@tk777777 wrote:I love this forum! Just wondering if there are any other good active ones out there (dealing with credit repair/FICO improvement) that have solid information and experienced members?
Thanks!
Nope this is the only one in existence!! 
But seriously it is the only one I visit. I won't say you can't get good information elsewhere but I find all I need right here.
ETA: And I will remind everyone to review the Forum's Credit Repair Discussion Guidelines before making any recommendations or providing any links. If you're not sure whether a link to a site is permitted just ask one of the mods.
From a BK years ago to:
EX - 3/11 pulled by lender- 835, EQ - 2/11-816, TU - 2/11-782
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they've made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem".
@MarineVietVet wrote:
Nope this is the only one in existence!!
But seriously it is the only one I visit. I won't say you can't get good information elsewhere but I find all I need right here.
ETA: And I will remind everyone to review the Forum's Credit Repair Discussion Guidelines before making any recommendations or providing any links. If you're not sure whether a link to a site is permitted just ask one of the mods.
Thanks for the clarification MVV... uh, yeah, not looking for any boards that advocate illegal/dishonest methods. Just people who know how to navigate all the administrative minutiae, have been there before, and explain things simply!
@llecs wrote:There are other forums out there and looked for a home, but I stumbled on the dark side of credit repair. I ended up getting some very bad advice and after taking damage to my credit for following their advice, and complaining about it, someone suggested I come here and I did. It was a breath of fresh air. The people were nicer and they were willing to pay it forward by relaying their experiences. I haven't lurked all the forums out there, but hit most of them and having started off as an average joe, this one was the best (IMO).
Ilecs -- that sounds... ominous. 
I don't know if you can talk about it in general terms, but what was the bad advice? (I want to make sure not to do it by accident!) Didn't realize that repair efforts could actually damage your credit.
This is the only forum I've looked into so far. I'll have to be really careful to doublecheck any advice that I find in my research, I guess!
@tk777777 wrote:Ilecs -- that sounds... ominous.
This is the only forum I've looked into so far. I'll have to be really careful to doublecheck any advice that I find in my research, I guess!
One of the worst pieces of advice often given out is "Dispute everything". This can lead to very bad consequences:
1) Disputing can cause your score to drop. A dispute removes certain aspects on OC TLs per FICO like your balance or CL and that can negatively impact your score if it actually helped your util.
2) Disputing can lead to the early demise of an OC TL. While that may sound good if you have a CO or a TL with a bunch of lates, if that TL was one of your oldest or helped your AAoA, then it's depature can possibly drop your score if the history helped more than the baddie hurt. Also, some OCs will automatically remove the negative aspects at the 7 yr mark and it could have reported as a positive for a while longer.
3) Disputing can lead the OC or CA to report worse than what they were before. If an OC wasn't reporting every late or if the OC/CA had not updated in a while, then they can update their reporting and that can cause your FICO scores to drop.
4) Disputing will almost always lead to increased collection activity if the debt is unpaid, including increased letters, calls, or increased risk of being sued.
5) Disputing makes it harder to get a PFD or GW accepted. I recall calling for a GW for Verizon once and they said that since I disputed an accurate account then they wouldn't grant the GW (though I don't they they'd accept it anyway).
6) Disputing can lead to a fraud alert in some instances if you dispute as "not mine" (I'm sure it depends on the OC/CA).
7) Disputing takes too much time. Sending a GW or calling in a GW if paid or a PFD if unpaid takes a week tops. A dispute can take up to 30-45 days.
8) When disputing, you typically only have one shot before being labeled a "frivolous disputer" by the CRAs (EX in particular).
9) A dispute comment can lead to a mortgage denial. YMMV on the lender.
10) A dispute can lead to a split file (primarily EQ).
From a BK years ago to:
EX - 3/11 pulled by lender- 835, EQ - 2/11-816, TU - 2/11-782
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they've made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem".