topic Re: Score difference??? in General Credit Topics

Score difference???

Journey — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 18:56:26 GMT

Hi everyone,

This morning I pulled my EQ and TU score reports.

This was after getting a SW alert that my EQ score went up 20 points (yay!!!) to a 666.

I was shocked to see that my TU score was 534? I posted a question on another board because it says I have recently missed a payment, yet I can find no report of it in the TU report.

I also have another question. The TU report shows me at 105% utility, which is ridiculous given that both of my credit cards have $0 balances, and I have one outstanding chargeoff to pay. I do have a car pymt, but that never hurt me before. I guess I'm wondering if TU would have suddenly decided to include outstanding student loans in the utility? I also just had an old pd collection go into dispute. Could this be why?

Last question (and sorry for asking a few at a time)...

Is it normal to have scores so drastically different? I don't know whether to celebrate or be discouraged...

Re: Score difference???

Anonymous — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 19:17:16 GMT

Closed accounts with balances are counted in util with a $0 CL.

If the collection is listed under the collection section then it being in dispute should have no effect on score.

Look at flagged accounts with lates. What is the last updated/reported date on them? If one recently updated then that could be the recent late payment. You can always call myFICO customer service and they can likely tell you where the missed payment is.

As for the scores being different, is the information on both reports the same?

Re: Score difference???

Journey — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 20:11:59 GMT

Hey Sidewinder,

Thanks for your response. I called customer service and although I spoke with a very nice and patient lady, she could only guess about what the late payment was (because there were none reported in the last year or so). After some pointed comments to me about what I needed to fix (which I already knew and am in the process of repairing), she pointed to one account and suggested I call them. It is a chargeoff acct that I pay through a CA, although OC reports and updates balance monthly, which has been going on since 12/07...so this is not the recent missed pymt. I tried to explain that it would be very confusing to call them to discuss a late that neither she nor I could find on the report, but.... *sigh*

I pointed out that if score watch was going to alert me to a recently missed pymt, why can I not find it anywhere. I pay for this service and right now it has created much confusion and frustration...for me and for the woman in customer service.

Discouraged to say the least...

Thanks for the help sidewinder.

Re: Score difference???

Anonymous — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 20:57:59 GMT

Look at your accounts that do have missed payments.

Then check the last reported/update date for those accounts.

Has any of them recently updated?

Did the SW alert not give you information about the account that had changed?

Re: Score difference???

Journey — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 02:12:11 GMT

Hi Sidewinder,

Out of the four accts I have with missed pymts, only two of them show updating in March09. One was Macy's, which updated to show PIF, because I paid it off. The report has a line that says 30 day lates: none. The second is my discover card, which is a profit and loss writeoff, but which I pay through a CA monthly since 07. Every month the OC tradeline updates the balance owed to reflect my payment. It also says 30 day lates: none.

Credit alert alerted me yesterday, but in reference to my GTE account now showing dispute status. That account is listed as Verizon on my TU report, but this acct was last updated in feb 06 and again shows no 30 day lates.

I rcvd no SW alert for this, just pulled my TU scorepower report and noticed the huge discrepancy in my scores. SW alerted me yesterday that my EQ had gone up to 666. My TU is 534 so I guess SW only monitors EQ.

Message Edited by Journey on 04-04-2009 07:12 PM

Re: Score difference???

Anonymous — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 03:07:11 GMT

Yes, SW only monitors EQ score.

On the accounts with late payments-- check them over real good comparing them to a previous reports.

Sounds to me that a date has changed somewhere causing this problem.

ETA: Is this a new negative factor that it never told you about?

When was the last late on the accounts?

Also, see what is listed in the "worst delinquency" box for those accounts.

Message Edited by sidewinder on 04-04-2009 10:07 PM

Re: Score difference???

Journey — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 03:55:23 GMT

Thank you so much for walking me through this...

I am not sure what you mean by ETA negative factor.

Okay, I compared the FICO TU report to a TU report dated 3/21/09 and 2/20/09. Here's what I found for your questions:

DISC

last lates: none reported on all three reports

worst delinquency: none reported

Date updated/ status as of: listed as the month the report is printed on all three

FICO report shows DOLA March 09...I think that must be because the balance updates every month.

