Any GW success with CFNA/Firestone?

[Mythic850]

I've got a serious late (30, 60, 90, 120) showing from CFNA/Firestone from early 2006. As anyone had any GW luck with them? They keep telling me there's no way the collection department will offer GW.

The problem came when I had the option of signing up for a promotion (six months same as cash or 90 days with a % discount) and I thought I opted for the six months. I had just moved and the post office entered the forwarding address wrong. Since I wasn't expecting to make a payment, I didn't think twice about it. So by the time I got the statements, I was already 120 days late. I then moved quickly to pay it off over the next 3 months.

Anyone have any advice other than being persistent with the GW attempts?

[Anonymous]

I am having the same problem did you get it resolved and if so how?

[fishbjc]

Nope, not at all a g/w type of company.  Keep trying though.

[BWduty]

I strongly suggest that anybody who wants to improve their credit score NOT get a CFNA credit card. I know they are the credit company who provides cards for Firestone and Plaza Tire Service. I would guess there are other companies as well. Before applying for a card please make sure you ask if it is CFNA. 

The problem is this -- they do not report credit limits to the bureaus. They report your current balance to all three bureaus, but report no limit. An essential part of raising your credit score is having a favorable debt to credit ratio. This ranges anywhere from 20%-35% depending on who you ask. If you have a $1 balance on a CFNA card, your debt to credit ratio on that account is infinitely negative because you're debt is $1 and your credit limit is unreported (which is considered ZERO by the bureaus).

I sent a few letters to their customer service department, and their responses were abysmal. I paid off the card just now, and will be canceling it as soon as the payment goes through. I see no reason in keeping a card that I can't use. My credit limit is $1200 and my balance is $159 but since they don't report a limit my overall debt to credit ratio is 75%. My only other credit card has a $200 limit so it's showing my overall debt as $159 and my overall available credit as $200. It should be $159 versus $1400 which would be about 11%. CFNA refuses to do anything about it since they are "not required by law to report credit limits". So much for customer service. I'm glad I paid it off before they got any of my money. 

I'm going to try to spread the word as best I can that this is a horrible practice and extremely bad customer service. I opened this account hoping to increase my credit score, and it has dropped it by over 20 points with all three bureaus. I've spent a couple years trying to raise my scores and this just set me back a good six months. The inquiry alone will haunt me for two years.

[Anonymous]

After several goodwill letters I was finally successful in getting the 30 days late removed from my credit report.

[Anonymous]

onaroll, any more information about the letter used? I have a paid chargeoff from them. Supposed to fall off my report in May, but I'd like to get it off sooner. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

bump