matthewscott - credit repair progress

[matthewscott]

I thought that I would start a thread just for myself to remember where I have been and where I am going on my credit repair journey. Of course, you're welcome to read it and make comments.

My credit WAS at around 720. That was in January of 2004 when I applied for my mortgage. Then life happened...

My goal is to be back to where I started. I would like to be comfortably above 700.

Here are my scores:

TransUnion

654 4/28/2007

639 1/25/2007

634 9/22/2006

Equifax

648 04/21/2007

631 2/22/2007

631 1/1/2007

608 10/27/2006

Experian

683 4/28/2007

683 2/2/2007

683 10/27/2006

WAY before I found this site, I joined a CCCS and started on a DMP. This was around July of 2005. I am one of the few lucky ones that have found a good company to deal with. They have made some odd errors but overall I'm happy. They have lowered my interest rates quite a bit and I can comfortably pay back the money that I owe.

Since being on CCCS you're technically NOT suppose to apply for new credit. Because I travel and for other budgeting reasons I have applied and received a secured card from US Bank. I'm happy with their terms. They have started reporting and that is probably the reason of my scores have popped up. However, I can't seem to make EX budge regardless of what I try.

You'll see GEMB below as well. They were left out of my CCCS agreements because I work for a company that they service.

Basically, I could get busted for this but I legitimately need another card besides my DEBIT/ATM card. I just have a feeling that CCCS and my creditors might disagree. Oh well, if they give me the boot I can handle it. I'm only down to a select few accounts. Who knows by then I could probably apply for a balance transfer. I'll keep paying down regardless. In this instance, I would rather ask for forgiveness than permission.

Ok, don't blast me for still being on a DMP with a CCCS.

Like I said they have treated me well. I know now that I could have done most of it myself. However, back then I really needed some help getting started. I know some of you will question why I am still with them. All I can say is they have worked well for us. I know now that I can do some things on my own and I am doing that now.

I've just started to actually communicate with these companies. I've sent out the following letters. I'll include what, if anything, that I have heard back.

After reading and lurking, I joined CIC and made my first post on 2007-03-13. I started sending out letters ASAP. I guess my first post kind of got me into gear.

Letters Round 1 (around 2007-03-13):

Asked the following to remove CCCS note from my CR as I have paid them off.

1) 1st Financial Bank

2) Best Buy

3) Household Bank

4) Sam's

5) Citi Bank - Shell MC

Remove late payments from around the time I was switching over to the DMP.

1) Chase

2) MBNA

GMAC - wierd late payment pattern on one of the three CR. REPO

The voluntary repo was by far my worst mistake.

Letters Round 2 (around 2007-04-14):

Chase - Letter telling them to go ahead with removing their TL because I am not the main account holder. I'll believe it when I see it...

GEMB - Asking for account reconsideration.

I got brave here. These show up as old accounts but as still open. I was asking about the status of them.

Jc Penney

Zales

TU and EX for copies of my report.

I also disputed a couple of things directly from myfico.

Letters Round 3 (around 2007-04-21):

EX asking for copy of my CR.

Shell - another older account that I was checking the status of.

I can't say that I've had perfect response from my letters. However, I don't see the CCCS on the account that have been paid off. So that's good. I'll keep waiting a bit and see if I get any other replies to my letters then I'll probably send out some others.

One wierd thing is that one account that I paid off is showing a credit of $234.00. Yeah, I called them up and asked that they send me a check. She said that I should have it within 7-10 days. I'll most likely pay down some other debt when I get it.

[UNCForest]

Im doing this same thing...i think it will help those in the future to check these out. Goodluck! You're not alone, by far.

[matthewscott]

"Chase - Letter telling them to go ahead with removing their TL because I am not the main account holder. I'll believe it when I see it..."

Got a letter today that said they will be removing the entire TL from my reports. They are doing this only because I am only an authorized user and not responsible for the balance. The 39 cents for the stamp to go on that goodwill letter was worth it. Wonder what my scores will look like?

[matthewscott]

Updates:

1) Chase sent my DW a letter saying someone asked to be removed as an AU from her account. I guess it's for real. I REALLY want to know what this did to my scores but I'll wait until I pull my FICOs again.

