Having trouble rebuilding credit

[Anonymous]

Hi , Im have a serious road block trying to get my credit score above 640.

A lIttle but about me and my credit history.

Bankruptcy 9yrs  ago

One bad credit card debit Settles 4 years ago

Im gainfully employed with a household income over 100k

Im getting turned down for secured credit cards??

Help.

[nothingman02]

Did you obtain and check your credit reports? What else is on there? How did you get a score? Anything reporting now or in the last 6 months?

[Anonymous]

If you haven't already, pull your free annual reports-- see link below.

Is the BK and the settled CC all that is negative? Any collections? Lates?

All the accounts IIB have been removed, right?

What positive do you have?

[Anonymous]

Yes I pulled my credit reports , well the ones online anyway, The olny negatives were the BK and CC and a $121.00 collection which Im ashamed to admit I didnt know was on there until late last year, I payed it immeditally.

Stupidly, as far as a credit score is concerned anyway it seems, I decided the best way to not get into credit card trouble was to not have any, Ive paid for everything for the past 5-6 years either Cash or Debit card. Ive had 1 car lease all good on time payments closed last Feb 2008, and 1 Car loan from Feb 2008 and current, no late payments ever on either.

[Anonymous]

If the collection was medical, see the medical debt board. See link below.

If it wasn't medical, send a GW letter.

As for the CC, you can try sending GW letter to remove it.

Do you have anyone who can add you as an AU on a good standing CC account? A spouse, parent, sibling?

[Anonymous]

It was my understanding that having someone put me on a credit card as an AU did not effect my credit score. I had thought of that but was told by a CC customer service rep  it would not effect my creit at all?

Do you have an example of a GW letter ive never written one ?

Thanks for all your help

[nothingman02]

It will. It did to me. And I was told too by the CC CSRs (most of them) that it would not help my score. Some said it would not even report. Some said it would report and help. Some said I must be referring to joint CCs etc. I've learnt to verify, double and triple check any information I obtain from CSRs. However there might be some banks which do not report AU accounts. You could do a search here in the forums. Try some combinations with 'AU' , 'reporting', 'Bank name here' etc...

Message Edited by nothingman02 on 04-14-2009 05:04 PM