GW backfired?

[Anonymous]

I have a closed Wells Fargo account on my report (Mattress Firm credit card, opened in 2010, closed in 2012). It was PIF and closed satisfactorily in January 2012, and there were two derogatories on the account, a 30 day late from November 2011 and a 60 day late from December 2011. The only explanation I can think of right now for why I missed the two payments in the first place is that I moved in November 2011 and I'm guessing the bills never made it to the new place? That's all I can think of, not sure if there was another reason I missed the payments.

I had disputed the account in either 2013 or 2014, don't remember exactly when, due to some minor inaccuracies being reported at the time, which were corrected, if memory serves.

In late January, I sent Wells Fargo a GW request for the two lates. Haven't heard anything back from them, but got a myFICO alert over the weekend and a 6 point drop in my EQ score: 

• Consumer Disputes This Account Information Closed Or Paid Account / Zero Balance Account Closed By Credit GrantorConsumer Disputes After Resolution Closed Or Paid Account / Zero Balance Charge

What are my options? I definitely didn't dispute the account, just sent a GW request. Do I notify Wells Fargo that I didn't dispute the account and request that they remove their comment? Do I contact EQ and ask them to remove the dispute comment? Or do I just tough it out until this account falls off in 2022?

[Washin17]

Wow I did not know that a dispute could hurt your score!  In the GW letter did you state that it was not a dispute?

[theheater30]

Oh my gosh that makes me worry I have sent a good will letter to them! I would just call them and let them know you do not dipute it.

[gdale6]

These are games played by creditors. I would be writing WF and requesting that the dispute comments be removed and re-iterate your request is for their goodwill deletion of the lates and is not in anyway a dispute. If this doesnt get it taken care of then a CFPB complaint would possibly be in order. I say possibly as they may not be willing to grant GW if they have to deal with a complaint to the government. 

[Anonymous]

Ugh I've heard this could happen.

All my PFD / Goodwill letters say This at the bottom:

Please note that this is not a dispute of the validity of the debt that was owed but rather a request for deletion of the charge-off reports that have been paid.

[RobertEG]

I would wait until 30 days has expired from the date of your letter, and then contact the credtior and demand removal of the dispute comments, or else you will file a formal complaint with the CFPB for their violation of the FCRA.

If they really considered your request to have been a dispute, then it was a direct dispute under FCRA 623(a)(8) that compelled their investigation and response, sent no later than 30 days plus 5 business days after receipt of your "dispute."

Since they have failed to send you a notice of results of your direct dispute, they are in violation of the FCRA.

They cannot have their cake and eat it too.  It was either a dispute, or it was not.

[Anonymous]

---

@RobertEG wrote:

I would wait until 30 days has expired from the date of your letter, and then contact the credtior and demand removal of the dispute comments, or else you will file a formal complaint with the CFPB for their violation of the FCRA.

If they really considered your request to have been a dispute, then it was a direct dispute under FCRA 623(a)(8) that compelled their investigation and response, sent no later than 30 days plus 5 business days after receipt of your "dispute."

Since they have failed to send you a notice of results of your direct dispute, they are in violation of the FCRA.

They cannot have their cake and eat it too.  It was either a dispute, or it was not.

---

Interesting.... I have one CA that placed "customer disputes" comments after I sent a PFD offer last year, but they never sent back any sort of reply.... Hmmm....

[Anonymous]

Regarding the score drop, I believe that when you dispute tradelines, those tradelines are not factored into your credit score until the dispute is over.  So my guess is that your score dropped because those 30/60 day lates were so old that they weren't negatively affecting your credit as much as the tradeline as a whole was positively affecting your credit.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, guys.

I checked CK and it said the Wells Fargo account dropped from my EQ report. I still haven't gotten any communication from Wells Fargo (3/1 is 30 days since receipt of the letter).

Wasn't asking for a TL deletion, just a GW removal of the two lates, so I'm a bit iffy on that. Thins my file down a bit, but not too much, since I've got a handful of older accounts and a fairly thick file overall. I'm going to be ordering a 3B report on 3/12, so I'll look for it on all the reports then.

[Anonymous]

Pulled a 3B report today.

The Wells Fargo account is on all three, and EQ shows "Consumer disputes after resolution." Since I never received any correspondence from them, I'll send them another letter telling them to remove the dispute comments or face a CFPB complaint, so suck it. :-)

Is it worth sending another GW, or will sending a letter threatening them with action going to close that door for me? I know the 30 day late isn't affecting my score anymore, and the 60 day late was almost 4.5 years ago, so I know its effect is pretty minimal by this point, but I'd still like to get it off my report.