Who wants to help me with taking that first step...

[Anonymous]

Ok, so here's my mess. Just signed up for the monthly reporting through USAA. I have no clue where to start and I think previous attempts may have made things worse. Last year I pulled all 3 reports and started to dispute with the CRA's using the online request. I didn't know anything back then about the proper way to DV, timelines, or process. Now as I'm looking over things I'm seeing "CONSUMER SAYS ACCT. IS RESPONSIBILITY OF SEPARATED OR DIVORCED SPOUSE" in the comments under most of my EQ's. I've never been married and the only thing I can connect to that was a single dispute I filed for a collection with AT&T. The collection with AT&T belonged to an ex-gf and is no longer reporting.

I've read up a bit over the last few weeks, but there is just so much info to swallow and I want to make sure I get things right this time around. I grew up on my own since I was 15 and never was taught proper money management as it shows below. Now that I'm 28 and ready to buy my first home(hopefully this year), I'm starting to see the consequences of my mistakes.

Anyways, below I've posted most of the info from all 3 of my reports. I've cut out as much of the empty fluff as I can to make it as short as possible. If I could just get a few pointers on what my main focus should be and a basic plan of attack I'd be forever thankful.

Credit Score
3/13/2011 10:07 PM

Experian Equifax TransUnion
548            548            562

INQUIRES

I have 12 hard inquires in the last 2yrs with 4 of them dropping off in the next month. Do I dispute the remaining inquiries? I know for a fact 2-3 of them were not authorized and were from car dealerships that somehow got my info.

Credit Summary:

REVOLVING

Experian® Equifax® TransUnion®

Count 3 3 3

Balance $498.00 $498.00 $498.00

Current 0 0 0

Delinquent 0 0 0

Other 1 0 0

INSTALLMENTS

Experian® Equifax® TransUnion®

Count 6 3 4

Balance $2,751.00 $1,824.00 $1,824.00

Current 1 0 1

Delinquent 0 2 1

Other 2 0 0

OTHER

Experian® Equifax® TransUnion®

Count 0 1 0

Balance $0.00 $927.00 $0.00

Current 0 0 0

Delinquent 0 1 0

Other 0 0 0

COLLECTIONS

Experian® Equifax® TransUnion®

Count 2 1 2

Balance $1,054.00 $718.00 $1,645.00

Current 0 0 0

Delinquent 0 0 0

Other 0 0 0

ALL ACCOUNTS

Experian® Equifax® TransUnion®

Count 11 8 9

Balance $4,303.00 $3,967.00 $3,967.00

Current 1 0 1

Delinquent 0 3 1

Other 3 0 0

Public Records:

SMALL CLAIMS JUDGMENT

Date Filed 2/1/2008 2/1/2008

Court FREMONT MUNICIPAL COUR Small Claims

Plaintiff AMERICAN GENERAL FINANCIAL SVCS

Liability $2,043.00 $2,043.00

Asset Amount

Account History

EOS CCA

Account Type Collection Department / Agency / Attorney Collection Account Collection Account

Balance $718.00 $718.00 $718.00

Date Opened 12/1/2009 12/1/2009 12/15/2009

Account Status Closed Open

Past Due $718.00

Payment Status Seriously past due date / assigned to attorney, collection agency, or credit grantor's internal collection department

Unpaid Collection account

Terms 1 Month

Comments Account in disputereported by subscriber Unpaid

Account information disputed by consumer

24 MONTH PAYMENT HISTORY 2009 2010 2011

Potentially Negative Potentially Negative Closed

APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD

MIDLAND CREDIT MGMT

Account Type Debt Purchase Open Account Collection Account

Balance $927.00 $927.00 $927.00

Date Opened 9/1/2010 9/1/2010 9/22/2010

Account Status Closed Open

Past Due $927.00 $927.00

Payment Status Seriously past due date / assigned to attorney, collection agency, or credit grantor's internal collection department

At least 120 days or more than four payments past due

Collection account

High Balance $927.00

Terms 1 Month

Comments COLLECTION ACCOUNT Placed for collection

24 MONTH PAYMENT HISTORY 2009 2010 2011

FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN

KD KD KD OK OK OK OK OK

CAP ONE

No Data Returned For This Bureau

Account Type Credit Card Revolving account

Balance $0.00 $0.00

Date Opened 9/1/2005 9/15/2005

Account Status Closed Closed

Past Due $0.00 $0.00

Payment Status Charge-off Charged off as bad debt

High Balance $724.00

Limit $200.00 $200.00

Terms Revolving

Comments Transferred to another lender or claim purchased

Purchased by another lender

24 MONTH PAYMENT HISTORY 2008 2009 2010

OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP ND ND ND ND ND ND ND ND ND KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD OK

