Who else scores are like mines now?

[pwd847]

 

 

 

Oh. If it was me, I wouldn't mind if they were removed completely.

Really ? why? My scores could go up once they're paid off.

And if I take the other route..what is the best time to dispute them? after I pay them in full or now?

Your scores will go up only of the goodwill letters work. If those lates are stuck on there, I wouldn't mind having the whole TL deleted.

If you just pay them off the lates will still be there.

But if I dont pay them off, they become a charge off and then its not guaranteed that I'll be able to delete them. I'll pay them off and see what it does to my scores and then if not much, then I'll dispute as not mines....etc....

Correct. I was just pointing out that paying them won't raise your scores.

[VintageWillow]

 

 

 

 

And what are you doing now to obtain higher scores? What credit have you been approved for with your scores,lately? I, personally would like to gain apprx 130 pts in 6 months. My fico scores now are Tu:527 Experian :522 and Eq:509.

 

It seems like I am the only one on here ,anyway with these types of scores still. I want to hear from folks that are still in the 500's and what has been their strategy so far.

 

I do enjoy reading all the other cool posts of how someone got a 50k increase by a backdoor number and spoke to someone who gave them additional 5k. while they were on hold.

Or got a pop up cart trick for 3k and turned it down and it became 10k!

 

All these people scores are 700+! Cool

but what about us pions? Lol

Been advised not to get in toy store hell and to keep hope alive.

 

I just want to hear from people that are in the same boat as me ,now. Not used to be. I appreciate all the motivation and knowledge this far, and just want to hear from those who are in the trenches with me. Who's in to share their current situation with me? Trust me , I not here to belittle anyone.

 

Interesting approach asking for strategy tips from people who are still in the 500s, because you're tired of reading the advice from people who have already dug out from there...

Not everyone on here dug themselves out of 500's. Some people were handed good credit whether its being added on as an Au or just never effed up!

But everyone who is currently in the 500s is currently in the 500s.

And thats who I want to hear from. People that are in the same bucket as me.

 

Most who are still there are pretty new at this themselves. If you need inspiration from people who STARTED there, you can read some of the running threads such as these:

 

https://creditboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=524818&page=1

 

https://creditboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=538950&page=1&&do=findComment&comment=5187874

 

I know that some of these journey threads can be long, but that is because it can take a LOOOOONG time to repair credit. You will hear over and over here, credit re/building is a marathon, not a sprint.

[Quincey]

Let me take a stab at this. This is my first post attempting to give some advice because I dont have a 800+ or a $50000 Visa or am obsessed with M$. I have been reading a tremendous amount on this board the last few months and I will admit that it can be frustrating to the under 700 people to wade through the posts of the "credit elite" lol. I have though learned a tremendous amount from many knowledgeable people on this board. My current FICO 08 scores are around 635. (Yes, these are true FICOS taken from Credit check total which is also just one golden nugget of advice i have gleaned form here) Right now I am being held down from two small collections that I have just not had time to dispute and by a very thin file that is the result of swearing off credit for several years. Trust me, you want to put your filters on and listen to the people that have 750+ scores. My father always said that you needed to "check his corn crib" when taking advice. With all of that being said, gaining 130 points is just not possible in your situation in the next ^ 6 months. I am sure that an expert will correct me if I am wrong here but I think that paying USAA off is basically throwing your money away. The 60 or 90 day lates you already have on this account will be just as damaging as a charge off. I doubt USAA will agree to a PFD and the amounts are just too small for them to sue you so I would just ride them out. Finding a way to pay that Federal Tax lien will probably help you more than anything and not just credit wise but mentally. If you are eligible for Navy Federal try to get a secured card with them. Its a great way to add another trade line and the account is supposed to go unsecured in a year but I am not totally sure about this. My biggest piece of advice though is to respectfully listen to those that have repaired their credit and successfully manage a high credit score. People lost in the woods shouldnt ask for directions form other people that are also lost.

