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Equifax removed many closed and positive TLs from my report before 10 years

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pakman92
Established Contributor

Equifax removed many closed and positive TLs from my report before 10 years

I just pulled a full Equifax report and saw that several closed accounts that were in positive standing before 10 years was up.  Couple of them were less than 7 years since being closed.   Has anyone have this happen?  Is there any recourse I can take?  It dropped my AAoA from 11 years to 8.

 

Also, an open account, a line of credit attached to checking account for overdraft protection has also disappeared.  That one is over 20 years old.  I guess with that one since it's still open, I can legitimately dispute.

 

With the closed account, I wasn't sure if Equifax is obligated to report them for 10 years, or if it's entirely up to them.

 

Thanks for any insights.


My Starting Score: EQ: 691 (11/30/11) TU98: 726 (11/30/11)
My Current Score: EQ: 779 (04/22/13) TU08: 835 (06/03/13)
DW Starting Score: EQ: 742 (03/02/12) TU98: 748 (03/02/12)
DW Current Score: EQ: 784 (03/11/13) TU08: 775 (06/03/13)
Message 1 of 9
8 REPLIES 8
llecs
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Equifax removed many closed and positive TLs from my report before 10 years

Unfortunately it's up to them. It's also up to the creditor whether or not they want to continue reporting. You also can't dispute an account if it disappeared because there's nothing to dispute...it's gone.

 

Questions...

 

1) Do you pull your CRs frequently?

 

2) Do you have a lot of accounts reporting (e.g. 20+)?

 

3) Did you dispute any of these? Or send/call/write letters concerning these accounts?

 

4) How soon to the 10 yrs were these reporting?

 

 

Message 2 of 9
pakman92
Established Contributor

Re: Equifax removed many closed and positive TLs from my report before 10 years


@llecs wrote:

Unfortunately it's up to them. It's also up to the creditor whether or not they want to continue reporting. You also can't dispute an account if it disappeared because there's nothing to dispute...it's gone.

From what I can tell the creditors generally stop reporting after close as 'last reported date / last update date' generally coincide with the 'closed date.'  It appears that it's CRs discretion on how long they keep it around.  Conventional wisdom is positive TLs stay on report for 10 years.  But, in my case with EQ, they seems to have purged all of two of my closed account. 

 

Questions...

 

1) Do you pull your CRs frequently?  I used to pull daily via USAA, but for last 6 months or so, I've pulled EQ total of 4 times.

 

2) Do you have a lot of accounts reporting (e.g. 20+)?  I went from 28 toal (open and closed) on 3/11/13 to 16 total on 3/31/13

 

3) Did you dispute any of these? Or send/call/write letters concerning these accounts?  Nope.  These have always been positive TLs

 

4) How soon to the 10 yrs were these reporting?  Varies from less than 2 years to nearly 10 years, see below.  (copied from another thread where someone was gathering closed accont stats).

 

 


1. When did the account get closed? 11/2004
2. How long did account reporting last after that? 8 years 2 months (+ possibly 2 mor months)
3. What card is it? Who's the creditor? Capital One (Auto loan)
4. Did the consumer or the creditor close the card? NA
5. Any other information and stories about the card?

 

1. When did the account get closed? 12/2005
2. How long did account reporting last after that? 7 years 1 month (+ possibly 2 more months)
3. What card is it? Who's the creditor? Capital One
4. Did the consumer or the creditor close the card? Consumer
5. Any other information and stories about the card?

 

1. When did the account get closed? 1/2003
2. How long did account reporting last after that? 9 years 7 month (+ possibly 4 more months)
3. What card is it? Who's the creditor? City
4. Did the consumer or the creditor close the card? Consumer
5. Any other information and stories about the card?

 

1. When did the account get closed? 12/2005
2. How long did account reporting last after that? 6 years 8 month (+ possibly 4 more months)
3. What card is it? Who's the creditor? HSBC
4. Did the consumer or the creditor close the card? Consumer
5. Any other information and stories about the card?