2) Shell Station card (Not the MC version) - they mailed me and DW both brand new cards. I plan to only use just so they stay active.

3) Zales says that I have an account just an inactive one. Yeah, well I never used it so that makes sense. It's been open since 2003 or so. I'm not in a rush to use this one just yet. Maybe I need to get a small little something someday. Hopefully, to celebrate my credit repair success.

4) Shell MC sent me the $234 that CCCS overpaid. I hope to be able to use that to pay off another card.

[matthewscott]

I need to try to make contact with these again.

1) GMAC

2) MBNA

3) JCPenney

4) Sam's

5) Best Buy

[matthewscott]

I just realized that I haven't updated my new FICO scores on here.

Fico Scores:

Jan 2004 (mortgage) around 720.

TransUnion

654 4/28/2007 +15

639 1/25/2007 +5

634 9/22/2006

Equifax

648 04/21/2007 +17

631 2/22/2007 +0

631 1/1/2007 +23

608 10/27/2006

Experian

683 4/28/2007 +0

683 2/2/2007 +0

683 10/27/2006 +0

SLOWLY but surely

[UNCForest]

Good looking progress, my friend. Please keep us updated.

[tdhssbn]

Matthew, you mentioned an HSBC account. Have you had any luck with them?

[GonnaChangeMyEvilWays]

MatthewScott and UncForest, I have plans to start my own credit journey thread soon. It's going to be a wonderful resource for newbies and will be a wonderful way for each person that keeps track of their own journey to receive feedback and advice. (If any of the higher ups out there are listening...a separate Credit Repair Journey board would be a good thing!)

[UNCForest]

evilways, Iagree...a seperate forum for it would be great.

[matthewscott]

I think I only asked them to remove the CCCS remark since I paid the account off.

[matthewscott]

Ok, I pulled directly from Experian. GMAC is reporting a rolling 30 day late on my voluntary repo. I disputed some other stuff while I was at it. I ordered that report only to dispute GMAC.

Here is the shocking news from the Experian report...

1) MBNA and a Chase account are both deleted. I never even heard back from MBNA. I was only an authorized user. They were my only lates except GMAC's crazy listing only over on Experian. GMAC shows up normally on the other two bureaus' reports.

2) Shell station card was marked as closed. I had recently sent them a goodwill and got my new cards in the mail yesterday.

[matthewscott]

Yeah, that's a good idea. I like to be able to read back through my posts to see what has changed. It really shows me what is left and how far I have made it.

[matthewscott]

Ok. I checked back on my Experian report/disputes. GMAC came back verified but they seem to have fixed the rolling lates. It looks correct now.

Shell station card has switched back to open. I haven't made a purchase yet.

I disputed some more stuff with Regions student loans. They have my two loans duplicated due to the account number being different. All four are reporting open even though they have been sold. (They aren't delinquent or anything like that. They simply sold or transferred the accounts to another lender.)

[UNCForest]

Keep em coming, matt!

[matthewscott]

I signed up for Triple Alert today. I figured for $4.95 a month I would see if that helps me see basic changes on my reports. Apparently, you don't get to see your report but it only reports changes that it sees. I'll let you know about that.

Here is the link. Triple Alert - Experian

[matthewscott]

Not sure if I mentioned this already or not.

1) Shell station only card - they reopened the account when I sent them a good will letter. They have sent out my new cards and I used it to fill up just to see if it would update the reporting.

2) Zales - They confirmed that I do still have an account. They said that all I need to do is pick something out and tell them that I wish to put it on my existing card. They said the store will call it in and it will go through. I really don't need anything and they are already reporting pays as agreed every month so I'm trying to avoid spending some money there just yet. I know I probably will though, just don't know when.

3) JCPenney - I don't think I ever heard back from them but I did manage to get my full account number off of one of my credit reports. I went to the website and signed up. I tried to ask for a replacement card but it said to call the 1-800 number. I did update my address while I was on the website. I did call them and in no time at all he said he was mailing out a new card to me.

I am trying very hard to wait until some of these changes hit before I go spend the $40 bucks to update myFico. As I have no patience, this is killing me. I figure I will update sometime in June.

So far so good...

I haven't heard much on the Experian disputes yet. We'll see. I did notice that GMAC did update. I wonder how the TL will look on my reports. I haven't heard anything from the student loan double reporting or anything else.