[fiveyearplan66]

Let me take a stab at this. This is my first post attempting to give some advice because I dont have a 800+ or a $50000 Visa or am obsessed with M$. I have been reading a tremendous amount on this board the last few months and I will admit that it can be frustrating to the under 700 people to wade through the posts of the "credit elite" lol. I have though learned a tremendous amount from many knowledgeable people on this board. My current FICO 08 scores are around 635. (Yes, these are true FICOS taken from Credit check total which is also just one golden nugget of advice i have gleaned form here) Right now I am being held down from two small collections that I have just not had time to dispute and by a very thin file that is the result of swearing off credit for several years. Trust me, you want to put your filters on and listen to the people that have 750+ scores. My father always said that you needed to "check his corn crib" when taking advice. With all of that being said, gaining 130 points is just not possible in your situation in the next ^ 6 months. I am sure that an expert will correct me if I am wrong here but I think that paying USAA off is basically throwing your money away. The 60 or 90 day lates you already have on this account will be just as damaging as a charge off. I doubt USAA will agree to a PFD and the amounts are just too small for them to sue you so I would just ride them out. Finding a way to pay that Federal Tax lien will probably help you more than anything and not just credit wise but mentally. If you are eligible for Navy Federal try to get a secured card with them. Its a great way to add another trade line and the account is supposed to go unsecured in a year but I am not totally sure about this. My biggest piece of advice though is to respectfully listen to those that have repaired their credit and successfully manage a high credit score. People lost in the woods shouldnt ask for directions form other people that are also lost.

I had another small loan that had lates and when I paid that off, my score went up? If I take not one but TWO more charge offs, that tanks my scores even more, no?

[ubercat]

Some people were handed good credit whether its being added on as an Au or just never effed up!

 

Yeah. After 30 years of paying my bills on time and never owing anyone a red cent, the Credit Fairy visited me one night and left 'good credit' under my pillow.

 

FYI, if you never eff up, and never use credit, you actually aren't handed a great credit score - you're handed no score at all.

 

 

You have a skewed view of how credit works, it's almost as if you've been victimized by it.

[fiveyearplan66]

Let me take a stab at this. This is my first post attempting to give some advice because I dont have a 800+ or a $50000 Visa or am obsessed with M$. I have been reading a tremendous amount on this board the last few months and I will admit that it can be frustrating to the under 700 people to wade through the posts of the "credit elite" lol. I have though learned a tremendous amount from many knowledgeable people on this board. My current FICO 08 scores are around 635. (Yes, these are true FICOS taken from Credit check total which is also just one golden nugget of advice i have gleaned form here) Right now I am being held down from two small collections that I have just not had time to dispute and by a very thin file that is the result of swearing off credit for several years. Trust me, you want to put your filters on and listen to the people that have 750+ scores. My father always said that you needed to "check his corn crib" when taking advice. With all of that being said, gaining 130 points is just not possible in your situation in the next ^ 6 months. I am sure that an expert will correct me if I am wrong here but I think that paying USAA off is basically throwing your money away. The 60 or 90 day lates you already have on this account will be just as damaging as a charge off. I doubt USAA will agree to a PFD and the amounts are just too small for them to sue you so I would just ride them out. Finding a way to pay that Federal Tax lien will probably help you more than anything and not just credit wise but mentally. If you are eligible for Navy Federal try to get a secured card with them. Its a great way to add another trade line and the account is supposed to go unsecured in a year but I am not totally sure about this. My biggest piece of advice though is to respectfully listen to those that have repaired their credit and successfully manage a high credit score. People lost in the woods shouldnt ask for directions form other people that are also lost.

I actually enjoy reading all the wonderful posts of how someone prevailed and catapulted into credit wonderland as much as I like to hear from people who been through bankruptcy and going through one at the present.

[fiveyearplan66]

 

Some people were handed good credit whether its being added on as an Au or just never effed up!

Yeah. After 30 years of paying my bills on time and never owing anyone a red cent, the Credit Fairy visited me one night and left 'good credit' under my pillow.

