CC Choices and AMEX issue

[JohnDoe12]

Does anyone know of a good card I can get with a 674 EQ?

I have 2 derogs (120+) I can't seem to get rid of and my last late payment was 4 years 10 months ago.

The other thing that seems to be hurting me is the fact that I don't use the card. I usually just live on cash and track my expenses through my debt card. I don't need the credit currently and splitting my purchases up between credit card and debit card just makes tracking my purchases that more complicated, so I usually don't use the CC. So, I guess I'll have to start using the card. What a pain!

I have an Applied Bank secured card w/ $2000 limit. I was going to increase it to $5000 just to get some more revolving credit on my report.

Is there a decent card to get that may give me a CLI at some point?

Also, I spent my morning dealing with AMEX. What happened to these people? I had a card opened up in 1994 and closed sometime before 2001. I went to go and see if they could backdate a card if I opened one with them and they can't find it in there system. They're telling me that they didn't issue the card, another bank must have. Yet, when I look at my credit report the account lists the AMEX PO box and 800 number for inquiries/disputes. Sounds like AMEX issued me the card. So now if I reapply for an AMEX they will not backdate the card to 1994 because they don't have it in the system. AAARRGGGGHHHHH!

Thanks,

JD12

[Anonymous]

do u remember what amex card it was? alot of amex cards r not issued by amex, just on the amex network

[chnceit]

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@JohnDoe12 wrote:

Does anyone know of a good card I can get with a 674 EQ?

I have 2 derogs (120+) I can't seem to get rid of and my last late payment was 4 years 10 months ago.

The other thing that seems to be hurting me is the fact that I don't use the card. I usually just live on cash and track my expenses through my debt card. I don't need the credit currently and splitting my purchases up between credit card and debit card just makes tracking my purchases that more complicated, so I usually don't use the CC. So, I guess I'll have to start using the card. What a pain!

I have an Applied Bank secured card w/ $2000 limit. I was going to increase it to $5000 just to get some more revolving credit on my report.

Is there a decent card to get that may give me a CLI at some point?

Also, I spent my morning dealing with AMEX. What happened to these people? I had a card opened up in 1994 and closed sometime before 2001. I went to go and see if they could backdate a card if I opened one with them and they can't find it in there system. They're telling me that they didn't issue the card, another bank must have. Yet, when I look at my credit report the account lists the AMEX PO box and 800 number for inquiries/disputes. Sounds like AMEX issued me the card. So now if I reapply for an AMEX they will not backdate the card to 1994 because they don't have it in the system. AAARRGGGGHHHHH!

Thanks,

JD12

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Really thats strange, maybe that CSR didnt know what you were talking about. I would just call back again and kindly ask the same question. 

I was recently approved for a CITI card with scores around yours, but YMMV as always.

[pizzadude]

I would give them another call, I bet you will eventually get through to a CSR who can find the card.   Unless, like they suggested, it was actually not issued by AMEX but was a co~branded AMEX card.

Do you have a junk drawer somewhere where you might have a copy of an old statment or even an old expired card where you could find the account number ??

[Watchmann]

Not unusual for AMEX not to have a long ago record of an account you may have had with them.  Their systems change, search functions operate differently, etc.   If you have the account number from an old statement or the old card itself they will be able to find your account, but otherwise they don't have a good way to key into it.  They aren't able to find it by just giving your name.

[JustMe77]

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@JohnDoe12 wrote:

Does anyone know of a good card I can get with a 674 EQ?

I have 2 derogs (120+) I can't seem to get rid of and my last late payment was 4 years 10 months ago.

The other thing that seems to be hurting me is the fact that I don't use the card. I usually just live on cash and track my expenses through my debt card. I don't need the credit currently and splitting my purchases up between credit card and debit card just makes tracking my purchases that more complicated, so I usually don't use the CC. So, I guess I'll have to start using the card. What a pain!

I have an Applied Bank secured card w/ $2000 limit. I was going to increase it to $5000 just to get some more revolving credit on my report.

Is there a decent card to get that may give me a CLI at some point?

Also, I spent my morning dealing with AMEX. What happened to these people? I had a card opened up in 1994 and closed sometime before 2001. I went to go and see if they could backdate a card if I opened one with them and they can't find it in there system. They're telling me that they didn't issue the card, another bank must have. Yet, when I look at my credit report the account lists the AMEX PO box and 800 number for inquiries/disputes. Sounds like AMEX issued me the card. So now if I reapply for an AMEX they will not backdate the card to 1994 because they don't have it in the system. AAARRGGGGHHHHH!

Thanks,

JD12

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I would try for Chase Freedom. I think my FICO is similar to yours. I had 120+ days late payments over 3 years ago (less than 4 years ago) and was approved recently. I wouldn't add to the secured card unelss your utilization is super high. 

[JohnDoe12]

I don't utilize the card at all.... but my fico is saying that's one of the things keeping my score down. It's saying that I don't utilize my revolving credit and I don't utilize my CC. I don't know what other revolving credit I even have besides that CC.

You have a serious delinquency (60 days past due or greater) or a derogatory description on your credit report.

You have multiple accounts showing missed payments or derogatory descriptions.

There is no recent activity on your revolving accounts.

There is no recent activity on your credit cards.

Your oldest account was opened
17 Years, 1 Month ago

Average age of your accounts
12 years

4 Years, 10 Months ago

I was going to get a CLI on my secured card to lower my debt/credit ratio. I have about 23,000 (originally 28,000) in debt (student loans) and only 2,000 in revolving credit.

What else besides getting another CC / or a CLI and pay down my installment loan (student loan) can I do to at least get into the 700s. I was hoping to be there by the end of this year....   Does utilizing the card every month really have that big an effect on my score?

The only other thing that may have hurt my score is that my old AMEX dropped off and lowered my AAOA. I checked with them several times and talked with several departments, but they cannot find it. Anyone experience this or am I just unlucky. I want that backdate! If the card was issued by a different bank would they list AMEX on the account for disputes? That's why I believe AMEX did in fact issue the card, not another bank.

Thanks,

JD12

[prolificjinx23]

OMG JD12!!!!! I'm having the same exact issue with AMEX. I've spent the last 2 weeks calling them about backdating my new Zync to the Green I had opened in 1997 & I closed in good standing back in 2001!!! Let me know if they fix your issue!