Macy's

PIF in March 09, so shows status date of 3/09

worst delinquency: none reported

no lates listed on any of the reports

2/20 report lists it as +120 days past due

now listed as payment after chargeoff/collection

Verizon/GTE

status/ date updated 5/07 on two reports, 2/06 on one

worst delinquency: none reported

no lates reported on any of the reports

acct listed as payment after charge off/collection

Bank of America

status date/ last updated: 2/08 on all 3

worst delinquency: 120 days past due

listing of past due dates shows most recent late to be 11/07 on all three

acct status listed as 120 days past due on all three, yet shows date paid 1/08 on all three

all three show balance: 0 and past due:0 yet also show pay status as 120 days past due. How can I be past due when the acct is settled???? Guess I never caught that before.

oh my...because I settled it, Should I dispute them still listing it as 120 days past due or can they do that after you have settled? The acct on all three reports also shows as closed. Even still the FICO TU power report said my most recent late was within the past 30 days, so this couldn't be it because that error is consistent across all three reports dating back to 2/20, right?

Also noticed that my EQ shows everything the same on this acct except they also have it noted that a settlement was accepted on the acct.

Whew! This is exhausting for me so it must be for you because you help so many!!!

Thanks again for your time and thoughts!

EDIT: went back and checked the bank of america account against a TU report from 1/17, all is listed exactly the same.

Message Edited by Journey on 04-04-2009 08:55 PM

Re: Score difference???

Anonymous — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 03:58:23 GMT

ETA means Edited to Add.....I edited the message to add some more questions.

I am going to do some looking around and checking and see what I can think of.

Re: Score difference???

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 22:43:48 GMT

Ok...been doing some reading and thinking.

You recently paid the Macy's card....so I think that is the TL that caused the score change.

On your TU report, can you copy and paste exactly how the TL is being reported, minus account #.

Include all dates.

Re: Score difference???

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 22:47:05 GMT

Journey wrote:

I also have another question. The TU report shows me at 105% utility, which is ridiculous given that both of my credit cards have $0 balances, and I have one outstanding chargeoff to pay.

Divide the balance that outstanding CO is reporting by your total CL from the other two active cards. What does that give you?

Re: Score difference???

Journey — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:39:03 GMT

Hey Sidewinder!

Thanks for not forgetting about me!

Here's the TL from the online TU report, 3/21:

DSNB/MACYS ACCT #

9111 DUKE BLVD
MASON , OH 45040-8999
(800) 659-6229

Balance:

Date Updated:

03/2009

High Balance:

$326

Past Due:

Pay Status:

>Payment After Charge Off/Collection<

Account Type:

Revolving Account

Responsibility:

Individual Account

Date Opened:

12/1996

Date Closed:

03/2009

Date Paid:

02/2009

Loan Type: Charge Account

Remark:

Account closed by credit grantor

Estimated date that this item will be removed: 01/2013

Here's the TL from the MYFICO TU report, 4/2:

Charge Account Macys Department Stores

Status as of [?] Mar, 2009 Date opened [?] Dec, 1996 Date of last activity [?] Feb, 2009 Date paid out [?] Feb, 2009 Date closed [?] Mar, 2009 Account number [?] XXXXXXXXX Loan type [?] Charge Account Credit limit [?] Not Reported Largest past balance [?] $326 Terms [?] Not Reported Account Type [?] Revolving Account Account holder [?] Individual Account Scheduled payment amount [?] Not Reported

Descriptions [?]

Canceled by credit grantor

Contact Information [?]

3039 Cornwallis Rd
Durham, NC 27709

Balance [?] Current Status [?] Past Due Amount [?] $0 Payment after charge off/collection $0 Seven year payment history [?] 30 days late 0 times 60 days late 0 times 90+ days late 0 times Worst Delinquency [?] None Reported The Worst Delinquency reports the worst missed payment status that has been documented on this account. Your FICO® score evaluates how recently that missed payment occurred and in general, the more recent, the more impact it has on your score. However, the fact that it occurred is still predictive of future payment risk and could be considered by your FICO® score.

Re: Score difference???

Journey — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:06:40 GMT

Sidewinder?

Re: Score difference???

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:12:57 GMT

Journey wrote:
Hey Sidewinder!
Thanks for not forgetting about me!

