topic Re: One-point score "jump" from a dispute? in Understanding FICO® Scoring

One-point score "jump" from a dispute?

ACG23 — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 14:53:19 GMT

Hi!

This is a question related to a dispute. The major "baddie" on my credit history is a Citibank student loan, which shows several 90-day lates, and one 120-day, from a little over a year ago. I've been trying to secure goodwill deletion of this data, but with absolutely no success.

In fact, the last time I sent a goodwill letter, Citibank responded by marking the account "disputed," despite the clear indication on my letter that it was not a dispute!

Well, the dispute just reported to Equifax, and according to ScoreWatch, it was the sole cause of a one-point increase in my FICO score (703 to 704). I know a dispute can sometimes cause your score to not "include" the disputed tradeline. But I find it hard to believe that dropping this super-negative tradeline would cause only a one-point jump. Right? Is there anything else at play here?

Re: One-point score "jump" from a dispute?

Anonymous — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 14:59:41 GMT

There are always things going on with your report, for example monthly variations in utilization that can cause your scores to bounce around.

So it's difficult to answer the question without knowing more.

Re: One-point score "jump" from a dispute?

ACG23 — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 15:06:34 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
There are always things going on with your report, for example monthly variations in utilization that can cause your scores to bounce around.

So it's difficult to answer the question without knowing more.

Hmmm. Maybe I can add some clarity. This is between my balance reporting dates, so a loan/credit card utilization update can't explain the variation.

I do however have just buckets of tradelines: all student loans: six or more positive, this bad tradeline, and a few others with minor bad marks. Would it help if I added some other info?

Re: One-point score "jump" from a dispute?

Revelate — Wed, 09 Jul 2014 16:09:47 GMT

@ACG23 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
There are always things going on with your report, for example monthly variations in utilization that can cause your scores to bounce around.

So it's difficult to answer the question without knowing more.

Hmmm. Maybe I can add some clarity. This is between my balance reporting dates, so a loan/credit card utilization update can't explain the variation.

I do however have just buckets of tradelines: all student loans: six or more positive, this bad tradeline, and a few others with minor bad marks. Would it help if I added some other info?

Disputes *can* cause the tradeline to be discounted from scoring, but I don't think it's guarunteed. Also is the tradeline in dispute or did they just put some comments in to the effect that the customer disputes the tradeline?

Disputes are just wonky: personally I never use them other than when I have the paper documentation available to where I know the tradeline will get deleted with it... i.e. no frivolous testing for me on that one.