Cleaning Up Your Credit Report

[tinroofrusted]

There have been so many questions about charge offs, etc, I just want to write a little bit.

First of all, anything that is included in bankruptcy MUST say that on the credit report. NO MATTER WHAT.

There should NEVER be a "charge off" or a balance showing. It should always always always say $00.00 balance Included in Chapter 7 bankrutpcy. For them to report otherwise is against the law.

I started disputing the DAY of my discharge. MOST of my creditors had already properly reported my accounts in Chapter 7. Those that didn't I got on the ball with and made them report accurrately.

Just remember this: it is against the law to put false or misleading information on a credit report. Creditors CAN and have been held liable in courts for falsely supplying misleading and false information to the credit bureaus.

Hope this helps!

[HRx]

Do you mind posting a thorough "how-to"?

[tinroofrusted]

Yes, but give me a couple of days to put it together! =)

[HRx]

Yes, but give me a couple of days to put it together! =)

Sure thing

[Minnymouth]

Checked my credit report today. First time since i filed. Wanted to see all that had been posted.
Did have some that said 'included in BK" but also said "charge-off" on it and the dollar amount was blank, not "0".
Will have to send a few letters to some of the creditors to make them report status of account.
But basicallly it looked good.
Fell out when my Fico score was still almost 700 - (based on my payment history over the last 7 years).
Some of my accounts went back 30 years showing paid in full.
Still considered a decent credit risk even though I claimed BK.....
INTERESTING!!!!!

Be sure and check those credit reports about 3 months after discharge. Very important......
Minny

[HHM]

Yeah, that shows the power of "CREDIT HISTORY" it is nearly the most important factor in determining credit worthiness, if you have 30 year old accounts with positive payment history, a BK will negligible affect your credit.

[HRx]

what's the status on the how-to write up?

[tinroofrusted]

[tinroofrusted]

And some more information:

A good site that I have found is www.creditbible.com... I am in no way affiliated with this site, I just found it by accident one day!

[HHM]

Just one caveat, the credit report can have true information about you, so under the section you list "Ratings not to accept", if its in fact true that a debt was "Discharged in Bankruptcy" then it can be reported that way.

[tinroofrusted]

A couple of other things that I want to highlight:

It is ILLEGAL for the credit bureaus to leave or to not remove untrue or false information on your credit report. You can and do have the right to sue them if they do not. Since you are judged on your credit worthiness more than anything nowadays, under the FCRA you DO have rights.

It is also illegal for someone to pull your bureau without your written consent or permission. They can be fined $1000.00 for every pull that is not authorized, and you can also collect damages from a company who does this. On the other hand, they can also remove that inquiry as well... so can the bureaus. However, it is best to handle this one directly with the company. Ask them what permissable purpose that they had, or to remove the pull.

Hope this info helps.

[tinroofrusted]

And finally, when disputing, I can't stress this enough. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS do everything certified mail. Yes it is more expensive, but I had to learn this lesson the hard way, and have been fighting with Transunion for more than 2 months, because they are negligent, but I also didn't do things certified.

[EdytaHome]

So, included in Bankruptcy is OK?
Also, when you pull your credit report online, you can automatically dispute things on your report electronically ON-Line, as well. Is this adviseable or should it be done by certified mail?

[tinroofrusted]

So, included in Bankruptcy is OK?
Also, when you pull your credit report online, you can automatically dispute things on your report electronically ON-Line, as well. Is this adviseable or should it be done by certified mail?

Experian I have worked with three times so far on line and they were great. When dealing with Transunion, I would definitely use certified mail, no matter what. Those guys are a bunch of dirtbags there, and if you don't document everything, they lie, and everything else. (This is from my own personal experience!!!)Remeber that the bureaus are a BUSINESS. They are there to make money, and they don't really care about anything else. Documentation is the key, because if they go past their 30 day time limit, they can and have been held liable for damages claims in the past, but if you don't have everything documented, you aren't as likely to win your case, if it needs to go that far.

(I would also encourage you to look at Ripoff Report, and other consumer review sites for more discouraging information on how Transunion repeatedly breaks the law! They need to get on the ball here, and the FTC and other investigators need to hammer down on them.)

"Included in Bankruptcy" is acceptable, BUT it MUST have a $0.00 balance showing due. I am also disputing the fact that one of the bureaus shows how many days past due two accounts were. I said that it is irrelevant, and the money was included in Bankruptcy and that's all that it should say. I am waiting to hear on that. one

[HHM]

I am also disputing the fact that one of the bureaus shows how many days past due two accounts were. I said that it is irrelevant, and the money was included in Bankruptcy and that's all that it should say. I am waiting to hear on that. one

You are going to lose that one (assuming the account gets verified), negative history about an account can be reported for up to seven years, so if you had late payments, that negative payment history will be reported, Sorry.