CCS/FIRST SAVINGS BANK

No Data Returned

Potentially Negative Closed

Potentially Negative Closed

Account Type Credit Card Revolving or Option

Balance $498.00 $0.00

Date Opened 9/1/2005 9/1/2005

Account Status Closed

Past Due $498.00

Payment Status Charge-off

Bad debt & placed for collection & skip

High Balance $200.00

Limit $300.00

Terms Revolving

Comments CONSUMER SAYS ACCT. IS RESPONSIBILITY OF SEPARATED OR DIVORCED SPOUSE ACCOUNT TRANSFERRED OR SOLD

24 MONTH PAYMENT HISTORY 2008 2009 2010

OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD

ECMC CA

No Data Returned For This Bureau

No Data Returned For This Bureau

Account Type Installment account

Balance $0.00

Date Opened 10/31/2008

Account Status Closed

Payment Status Payment after charge off / collection

High Balance $1,038.00

Terms 1 X

Comments Paid collection

24 MONTH PAYMENT HISTORY

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

FBCS

No Data Returned For This Bureau

No Data Returned For This Bureau

Account Type Collection Department / Agency / Attorney

Balance $336.00

Date Opened 2/1/2011

Account Status Closed

Past Due $336.00

Payment Status Seriously past due date / assigned to attorney, collection agency, or credit grantor's internal collection department

Terms 1 Month

Potentially Negative Closed

Potentially Negative Closed

Potentially Negative Closed

24 MONTH PAYMENT HISTORY 2009 2010 2011

APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR KD

FIRST SVG CC

No Data Returned For This Bureau

Account Type Revolving or Option Revolving account

Balance $498.00 $498.00

Date Opened 9/1/2005 9/11/2005

Account Status Closed

Mo. Payment $498.00

Past Due $498.00 $498.00

Payment Status Bad debt & placed for collection & skip

Charged off as bad debt

High Balance $498.00 $542.00

Limit $300.00

Comments CONSUMER SAYS ACCT. IS RESPONSIBILITY OF SEPARATED OR DIVORCED SPOUSE CHARGED OFF ACCOUNT

Profit and loss writeoff

24 MONTH PAYMENT HISTORY 2008 2009 2010

OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP KD KD KD KD KD KD OK KD KD OK KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD

HSBC BANK

No Data Returned For This Bureau

No Data Returned For This Bureau

Account Type Revolving account

Balance $0.00

Date Opened 7/31/2006

Account Status Closed

Past Due $0.00

Payment Status Payment after charge off / collection

High Balance $710.00

Comments Dispute resolved; customer disagrees

24 MONTH PAYMENT HISTORY JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

SALLIE MAE

Potentially Negative Closed

Account Type Education Loan Installment Installment account

Balance $0.00 $0.00

Date Opened 8/1/2003 8/1/2003 8/6/2003

Account Status Closed Closed

Mo. Payment $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

Past Due $0.00 $0.00

PaymentStatusClaim filed with government for insured portion of balance on loan

At least 120 days or more than four payments past due 120 days past due

High Balance $2,625.00 $2,625.00

Terms 49 Months 49 Months

Comments DEFAULTED LOAN – CLAIM FILED AGAINST GUARANTOR BALANCE PAID OR BEING PAID BY INSURANCE COMPANY

Debt being paid through insurance

24 MONTH PAYMENT HISTORY 2008 2009 2010

NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT OK KD OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK

SPRINGLEAF FINANCIAL S

Account Type Note Loan Installment Installment account

Balance $1,824.00 $1,824.00 $1,824.00

Date Opened 7/1/2007 7/1/2007 7/20/2007

Account Status Closed Closed

Mo. Payment $116.00 $116.00

Past Due $1,824.00 $1,824.00 $1,824.00

Payment Status Charge-off

Bad debt & placed for collection & skip

Charged off as bad debt

High Balance $2,244.00 $1,824.00

Terms 24 Months 24 X

Comments CHARGED OFF ACCOUNT Profit and loss writeoff

24 MONTH PAYMENT HISTORY 2009 2010 2011

FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD OK OK KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD KD OK OK OK

