800FICOwannabe wrote:
What's all this talk about "split" files? I've never heard of it before. Which bureaus are most likely to use this practice and is it legal?
It's not a practice; it's a flaw in their system. It's like having a bookshelf and cramming so many books into it that it collapses.
If there is only room for a finite amount of data in a file, and more is shoved in there, something's gotta give. Either something else gets shoved out, or the file "splits" into two chunks, with some data in one part and some in the other. That's why people with split files keep getting scores swings up and down for the same figures --sometimes one portion of the file is being scored, and sometimes it's the other.
Once they figure out that this has happened, they can rebuild your file, but it's a PITA while it's happening. That's why I said to have a printed copy of your report that you can fax in, so that they will have the account info.
TU has had split file problems, too, but not as dramatically as EQ.
Oh, and all three CRA's are now "losing" softs by lenders, and that probably is illegal, but I haven't seen any huge fuss being made about it.
* Credit is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master. * Who's the boss --you or your credit?
FICO's: EQ 781 - TU 793 - EX 779 (from PSECU) - Done credit hunting; having fun with credit gardening. - EQ 590 on 5/14/2007
