Uphill Climb, Head above water

[Anonymous]

Hey folks, want to say thank you for all of your input on these forums as there is tons of useful and knowledgable information in these forums!  I wanted to get some opinions on my situation.  Starting rebuilding about 5 months ago and, although I've gotten some collections removed, I have a few more to take care of.  Scores currently in the mid 550s.

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 When I was younger I was given a credit card with far too high of a limit, and while I was actually very responsible with it, my ex fiance was not (she was not an authorized user and ran it up after we split).

Fast forward a few months later, I checked my account to find it to be not just maxed, but over my limit (even with autopayments set up).  I attempted to bring the account into better standing and made 3 $250 payments in a payment agreement just to see my $2400 account fell by barely $180 on the principal after these payments.  After refusal to help me in my hardship (had just lost my job) there was simply no way I could actually make these payments with nearly no affect.

So now after several years, I decided to start getting my credit back on track using Credit Karma.  Low and behold, my FICO scores were actually far less than I originally thought with Credit Karma.  

The good news:  

I opened a secure CapOne card over a year ago and have kept it both in good standing while keeping utilization between 5-29%.

Had a second card opened as well a few months back and I pay it off every month before the due date/close date.

1 late payment on the secured card was mis reported and after calling CapOne today it is being removed and a letter of removal is being sent to me.

and

2 Auto loans both in good standing, 1 showing Paid as agreed, the other just Paid (1 late payment)

1 Personal loan paid as agreed and closed

The bad still haunting me on my report:

Original Card I discussed up top

CHASE CARD - $2717 C/O

Reporting 19 or more 90 day late and one 120 day late to two CRAs

Open date - 2008

Removal - 6/2019

Older account but I feel like its definitely not worth trying to pay as 1.) I dont have the extra money and 2.) removal will probably have less effect then others.

BANK OVERDRAFT CARD - $749 C/O

Reporting 1 90 day and one 120

Removal - 6/2019

Placed for collection, which I had removed from my reports.  Then they brought it back as C/O.  Smaller amount might be able to do a PFD through them, but since they are a local bank I might be able to do a GW for my good business with them in the past.  This account was an oversight by me during the same time I lost my job as when the Chase happened.

CREDIT FIRST NATIONAL - C/O showing $0 Balance

Went to collection that I had removed, just now showing up as a C/O.

Removal - 9/18

Best course of action for this guy im not sure...

And then theres 4 Collections from the same local CA for some medical that I dont remember getting (they said it was for Xrays or something)

All small balances in total of $330 (189, 69, 36, 36)

They refused my PFD saying they do not remove reports but will report them as paid if I pay them.  Should I keep up the PFDs or should I just pay them?  I know collection paid or not isnt a good thing to have on your report...

Removal isnt until - 7/2020

Any recommendations are GREATLY appreciated.  I am also very convincing over the phone as I have convinced a handful of people to remove for payment and such over the phone, making sure to never claim responsibility for them, but agreeing to pay them for removal.  Any course of action ahead would be greatly appreciated.

One other thing is I know I can get a personal cash-secured loan from my bank and that SHOULD to my understanding help me in my credit rebuild, to keep diversity of account up but is this a bad course of action?  I also realise that I do have a low account life with it only spanning back just shy of 8 years.

Thanks again boys and girls!

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Hey folks, want to say thank you for all of your input on these forums as there is tons of useful and knowledgable information in these forums!  I wanted to get some opinions on my situation.  Starting rebuilding about 5 months ago and, although I've gotten some collections removed, I have a few more to take care of.  Scores currently in the mid 550s.

---

 When I was younger I was given a credit card with far too high of a limit, and while I was actually very responsible with it, my ex fiance was not (she was not an authorized user and ran it up after we split).

Fast forward a few months later, I checked my account to find it to be not just maxed, but over my limit (even with autopayments set up).  I attempted to bring the account into better standing and made 3 $250 payments in a payment agreement just to see my $2400 account fell by barely $180 on the principal after these payments.  After refusal to help me in my hardship (had just lost my job) there was simply no way I could actually make these payments with nearly no affect.

So now after several years, I decided to start getting my credit back on track using Credit Karma.  Low and behold, my FICO scores were actually far less than I originally thought with Credit Karma.  

