Background
I have not admittedly reviewed my credit reports in any detail until January 2018. I randomly applied for and was approved for 6 cards (5 major bank CCs and 1 retail card) in 2016, so I assumed that my credit was fine. I didn't even bother to review my scores in any detail though I think I was at 655 at the time of my AMEX approval. Fast forward to 2018 when I attempted to refinance my mortgage (totally expecting another denial or some ridciulous offer that did not make it worth my while to refinance). I was able to refinance at 4.625% for 20 years. Got me out of a mortgage from Hades, whoo-hoo, but I also saw that my score was only 623. **bleep**!!
How can this be? Why am I in my 30s almost 40 with a great income and bad credit?
Ok. Get a grip. This score does not define me. True, but it comes with a hint of shame (albeit self-imposed). The kind where you don't want anyone to know your dirty, little secret. It was time to get my head from under the covers and tackle this credit situation because that score was not representative of me, my level of responsibility or my current state of affairs.
I found this forum and read and searched and lurked and realized what I needed to do. I paid down all of my outstanding balances (and vowed never to carry a balance again (absent dire circumstances). I started to see results. My scores starting going UP, UP, UP!!! There is nothing like a FICO jump high. I get it now. My score is like a badge of honor now, so when I noticed that my Experian score wasn't giving me the same high jumps as my Equifax and Transunion scores, my high started to wear off.
Credit Issue
Upon closer review what do I see, time since negative 1 month. 1 MONTH??!!! WTH!! No way. This is not correct. What is causing this? A four year old CO that was paid 3 years ago in 2015. I called Experian in January 2018 they said they would dispute the item as it was paid in 2015. The account came back verified. As of February the account was reporting as Charge off as of January 2018 in the payment history. The date first reported was listed as January 2018. I checked my report March 3 only to see that it is now reporting Chared off as of February 2018 in the I contacted Experian again and they said that the only thing that they can do is dispute the item again. I contacted the creditor and they tell me that they have not reported anything to any credit bureau since 2015. My account since it was paid was in a do not report status, so my issue is with Experian not the credit union.
I am beyond frustrated right now. If Experian said that the disputed information was verified, how was it verified if the creditor says that they have not reported anything to the credit bureaus since 2015. While I would love to have this account come off my report altogether, the credit union is not going for it. I have fought that battle many times and my pleas have fallen on deaf ears. However, I do want this account to report ACCURATELY and I want to get the benefit of having the account age and cause less and less damage to my score as it gets older and older.
Anyone been through this? What are my next steps? The account is currently in dispute with Experian again. I have also furnished copies of my credit report showing the inaccurate info as well as evidence of payment to both Experian and the credit union (via direct dispute). Each company is pointing the finger at the other company meanwhile my score is depressed and my profile shows a recent delinquency.