 

FYI, if you never eff up, and never use credit, you actually aren't handed a great credit score - you're handed no score at all.

 

 

You have a skewed view of how credit works, it's almost as if you've been victimized by it.

The operative word there was "some"

[mendelssohn]

As has already been posted, you should be seeking advice from people who have moved up FROM the 500s.

 

There are numerous people here who fit that profile.

 

I started at 419.

 

Asking for advice from people who have not moved up isn't helpful.

[fiveyearplan66]

As has already been posted, you should be seeking advice from people who have moved up FROM the 500s.

 

There are numerous people here who fit that profile.

 

I started at 419.

 

Asking for advice from people who have not moved up isn't helpful.

Ive read all those, thats all I see.

[mendelssohn]

 

As has already been posted, you should be seeking advice from people who have moved up FROM the 500s.

 

There are numerous people here who fit that profile.

 

I started at 419.

 

Asking for advice from people who have not moved up isn't helpful.

Ive read all those, thats all I see.

Good, because you shouldn't focus on stories by people that haven't made it out of the 500s.

 

Study the strategies of people that have.

[david_weaver]

I don't know that I even want to bother weighing in on this thread, as ones like this tend to annoy me.

 

Would you ask a mechanic with a broken-down car in his driveway the best way to fix YOUR car, or would you look for someone who was referred by everyone as the mechanic who cab fix anything?

 

Many people who are in the 500's are inexperienced or learning by making things worse. What is it you hope to learn from them?

 

You need to triage your reports. Make a list of every negative and search ways people have dealt with that creditor. You need to look at all your positive accounts and see how you can grow them, how often you can ask for CLIs, and what cards to avoid.

 

When I found CreditBoards, my scores were all around 500 with maybe 15 or more negatives on each report, as well as a ton of old addresses and other personal information. Within a year, the scores were in the 650's, although there were still a half-dozen lingering negatives on each one. It is important that I had help (was added as AU on numerous accounts) and that when I started in the 500's almost all the accounts were 5+ years old and out of SOL for me to get sued. Some dropped off with a simple dispute. Some I practically had to drive to the creditor's office and beat them over the head (figuratively, of course). I had collections, judgments, charge-offs, just a mess.

 

The point is, your results may vary. But getting a 150 point bump in a year, from dead to marginally credit worthy CAN happen. But the only way it will happen is if you ask the advice of the experts here instead of seeking comfort among fellow 500's.

 

Mendelssohn, Ubercat, CV91915, pwd847, JeffeVerde...THESE are the people you should be asking for help. They have nearly 50,000 combined posts and I bet they have a combined 1000 points of score improvement between them. Up to you...

[pwd847]

Mendelssohn, Ubercat, CV91915, pwd847, JeffeVerde...THESE are the people you should be asking for help. They have nearly 50,000 combined posts and I bet they have a combined 1000 points of score improvement between them. Up to you...

Awe shucks.....

[tobettercredit]

 

Did you start with the "Newbies Start Here" thread? There's no magic that's going to bring your scores into the high 600's in 6 months. You've got some serious derogatories on your credit reports, and your FICO's are going to reflect that until they either age off, or you get them deleted.

 

Federal tax liens are easy, in that the IRS's policy is to delete the lien from your CR *once you've made good on the lien*. The only hard part is paying the lien

 

Some State tax liens can be removed once they've been satisfied, while other States have an explicit policy of not deleting - depends on where the lien is from

 

I assume the two USAA accounts are reporting 30/60/90/120 lates? Those are going to hurt a lot, for several years -- unless you can get USAA to goodwill them off, or you can find a report error to dispute them

 

Cap 1 CO - is going to hurt a lot until it's 4-5 years old

 

The two collection accounts, in combination with everything else, are hurting alot. But the good thing about a collection account, is that they tend to screw up their reporting details, so you might find a defect that you can challenge

I just was thinking I could make the good out weigh the bad here,guess not.