The good news:  

I opened a secure CapOne card over a year ago and have kept it both in good standing while keeping utilization between 5-29%.

Had a second card opened as well a few months back and I pay it off every month before the due date/close date.

1 late payment on the secured card was mis reported and after calling CapOne today it is being removed and a letter of removal is being sent to me.

and

2 Auto loans both in good standing, 1 showing Paid as agreed, the other just Paid (1 late payment)

1 Personal loan paid as agreed and closed

The bad still haunting me on my report:

Original Card I discussed up top

CHASE CARD - $2717 C/O

Reporting 19 or more 90 day late and one 120 day late to two CRAs

Open date - 2008

Removal - 6/2019

Older account but I feel like its definitely not worth trying to pay as 1.) I dont have the extra money and 2.) removal will probably have less effect then others.

BANK OVERDRAFT CARD - $749 C/O

Reporting 1 90 day and one 120

Removal - 6/2019

Placed for collection, which I had removed from my reports.  Then they brought it back as C/O.  Smaller amount might be able to do a PFD through them, but since they are a local bank I might be able to do a GW for my good business with them in the past.  This account was an oversight by me during the same time I lost my job as when the Chase happened.

CREDIT FIRST NATIONAL - C/O showing $0 Balance

Went to collection that I had removed, just now showing up as a C/O.

Removal - 9/18

Best course of action for this guy im not sure...

And then theres 4 Collections from the same local CA for some medical that I dont remember getting (they said it was for Xrays or something)

All small balances in total of $330 (189, 69, 36, 36)

They refused my PFD saying they do not remove reports but will report them as paid if I pay them.  Should I keep up the PFDs or should I just pay them?  I know collection paid or not isnt a good thing to have on your report...

Removal isnt until - 7/2020

Any recommendations are GREATLY appreciated.  I am also very convincing over the phone as I have convinced a handful of people to remove for payment and such over the phone, making sure to never claim responsibility for them, but agreeing to pay them for removal.  Any course of action ahead would be greatly appreciated.

One other thing is I know I can get a personal cash-secured loan from my bank and that SHOULD to my understanding help me in my credit rebuild, to keep diversity of account up but is this a bad course of action?  I also realise that I do have a low account life with it only spanning back just shy of 8 years.

Thanks again boys and girls!

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I would google THe HIPPA laws on those medicals for removal but cant discuss that on here but as for the other accounts I would start with your lowest and work your way up....never know if you will need a new car in a year or so, so having that debt paid will look way better paid than unpaid...even if its a charge off or not...PAID always looks better than unpaid. 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the response.  I guess on the Chase account I just feel like reopening the account for payment seems like a mistake as I feel bringing it to current date would hurt me more than help me, and the amount I can offer them for a PFD is undoubtedly too small an amount to get it approved.  But thank you for the HIPPA suggestion as ive seen it around but havent actually looked at it until now.

I think I will PFD all the maneagable accounts and doing the cash secured personal loan from my bank to help move things along.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Thanks for the response.  I guess on the Chase account I just feel like reopening the account for payment seems like a mistake as I feel bringing it to current date would hurt me more than help me, and the amount I can offer them for a PFD is undoubtedly too small an amount to get it approved.  But thank you for the HIPPA suggestion as ive seen it around but havent actually looked at it until now.

I think I will PFD all the maneagable accounts and doing the cash secured personal loan from my bank to help move things along.

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Sounds good for sure, at the end of the day paid is better than unpaid, you gotta look at it that way...because it doesnt take much for them to turn around and sue if your in the limitations in the state...so dont want to give them too much time...

[RonM21]

Even once you pay those accounts, you can still try a goodwill deletion letter afterwards. But I agree at least having them paid is better.

[Anonymous]

Good Will letters have gotten three tradelines removed for me, but it took about 4 months of it so it takes time.

[gdale6]

For unpaid medical debt that is reporting on your CR:

1. Call the OC and see if you qualify for Charity Care
2. If not then ask that they recall the collection in exchange for full payment
3. Send the reporting CA a PFD offer
4. Google the HIPAA Process and contact its creator for help

[Anonymous]

Thanks again for reply guys. In the middle of a move right now so funds are tight, but as soon as I'm finished with the move I'm budgeting to pay these off asap and get these straightened up asap.