didn't respond to a validation then going to the CRA with the copies and telling them to delete may be a close option. The CRA has to be notified though for your rights.

Same question, do you know if anyone has been successful removing a collection by sending in a CRA dispute along with return receipts of validation to the CA?

 

yes it has worked before. If they are unable to validate they have to delete the TL until they do so. As soon as they can they can place it back on your report but I believe they have to notify you prior to doing so. Here is a good letter for doing so.

http://creditboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20

[dvd]

Good luck on your journey. I cant wait to see all your hard work coming to fruition!

[305_sigma]

Ok well good luck....I know I sent a DV letter around the middle of this month and have yet to hear a response.

[futurehomeowner?]

MONTHLY UPDATE:

 

This month has been a lot of waiting around. I was successful in getting a few things removed but there is still a lot of work to go. I have been mainly concentrating on my wife's CR. A lot of the items on my report are falling off at the beginning of the year so I am just taking the waiting approach. My wife's walmart score is up to 659 and her Merrick Bank card is 642 so once I get the PR removed her score will recover nicely. However I am having trouble getting it removed so it probably will have to stay. Items left on her report are:

90 day late on SL= Goodwilled them too death, this will be here for the long haul

90 day late on lane bryant= goodwilled them and they said it is reporting accurately but MPM shows the lates have been removed. I have not seen the actual report to see if that is the case. I am going to order hard copies next month so hopefully they really are gone.

90 day late on JC Penney= goodwilled them but they said the account was transferred to a new bank and I have to contact them. I have not done so yet.

PR with Midland= I have sent 3 PFD letters now and they have ignored every one of them. I guess I will have to send a settlement offer that does not have the delete part.

HSBC C/O= Not sure about this one, I just started a different thread about that.

 

All in all I am happy with my progress. I am going to change my signature because the FAKOs on MPM make no sense to me. Wal Mart shows 659 before my last removal and MPM was at 642. Then when I had a CO removed MPM dropped to 598. I know they are not accurate but I figured it would at least make sense.

 

Thanks again to the owners of this site and also the great people on this board who have supported us and helped us so much along the way!!!!!

[futurehomeowner?]

I achieved my first B* today. I bumped 2 inquiries on TU. I only have 1 left so I guess that will be gone tomorrow hopefully. I only had 3 but still wanted to get them removed.

[futurehomeowner?]

Today was a good day. I had an old TL removed by sending disputes to all 3 CRAs for obsolete. There are a few that I am going to tackle this way but I am doing them 1 at a time. I also want to see how far out you can get them removed. TU and EQ deleted a 3 month early TL very quickly. It looked like EX wasn't going to touch it but then today it disappeared. I am going to send out letters today for 1 that is 4 months away from fall off.

 

I also received 2 alerts for credit line increases. I paid both bills Monday of last week and there was no increase so they both auto increased sometime last week. My Merrick Bank card went up $300 to $1700 and my wifes lane bryant increased a HUGE $80 to $960.

 

I really wish Midland would respond to my PFD letters for a judgement. I would take ANY response. Maybe even a F U we are not deleting so pay us. They just ignore. next month I will send a settlement letter for less without a delete and see if they will respond.

[futurehomeowner?]

Today was a sad day for me, but not because anything negative happened to my credit. Last night my computer started to act funny. I owned a computer repair company for 10 years so I know a thing or 2 about computers. Well it was late and I didn't feel like dealing with it so I turned it off. Today when I turned it on I am getting a wonder blue screen with lots of numbers. It seems like it is a bios or memory issue but I can not get anywhere with it. The unfortunate thing is I have ALL of my credit repair info on that hard drive. All of my letters, all of the links that I have been saving, my flow spreadsheet, my B* tracker, passwords, and everything else. I normally make back ups of everything but I haven't since Janruary and my repair started in March so everything is gone. I am hoping it is not a hard drive error and I will be able to slap it in a different computer and at least get the files. Owell, you would think 10 years in the business that I would know better.

[gooddfella]

Wow.. sorry to hear man. I always put everything in google drive folder so its immediately synced.

[clumsycajun]

Crash Plan next time. Hope you can recover most of it or it wasn't the hard drive though.

[futurehomeowner?]

MONTHLY UPDATE:

 

Its been a rough go lately. My wife's issues have not changed at all this month but her wal mart FICO made it to 706. There is now a dispute notation on her OC that is now with a CA so I don't know if that was enough to jump her score 26 from last month.

 

After losing my computer a few weeks ago I haven't sent any letters. I wanted to send out a letter this week but I couldn't for the life of me remember what my last letter was. I have been messing around with the other computer and it seems that it is memory or bios related or possibly even a virus. I think it is hardware related but I don't want to hook up the hard drive to my main computer and spread a virus if it is one. Over the weekend I am going to put together a scrap computer to see if I can salvage at least my credit files.

 

I have been pulling SCP and MPM daily. Yesterday I was able to B* my last inquiry on TU. I am also still waiting to hear from my lawyer on my Midland law suit so hopefully that will be coming to an end very soon.

 

We have moved our time line for purchasing a house back to June instead of March of 2014. We have a 10 day vacation planned on the 16th so I am going to take a complete break from all credit related activities until we get back from vaca. Even though I haven't done much in the way of sending this month I am still reading at least an hour a day and I think a nice break will do me good.

[futurehomeowner?]

What a great day today was. When I woke up this morning I decided to figure out my broken computer issue. After about 2 hours of messing around I was able to get my hard drive to work in another computer as a secondary. It appears that the problem I was having is a hard drive problem. Luckily I was able to access the drive and pull off just about all of the files that I needed. I installed them on my good computer so I am back in business.

 

After I did that I was reviewing some items and was posting on here about getting a pep boys card. I didn't think that you could apply online so I applied for a firestone card. Instant approval $1400. A few hours later I found out that you can apply for pep boys right through GE Cap so I did that and instantly approved for $1200. I just came home from Target and the cashier mentioned to me again about the 5% off for using the red card. When I got home I decided WTH why not, so I applied. Instant approval for $1000.

 

When I woke up this morning we had 1 card over 1k and that had to be increased from $700 after a few years. Now we have 4 cards over 1k. This is the first app spree that I have done and boy does it feel good to be able to get credit after a short 4 months on this board. Now that I have killed our AAOA I am going to have to lay off until after our house next year.

[ckvb]

That's a pretty productive little Sunday. Congrats

[mailgirl1978]

Just read thru your journey and its inspiring! I now cant wait to get my hard copies so I can get started!

Do u have an update since July?

[She8itall]

Congratulations on your progress so far! What a fun thread to read. Keep the updates coming!