I am kicking myself over the Target card. A while back, I was asked by a cashier if I wanted to apply for a card. I don't know if she just wanted me to apply or if I actually got a pre-approved. I kind of feel it was just her wanting me to apply. So anyway, I go and make a rather large purchase from Target and of course I pay with my debit card. I was going to tell the cashier that I wanted to apply to get my 10% discount. Another cashier came and asked him a question and that distracted me for a second. I paid and totally forgot about applying. I did see something on their site that I want so I might wait until then. I figured that I could use Target to help me with my repair.

I'm trying to be patient and get some things paid and improved before really asking for another new card and TL.

[Macwench]

patience is a virtue but damn hard sometimes!

Sounds like you're doing all the right things - keep it up!

[matthewscott]

Ok, I caved in and ordered all three FICOs. I couldn't stand to wait any longer. I also decided that a lot could have changed since I ordered them around a month ago.

Here is my progress report:

TransUnion (up 35 total)

669 05/27/2007 +15

654 04/28/2007 +15

639 01/25/2007 +5

634 09/22/2006

Equifax (up 62 total)

670 05/27/2007 +22

648 04/21/2007 +17

631 02/22/2007 +0

631 01/1/2007 +23

608 10/27/2006

Experian (down 1 total)

682 05/27/2007 -1

683 04/28/2007 +0

683 02/2/2007 +0

683 10/27/2006 +0

I'm not worried about Experian. I've been pushing them pretty hard lately. In fact I can't get into the dispute section. Not sure what that means exactly. It might be because I registered a different user for the triple alert with the same social? I think Experian looked pretty clean at the moment.

Keep in mind...

1) I haven't received my card from JCPenney. I'll make a purchase so it will become active.

2) It doesn't look that Shell gas card has totally started reporting again. I'm still in shock they reopened that account.

Created dispute letters:

Equifax:

1) Name misspelled.

2) Remove both MBNA (BOA) and WaMu (Providian) because I am only an authorized user.

3) Sam's *STILL* shows me on CCCS.

4) A duplicate entry on a student loan.

5) I added my phone number.

Transunion:

1) Name misspelled.

2) Remove MBNA (BOA) because I am only an authorized user.

3) AMEX shows old $16 balance. I remember when we called them up and canceled that account. I'm sure we couldn't have closed with it having a balance.

4) I added my phone number.

If they remove the authorized user accounts then I will have no lates or derogatory listings except the repo. I'll be super excited if I can make that happen.

Also, I only have two individual accounts (that are closed) on my report that still have balances. I hope to pay one off in a couple of weeks. Then I can focus on the other one. The second account is around a thousand so it shouldn't take me but a few months to knock that one out. Then I will be down to only my accounts that I am still using and *of course* paying in full.

I'm happy with the results. I think I'll break the +100 total points probably next month. 700 here I come!!!

I've printed out my letters and I'll get the letters in the mail this week.

[SecretAgentWoman]

Nothing to say but, keep up the good work!

I have all my communication, files, scores, progress, goals, to-do lists, etc, in various folders and spreadsheets at home. Didn't occur to me to document them here beyond my siggy and a thread or two about individual issues.

[matthewscott]

Nothing to say but, keep up the good work!

I have all my communication, files, scores, progress, goals, to-do lists, etc, in various folders and spreadsheets at home. Didn't occur to me to document them here beyond my siggy and a thread or two about individual issues.

Just one more way to stay organized. It's helpful to be able to search and look back at things. Most of all the occasional thumbs up really helps keep me going! Thanks!

[UNCForest]

Great results! Im jealous!

[skyfox2020]

Great Job!! Keep it up!

[matthewscott]

Thanks for the encouragement!

I guess I confused JC Penney. They sent me TWO cards from the same account. I got them both today.

I guess I'll use one and see if I can make that TL go active again.

[matthewscott]

Here are my results from Experian that I got today.

Accounts that I was an authorized user on:

Citi - DELETED

Goody's - DELETED

CHASE - DELETED (I believe this is the account that had the 2 late payments.)

Regions - 4 student loan TL disputed. Still waiting on these.

I believe all late payments and everything bad is gone except the repo.