 

1. When did the account get closed? 10/2003
2. How long did account reporting last after that? 9 years 5 month
3. What card is it? Who's the creditor? Merrick
4. Did the consumer or the creditor close the card? Consumer
5. Any other information and stories about the card?

 

1. When did the account get closed? 11/2004
2. How long did account reporting last after that? 8 years 4 months
3. What card is it? Who's the creditor? 4 separate student loans from the school itself
4. Did the consumer or the creditor close the card? NA
5. Any other information and stories about the card?

 

1. When did the account get closed? 7/2003
2. How long did account reporting last after that? 9 years 8 months
3. What card is it? Who's the creditor? Citi (Sears card)
4. Did the consumer or the creditor close the card? Consumer
5. Any other information and stories about the card? shows last reported date 3/2005 nearly two years after closing of the account.

 

1. When did the account get closed? 10/2006
2. How long did account reporting last after that? 6 years 5 months
3. What card is it? Who's the creditor? Chase (Circuit City)
4. Did the consumer or the creditor close the card? creditor, however, this is false
5. Any other information and stories about the card? no closed date, date of last activity 10/2006, dat of last reported 1/2007

 

1. When did the account get closed? 5/2007
2. How long did account reporting last after that? 5 years 10 months
3. What card is it? Who's the creditor? Chase
4. Did the consumer or the creditor close the card? Consumer
5. Any other information and stories about the card? Show date reported 12/2008

 

1. When did the account get closed? 6/2011
2. How long did account reporting last after that? 1 years 9 months
3. What card is it? Who's the creditor? Home Depot
4. Did the consumer or the creditor close the card? Inactivity
5. Any other information and stories about the card? Date of Last Activity 4/2008


My Starting Score: EQ: 691 (11/30/11) TU98: 726 (11/30/11)
My Current Score: EQ: 779 (04/22/13) TU08: 835 (06/03/13)
DW Starting Score: EQ: 742 (03/02/12) TU98: 748 (03/02/12)
DW Current Score: EQ: 784 (03/11/13) TU08: 775 (06/03/13)
Message 3 of 9
Mondavi
Regular Contributor

Re: Equifax removed many closed and positive TLs from my report before 10 years

I have been dealing with this mess for 3 months now. My problem was my file was to big and poof went 9 positive tradelines. All under 10 years old. Of the nine five were closed. It is sad to say but you could pick a person off the street that has no idea how the CRA's work and give them a job at EQ.

 

This dropped my score 31 points. I called the Executive Offices back in January. I got a fast response and my accounts were all added back on in five days! So I got my points all back. I thought this was the end. Wrong. I check the following week and all of those accounts were in dispute. Called the office again and left a message. No call back but a few days later all the dispute comments were gone. So another week goes by and I check again and all the accounts were gone once again. Score dropped again. So here is the insane part. I check my TU report and all of those accounts are gone as well!!!! I called TU and they said they do not remove positive closed accounts every before 10 years. I file a complaint with the CFPB on the matter against TU. Here is TU the response.

 On 01/15/13, an investigation was initiated with Equifax into the accuracy of the mentioned accounts. In response to that investigation, each of the creditors requested that the accounts be removed from the database. Upon receiving the creditors' requests to have their accounts removed from your credit files, Equifax notified TransUnion of the creditors requests and TransUnion deleted the accounts in accordance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act. 

So there you go. EQ request TU to remove all those accounts. Wow is all I can say. My guess is that when EQ put all of those accounts back on my report the system was not happy. It automatically disputed those accounts. Since I spoke with some of the creditors they all said that I disputed those accounts and since they were older accounts that they no longer keep track of them and so they deleted because of my dispute.

 

I actually spoke with the COO of TU on this matter. He was more than helpful and realized I should not be punished because of something like this. They put every account back on my TU report the next day and that score went back up 23 points. So it can be done even though they tell you it is not possible.