 

The things that are reporting now are accurate and true.

 

The things that are reporting now are accurate and true.

 

But do you want them on your credit file?

[fiveyearplan66]

 

 

Did you start with the "Newbies Start Here" thread? There's no magic that's going to bring your scores into the high 600's in 6 months. You've got some serious derogatories on your credit reports, and your FICO's are going to reflect that until they either age off, or you get them deleted.

 

Federal tax liens are easy, in that the IRS's policy is to delete the lien from your CR *once you've made good on the lien*. The only hard part is paying the lien

 

Some State tax liens can be removed once they've been satisfied, while other States have an explicit policy of not deleting - depends on where the lien is from

 

I assume the two USAA accounts are reporting 30/60/90/120 lates? Those are going to hurt a lot, for several years -- unless you can get USAA to goodwill them off, or you can find a report error to dispute them

 

Cap 1 CO - is going to hurt a lot until it's 4-5 years old

 

The two collection accounts, in combination with everything else, are hurting alot. But the good thing about a collection account, is that they tend to screw up their reporting details, so you might find a defect that you can challenge

I just was thinking I could make the good out weigh the bad here,guess not.

 

The things that are reporting now are accurate and true.

The things that are reporting now are accurate and true.

 

But do you want them on your credit file?

No, but I disputed them all more than once so far. Its a no go.

[certifiedmommy]

I don't know that I even want to bother weighing in on this thread, as ones like this tend to annoy me.

 

Would you ask a mechanic with a broken-down car in his driveway the best way to fix YOUR car, or would you look for someone who was referred by everyone as the mechanic who cab fix anything?

 

Many people who are in the 500's are inexperienced or learning by making things worse. What is it you hope to learn from them?

 

You need to triage your reports. Make a list of every negative and search ways people have dealt with that creditor. You need to look at all your positive accounts and see how you can grow them, how often you can ask for CLIs, and what cards to avoid.

 

When I found CreditBoards, my scores were all around 500 with maybe 15 or more negatives on each report, as well as a ton of old addresses and other personal information. Within a year, the scores were in the 650's, although there were still a half-dozen lingering negatives on each one. It is important that I had help (was added as AU on numerous accounts) and that when I started in the 500's almost all the accounts were 5+ years old and out of SOL for me to get sued. Some dropped off with a simple dispute. Some I practically had to drive to the creditor's office and beat them over the head (figuratively, of course). I had collections, judgments, charge-offs, just a mess.

 

The point is, your results may vary. But getting a 150 point bump in a year, from dead to marginally credit worthy CAN happen. But the only way it will happen is if you ask the advice of the experts here instead of seeking comfort among fellow 500's.

 

Mendelssohn, Ubercat, CV91915, pwd847, JeffeVerde...THESE are the people you should be asking for help. They have nearly 50,000 combined posts and I bet they have a combined 1000 points of score improvement between them. Up to you...

I just figured OP wanted to know that there are others on here that can relate. However, tobettercredit is absolutely right. I would never take advise from someone in the same boat as me. I would like to make a suggestion though, don't let the "elitists" intimidate you. Don't take anything anyone may say personal. Sometimes people tend to come off arrogant but have great advise. Just overlook that and keep it moving. Sure everyone could be polite, kind and friendly but the world just doesn't work way. After all, we are here for the advise. Best wishes.

Edited August 28, 2015 by certifiedmommy

[tobettercredit]

 

 

 

Did you start with the "Newbies Start Here" thread? There's no magic that's going to bring your scores into the high 600's in 6 months. You've got some serious derogatories on your credit reports, and your FICO's are going to reflect that until they either age off, or you get them deleted.