EDUCATION CREDIT MAN

No Data Returned For This Bureau

No Data Returned For This Bureau

Account Type Installment

Date Opened 1/1/0001

Payment Status At least 120 days or more than four payments past due

High Balance $1,038.00

Comments PAID COLLECTION

STUDENT LOAN

24 MONTH PAYMENT HISTORY 2008 2009 2010

NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTOK120120120120120120120120OK120120120120120OKOKOKOKOKOKOKOKOK

HSBC BANK

No Data Returned For This Bureau

Account Type Credit Card Revolving or Option

Date Opened 7/1/2006 7/1/2006

Account Status Closed

Payment Status Account transferred to another office

Bad debt & placed for collection & skip

High Balance $300.00

Terms Revolving

Account in disputereported by subscriber CONSUMER SAYS ACCT. IS RESPONSIBILITY OF SEPARATED OR DIVORCED SPOUSE

24 MONTH PAYMENT HISTORY 2008 2009 2010

NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT ND ND ND ND ND KD ND ND OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK

SALLIE MAE

No Data Returned For This Bureau

No Data Returned For This Bureau

Account Type Education Loan

Date Opened 8/1/2003

Account Status Closed

Payment Status Account transferred to another office

Comments Transferred to another lender or claim purchased

24 MONTH PAYMENT HISTORY 2002 2003 2004

APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR OK OK OK OK OK OK OK OK

ECMC

No Data Returned For This Bureau

No Data Returned For This Bureau

Account Type Education Loan

Date Opened 10/1/2008

Account Status Closed

Payment Status Paid, was a collection account, insurance claim or government claim or was terminated for default

Terms 1 Month

24 MONTH PAYMENT HISTORY 2008 2009 2010

APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR KD

SALLIE MAE SERVICING

No Data Returned For This Bureau

Account Type Education Loan Installment account

Balance $0.00

Date Opened 2/1/2004 2/6/2004

Account Status Closed Closed

Past Due $0.00

Payment Status Account transferred to another office

Paid or paying as agreed

High Balance $2,625.00

Comments Student loan – payment deferred Transferred to another lender

24 MONTH PAYMENT HISTORY 2002 2003 2004

JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAYOK OK OK

[mauve]

Step 1: give us screenshots.  Open them in paint and "erase" personal identifying info. This is way too hard for people to read.

[Anonymous]

My Credit Score

1. You have no public records

2. You are 30 days late on one or more payments

3. You have no major credit cards currently open

4. You have too many recent hard inquiries

[mauve]

I would look at all of your accounts that currently have balances on them first. 

Figure out how much cash you have available for paying them.

Make a determination, based on the statute of limitations of your state and the amount of money you have available, what to pay first.

The ones that are hurting you the most are the most recent ones. 

If you are able to pay them all off in full, I would send a DV to each reporting CA and then try to negotiate a PfD with them (assuming it's yours).  They are not obligated to respond to a DV unless you are in Texas, or it's been less than 30 days since they sent you their first notification of this debt. 

If you are not able to pay them all off in full, I would start with the ones that you can.  I would not move onto the next one until I had enough to pay them in full. 

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the quick replies Mauve. One thing I was thinking of doing, but still had questions on was; I will be getting a good sized tax return this year which I intend to use half of to pay down debt. Would it be wise to put the money first into a secured loan through NFCU or USAA since I'm a full member with both? Then use the loan to PFD.

Second question is as I'm working on my most recent debts. How do I handle the collection attempts for the older ones that I'm not able to PFD yet? I've had one collector calling my stepdads work as well as his mother threatening to sue me last week. What do I do to stop them from contacting family or delay until I am able to deal with it.

And third should I bother doing anything about the CRA misinformation on my EQ stating, "CONSUMER SAYS ACCT. IS RESPONSIBILITY OF SEPARATED OR DIVORCED SPOUSE"? Do I leave it as is, dispute, or wait till I PFD each one?

[fot1]

What does the red KD's stand for?

[RobertEG]

Regarding the collection calls to your step-dad, it appears that they are blatantly illegal.

The only parties that a debt collector can call and even intimate that you owe a debt are limited, under FDCPA 805(d), to you, your spouse, a parent (if the consuemr is a minor), or a guardian, executor, or administrator.

All other parties are considered third parties.  Calls to third parties are limited, under FDCPA 804, only to attempts to locate the consumer's name and address, and are strictly phohibited from any statement to them that you owe any debt.  Period.

This is a very serious breach of ethics, privacy, and statute.  You would have recourse to legal action against them.

[OnWayUpinTexas]

---

@fot1 wrote:

What does the red KD's stand for?

---

Key derogatory -- e.g., a charge-off

Ashamed that I have (had) reason to know that.  Dang Citi Shell card ...