 

EQ I am still in a battle with. They pushed my CFPB complaint out 60 days. So I should know something in the next month. I was told that I can not look at my file again or it will bump off more of my accounts. Even if some creditor soft pulls me I will lose more accounts. They will not remove soft pulls that are under a year old to make room for me as well. Really nice to be punished because of a flawed system. They also do not have to keep positive closed trade lines on your file. In my case they made it look like I disputed all of those accounts to my creditors and then the creditors requested them to be deleted.

 

My advise to you would be if you are trying for a mortgage soon and need the points back. " Like Me"  First when you call always ask to be transferred to a USA representative. See what you can learn there. Maybe you could have a split file. If that does not work call the Executive office and ask to leave a message with someone in THAT office that can help otherwise they will transfer you to India.

 

Message 4 of 9
pakman92
Established Contributor

Re: Equifax removed many closed and positive TLs from my report before 10 years

I think only way this is hurting me is AAoA as it went from 12 years to 8.  Probably about 10 points at most.  I'm concerned about an Open account that went 'poof' along with these.  That one was a LOC attached to checking acct as overdraft protection and is a 23 year old tradeline.  I'd like that back.  Should I take that up with the creditor or Equifax?


My Starting Score: EQ: 691 (11/30/11) TU98: 726 (11/30/11)
My Current Score: EQ: 779 (04/22/13) TU08: 835 (06/03/13)
DW Starting Score: EQ: 742 (03/02/12) TU98: 748 (03/02/12)
DW Current Score: EQ: 784 (03/11/13) TU08: 775 (06/03/13)
Message 5 of 9
llecs
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Equifax removed many closed and positive TLs from my report before 10 years


@Mondavi wrote:

.....My problem was my file was to big and poof went 9 positive tradelines.  



That's what I'm thinking for OP....a split file.

 

OP, try pulling EQ from other sources. Look to see if your accounts change up any. If you see new accounts here and there with each new pull then you have a split file. It can be fixed with help from the CRA.

Message 6 of 9
sosabe77
Contributor

Re: Equifax removed many closed and positive TLs from my report before 10 years

Sounds like a split file.

Top 3: Amex BCP 25k - Chase Sapphire 17.5k - PSECU 20K


Starting Score: 714
Current Score: 759
Goal Score: 800

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Message 7 of 9
Mondavi
Regular Contributor

Re: Equifax removed many closed and positive TLs from my report before 10 years

Said I would update this when I heard back from the CFPB. 45 days later EQ put all the files back on and it sending me a new report. I still never got an answer though of why they requested TU to delete all my files as well. I am guessing it was all automated. Least my score went up 32 points again. Crazy how much effect having my oldest account go from 16 years to 11 years and my AAoA going from 8 years down to 5 years would do.

 

Now when I get enough energy I need to call EQ and ask if I can ever pull my file again without it removing my tradelines again. That seems like a lot of work talking to them again.

 

I should note that I never had a split file. So it may not always be the case if you have trade lines go missing.

Message 8 of 9
pakman92
Established Contributor

Re: Equifax removed many closed and positive TLs from my report before 10 years

Just to close out this thread.  I spoke to Equifax and they told me those accounts were deleted when I remove old addresses and mispellings of my name.  I'm not sure if I by that entirely since the ones I removed were things where my last name was the first and first was the last.  But, I guess the address removal could have had an effect...  I dropped the matter once I was convinced that my file wasn't split.  (hopefully)


My Starting Score: EQ: 691 (11/30/11) TU98: 726 (11/30/11)
My Current Score: EQ: 779 (04/22/13) TU08: 835 (06/03/13)
DW Starting Score: EQ: 742 (03/02/12) TU98: 748 (03/02/12)
DW Current Score: EQ: 784 (03/11/13) TU08: 775 (06/03/13)
Message 9 of 9
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