Here's the TL from the online TU report, 3/21:
DSNB/MACYS ACCT #

9111 DUKE BLVD
MASON , OH 45040-8999
(800) 659-6229

Balance:
$0
Date Updated:
03/2009
High Balance:
$326
Past Due:
$0
Pay Status:
>Payment After Charge Off/Collection<
Account Type:
Revolving Account
Responsibility:
Individual Account
Date Opened:
12/1996
Date Closed:
03/2009
Date Paid:
02/2009
Loan Type: Charge Account
Remark:
Account closed by credit grantor
Estimated date that this item will be removed: 01/2013

Here's the TL from the MYFICO TU report, 4/2:
Charge Account Macys Department Stores
Status as of [?] Mar, 2009 Date opened [?] Dec, 1996 Date of last activity [?] Feb, 2009 Date paid out [?] Feb, 2009 Date closed [?] Mar, 2009 Account number [?] XXXXXXXXX Loan type [?] Charge Account Credit limit [?] Not Reported Largest past balance [?] $326 Terms [?] Not Reported Account Type [?] Revolving Account Account holder [?] Individual Account Scheduled payment amount [?] Not Reported
Descriptions [?]
Canceled by credit grantor
Contact Information [?]
3039 Cornwallis Rd
Durham, NC 27709
Balance [?] Current Status [?] Past Due Amount [?] $0 Payment after charge off/collection $0 Seven year payment history [?] 30 days late 0 times 60 days late 0 times 90+ days late 0 times Worst Delinquency [?] None Reported The Worst Delinquency reports the worst missed payment status that has been documented on this account. Your FICO® score evaluates how recently that missed payment occurred and in general, the more recent, the more impact it has on your score. However, the fact that it occurred is still predictive of future payment risk and could be considered by your FICO® score.

When you pulled your TU report before the score change, was that the date reported? I almost bet that is where your score drop came from.

Re: Score difference???

Journey — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 02:09:22 GMT

Hey Sidewinder,

Previous TU reports show no "Date Closed," but do show the following statement: "Account closed by credit grantor."

I'm sure your tired of my questions by now, but...

If that is what triggered the "Most recent late pymt happened in the last 30 days," then to me that is false reporting. Is there *anything* I can do about this? Can I dispute the date closed? What if I cannot recall the actual date closed, but I know it had to be several years ago...could go back and dig up an old TU report and use that date if it still shows the statement above?

I just find it curious that paying the acct increased my EQ score and dropped my TU score....

EDIT: Checked EQ and EX reports...neither show a date closed, but both show the acct closed, even checked a EX report from 10/08.

What should I do to fix this?

Thanks!

Message Edited by Journey on 04-08-2009 07:09 PM

Re: Score difference???

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:45:02 GMT

I would start by contacting the creditor and asking if they can tell you when the date closed actually was. Don't mention false reporting or anything like that.

Then contact TU to have the date fixed.

Re: Score difference???

Journey — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:10:02 GMT

I will contact them.

By have it fixed, do you mean dispute on the basis of that error? Or are you suggesting I simply call them and request the correction?

Re: Score difference???

Anonymous — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 01:08:27 GMT

The date closed needs to be changed back to the correct date.

Re: Score difference???

Journey — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 01:40:37 GMT

Sorry...I know what you mean by fix. I wasn't clear...what I am asking is how to go about fixing it. Should I do it formally as a dispute, or would you suggest I just call TU?

Thanks!

Re: Score difference???

Anonymous — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 01:49:09 GMT

You can ask the creditor to fix-- that would be the easiest way. But don't ask them to fix until you get something from them stating what the closed date should be, if you can. Or at least get a verbal from them what the closed date should be and the name/id number of who told you.

If they won't, then you can dispute.

Re: Score difference???

Journey — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 19:30:38 GMT

Hey Sidewinder!

I just wanted to say thanks for sticking in there with me and helping me figure this out...even the CSR at MyFICO wasn't as helpful as you!

I called Macy's this morning (and wrote down the name of the lady I spoke with), and she confirmed that it was closed in 07. She told me to fax a request letter to the recovery dept and they would change it. While I had her on the phone, I reqeusted a GW deletion since they had already mailed me a new card, but she said she couldn't do that, only the recovery ppl could. She was very nice, and suggested that I include my GW request in my fax letter.

Hopefully this gets fixed ASAP....Thank you so much for all your help! MyFICO is helping me get ready to buy a house for my kids and I next year!