topic Re: Point me in the right direction? in Rebuilding Your Credit

Point me in the right direction?

Anonymous — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 10:25:10 GMT

Could someone point me in the right direction as to where to start in rebuilding my credit? I have a couple of items in collections and a bunch of late payments (older than 6 months going back a couple of years. Before doing any research, I just called the collections agency (both accounts were with EAF, LLC) and paid in full both debts (one for $850ish and another for $272).

I am a bit lost in which direction I should go first??? In regards to the 2 at EAF that I already paid, I really can't do much other than a "goodwill letter" correct?

Thank you for any assistance or guidance in advance!!

Re: Point me in the right direction?

Anonymous — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:34:31 GMT

Hi cryztimes! Welcome aboard!

A great place to start is What Steps Do I Take? Do I DV? PFD?

Since you've already paid the collections, you're going to want to shine up your patience & good humor, and start goodwilling the collection agencies. You can do the same thing with your late payments. And, remember-- if at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

Congrats on getting out from owing the bad debt. You're in a really good place to start rebuilding! Do you have any open lines of credit?

Re: Point me in the right direction?

Anonymous — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:51:58 GMT

Hello LilMirth

I will read that link tomorrow morning (I am currently overseas)! Thank you for the link.

I do have 2 lines of credit that have been open for a few years. One is a $300 limit Best Buy Reward Zone (HSBC) credit card and the other is a $750 limit credit card (HSBC as well). I actually just finished sending the money to pay both of those cards off in full this evening. I read about "utilization" yesterday and both cards have been near maxed out for some time. I had decided to pay off the two accounts I had in collections first and then focused on these ones. I have already drafted up some "goodwill" letters, but am just waiting for EAF, LLC to open so that I may call and get the account numbers from them. I paid them off without taking much note. They are sending me Release of Debt letters in the mail for both. Unfortunately, after doing some reading...I should have tried getting a PFD before giving them money. I have a lot to learn!

I am an US Marine stationed overseas and I have decided to make life changing decisions in several areas of my life. I need to set myself up for success and not be the irresonsponsible person of the past.

Once again, thank you for the link and I'll make sure to do my homework!

Re: Point me in the right direction?

Anonymous — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:57:43 GMT

Ooh Rah!

Hmmm... Perhaps you might leverage your status as a USMC, on active duty, deployed overseas, in a very kindly worded goodwill letter. I know that *I* would certainly bend over backwards to grant a service member goodwill, if I were in a postion to.

"I am an US Marine stationed overseas and I have decided to make life changing decisions in several areas of my life. I need to set myself up for success and not be the irresonsponsible person of the past."

These very words would move me to do whatever I could. And, I'm not just saying that as a fellow (former) Marine. Use it to you advantage!

Re: Point me in the right direction?

Anonymous — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:01:36 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Ooh Rah!

Hmmm... Perhaps you might leverage your status as a USMC, on active duty, deployed overseas, in a very kindly worded goodwill letter. I know that *I* would certainly bend over backwards to grant a service member goodwill, if I were in a postion to.

"I am an US Marine stationed overseas and I have decided to make life changing decisions in several areas of my life. I need to set myself up for success and not be the irresonsponsible person of the past."

These very words would move me to do whatever I could. And, I'm not just saying that as a fellow (former) Marine. Use it to you advantage!

I definitely have to agree with this.

Re: Point me in the right direction?

Anonymous — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 01:11:55 GMT

I wanted to thank you again! I think I am 1 for 1 with EAF for a deletion already. Nothing firm yet. I sent them a fairly detailed email to the CEO of EAF, LLC with all important points (when I paid the account, whom I spoke with etc etc) and have aleady gotten a reply. I had made a small mistake thinking I had 2 accounts with EAF. I only have 1 account with EAF, but a 3rd party collector (MSI) had 2 accounts which I somehow misconstrued as EAF. EAF, basically, sent me an email stating that they are taking caring of the first account, but cannot find the second account. I emailed them back thanking them for thier assistance and explained that I made a mistake and I actually don't have 2 accounts with them.

Other news, my 2nd account that was in collections isn't on my credit report yet. I've already paid it in full, do you think it will show up on my report in the future?

Re: Point me in the right direction?

honky — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 02:24:03 GMT

Thanks for your service and good luck! Keep sending in the GWs...it can take a LOT of tries before you find someone willing to help out.

Re: Point me in the right direction?

namvet — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 02:43:46 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Ooh Rah!

Hmmm... Perhaps you might leverage your status as a USMC, on active duty, deployed overseas, in a very kindly worded goodwill letter. I know that *I* would certainly bend over backwards to grant a service member goodwill, if I were in a postion to.

"I am an US Marine stationed overseas and I have decided to make life changing decisions in several areas of my life. I need to set myself up for success and not be the irresonsponsible person of the past."

These very words would move me to do whatever I could. And, I'm not just saying that as a fellow (former) Marine. Use it to you advantage!

I definitely have to agree with this.
+1

Once a Marine Always a Marine! Semper Fi

Re: Point me in the right direction?

Anonymous — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 22:15:13 GMT

Just an update with EAF, LLC. They are deleting my collections account with EAF. I actually only had 1 collections account and not 2 with them. Time to start working with Chase on the charge-off

Thanks for all the help so far! My first target was a success!