 

Federal tax liens are easy, in that the IRS's policy is to delete the lien from your CR *once you've made good on the lien*. The only hard part is paying the lien

 

Some State tax liens can be removed once they've been satisfied, while other States have an explicit policy of not deleting - depends on where the lien is from

 

I assume the two USAA accounts are reporting 30/60/90/120 lates? Those are going to hurt a lot, for several years -- unless you can get USAA to goodwill them off, or you can find a report error to dispute them

 

Cap 1 CO - is going to hurt a lot until it's 4-5 years old

 

The two collection accounts, in combination with everything else, are hurting alot. But the good thing about a collection account, is that they tend to screw up their reporting details, so you might find a defect that you can challenge

I just was thinking I could make the good out weigh the bad here,guess not.

 

The things that are reporting now are accurate and true.

The things that are reporting now are accurate and true.

 

But do you want them on your credit file?

No, but I disputed them all more than once so far. Its a no go.

 

I highly doubt that all the baddies you listed are reporting correctly.

 

Allow me to ask this: Did you read PsychoDoc transcripts?

 

Dispute results are to a great extent a function of how you are disputing.

 

The way you dispute with OCs is different from how you dispute CAs.

 

I still have a few baddies on my report simply because I did not dispute them correctly. That was before finding CB.

 

One of my 2 remaining CAs was just disputed off last week(Cavalry) through CFPB complaint.

 

Had I used the proper technics taught here earlier, this would've been removed since last April.

 

Here is another example.

 

I've been fighting Citi CO since last March. Citi is now pretty much holding my credit life hostage.

 

I've recently 623'd them after disputing their Trade line with CRAs and they replied with a FOAD letter.

 

I sent them express mail the same day telling them they are bound by federal regulations to review my request and report to me by the time specified by law.

 

If they don't I will report their trade line on my CR as fraudulent to my local Police Dept and will launch a FTC fraud investigation and CFPB complaint for misrepresentation.

 

I am doing this with Citi because I discovered an error on their reporting which they refuse to correct.

 

Creditors, CAs, JDB rarely report accurately. It takes work, dedication, perseverance to discover their errors.

[ubercat]

 

 

Some people were handed good credit whether its being added on as an Au or just never effed up!

Yeah. After 30 years of paying my bills on time and never owing anyone a red cent, the Credit Fairy visited me one night and left 'good credit' under my pillow.

 

FYI, if you never eff up, and never use credit, you actually aren't handed a great credit score - you're handed no score at all.

 

 

You have a skewed view of how credit works, it's almost as if you've been victimized by it.

The operative word there was "some"

 

 

If by 'some' you actually mean 'under a measurable quantile' then I submit to your point.

[1MotivatedMoM]

I am right at 500 . I just now ordered paper reports and waiting on them to come to me so I can remove old addresses and then start clean up. Just take advise of the eye that have so much experience and been here and worked their way up. Good luck.

[Newguy00]

I have read most of the great credit journeys that many have been on here. And I feel hope and optimism from seeing their progress and learning from those pioneers. But I get what the OP is trying to ask as well.....For those of us still deep DEEP in the trenches it is still nice to hear from those who are struggling alongside trying to dig our way back to good credit. Because sometimes it does still seem far away, but hearing from others deal with the same issues can be helpful. We are still looking upward (to join you credit Giants) but it helps that we are arm in arm with others in the same shoes heading the same direction.

 

 

I don't currently have a credit score. I have zero tradelines. A paid Fed tax lien and a current unpaid State lien. I just set up 2 secured cards and hope within the next number of months to maybe try for a small unsecured one. I look forward to 6 months from now even having a credit score, albeit probably a really low one.

[david_weaver]

The problem is, OP was not looking to commiserate and share war stories with people sitting alongside him in the low 500's.

 

He was specifically asking credit score improvement advice from them.

 

Do any of you who are agreeing with the OP understand the lunacy of that?

 

If you want to fly to the moon, do you ask a former Apollo scientist who actually BUILT a rocket that got there, or do you ask a guy with a bag full of broken rocket parts he accumulated from all his crashes?

 

Seriously, when someone starts a conversation so ridiculous, and them will not listen when people explain how ridiculous it is, I start to wonder if that person is just trying to get a rise out of people and not someone who is seeking legitimate advice?

[Clouds]

The number of people here who started in the 700s is, I suspect, very small indeed. If the OP wants validation that s/he isn't the only one who's royally screwed his/her credit, just look around. If s/he wants advice on fixing it--go with the pros.

 

I promise that every "credit elite" here [insert rant on how "elite" has become a veiled insult instead of a compliment] who struggled his/her way up from the basement VIVIDLY remembers what it was like to have crappy credit. If they now talk about M$ and free flights to vacation spots, so what? Did you expect them to still be talking about how to raise a secured card from $100 to $300?

 

You have two choices:

- "I wouldn't want to be like them"

- "Hell yeah, I want to be like them"

 

There's a touch of the former in your statements about people having good credit "handed to them," and it's no surprise people are reacting. Me, I give you the benefit of the doubt and assume it's the latter--you've just made a mistake in thinking that people with 800+ scores couldn't possibly have started where you are or faced the problems you're facing.

 

[Edited to add: Oh yeah, and a lot of people you look to as the elite still consider themselves to be on their journey.]

Edited August 30, 2015 by Clouds

[mendelssohn]

The problem is, OP was not looking to commiserate and share war stories with people sitting alongside him in the low 500's.

 

He was specifically asking credit score improvement advice from them.

 

Do any of you who are agreeing with the OP understand the lunacy of that?

 

If you want to fly to the moon, do you ask a former Apollo scientist who actually BUILT a rocket that got there, or do you ask a guy with a bag full of broken rocket parts he accumulated from all his crashes?

 

Seriously, when someone starts a conversation so ridiculous, and them will not listen when people explain how ridiculous it is, I start to wonder if that person is just trying to get a rise out of people and not someone who is seeking legitimate advice?

Exactly. I'm still in the last few months of rebuilding, but my TU08 has gone up 337 points from 419 to 756.

[david_weaver]

I guess I shot low with my estimate, Mendelssohn? When it is all said and done, you might have a combined 1000 points of score improvement all on your own?

[fallencyi]

I started here in the 500s, and still don't consider myself a part of the credit elite. I've got a long way to go, but I have listened to those that have "Been there & Done that", and put in the work to get my reports cleaned up.

 

Now have a great Mortgage rate (Saving Thousands in Interest), a Great Car loan rate (Saving More in interest). I have just started getting to the point where I can get approved for "Really Useful Cards" that start to PAY ME with travel rewards & cash back.

 

I didn't get where I am today by asking people in the 500's for advice (Although I sympathize because I remember how frustrating it was personally). I got there by reading advice from people who did the thing I wanted to do (Took the Journey from Bad credit to good credit), not from people who were in the same boat as me.

[certifiedmommy]

I could be wrong, but I think the reason OP is asking those who are still in the 500s and moving upward, could be for more recent results? Things are constantly changing in the credit world, so that angle is understandable. He did specifically ask what some of us have recently been approved for and what has been done thus far to get those approvals. However, is see where some of the confusion is coming from. I'm in the 500s and most certainly cannot tell you how to gain 100+ points in six months. My experience with adding secured cards did that for me, but it's likely because my file was thin and that's what I needed. But I also learned that it is temporary, I think those who you owe money are alerted when you apply for new credit and they will stop you in your tracks. I went from the low 500s to low 600s, then back down 20-25 points in a week. All I did was add a few secured cards, I feel someone found out and said, "Oh no, it will NOT be that easy", and added two new COs from a while back. Whomp, whomp. There are just too many variables to rely on one source for info.

 

I do believe the majority of people here really care to help others, a few others may be here to brag but maybe they've earned that right. Either way, you don't want to get yourself blacklisted here(if that's possible, lol idk). There will come a point when you need to ask the 700 and up clubs for help, you don't want to close the door on that opportunity before it arrives.

 

P.S. Can anyone verify if it's true that creditors are alerted or are scouring to find debtors who have awaken from their slumber?