Status remains the same, but score dropped!!!!

[Anonymous]

I wish I had known this before.  I have been going back and forth with my electric company to see if they would remove a 90 day late that is five years old.  Firstly, several reps. with whom I spoke told me that it would be up to Equifax to remove it.  Of course that made no sense.  Anyway, so I dispute it along with another account.  I get the results today that says curent changes : "Past Due Amount changed from N/A to N/A."  Yet my score dropped 5 points!!!!!   After speaking to no fewer than 8 people in the past 45 minutes, I finally get told that it makes not difference that no change has been made to these accounts, the mere fact that I disputed them dropped my score!  WTH?  I just had gotten over 600.  I am in for a major hit with Equifax because I have several other disputes with them out there.  I went to my community credit union to talk to them about a 90 days late they reported to Trans Union back in 06.  This was a reaffirmed account when I declared bankruptcy.  The guy says, well we usually do not report these.  I told him, well I was told that if I reaffirmed the account, I would become a customer in good standing.  Bankruptcy was in 03 and I missed some payments in 06, which they reported.  I just wanted them to start reporting that the account is now in good standing.  He said they would.  I get an alert from Transunion stating that a NEW derogatory is reported.  He reported as a new Deliquent account with a 0 balance and a note that says making partial payments.  WTH?  When they reported it two years ago, they just reported it as a standard account with missed payments.   My Transunion had just made a 23 point increase.  I am sure for the next report I will loose that improvement.  I am ready to just leave everything alone and wait 7-10 years on things.  Trying to correct things just is not working out for me!

Message Edited by RecoveringMyLife on 02-29-2008 02:11 PM

[Anonymous]

So, decided to take a chance and apply for a $5000.00 credit limit with my credit union.  They allowed me to write a personal statement on line.  I got a call at 8:45 today and it was explained to me that they only use EQUIFAX and that I was "REAL close to qualifying for the card"  BUT... and specifically for TWO public records, which I disputed with EQUIFAX weeks ago, which investigation is still under review, I assume!  Sad thing is that one only appears on Equifax, the other was deleted by Experian within a week of my disputing it!    I explained to the woman on the phone that just 2 days ago my Equifax was 5 points higher and only dropped because of the disputes.  She said those 5 points would have made a difference and that they had no idea that disputing with Equifax causes a score drop.  She said that they have been telling people to dispute with Equifax and that she was now going to talk to her supervisor about the information they have been dispensing.  I am still upset at this insanity, but the good thing is, she told me that when my score increases "just a little bit" call her back!  I affirm that I will have this credit card with them within 3 months. 

Message Edited by RecoveringMyLife on 03-01-2008 06:08 AM

[Anonymous]

I feel you. I am trying to figure out Equifax's deal...my score dropped 18 points when I disputed and 6 CA's changed status from N/A to N/A...

I don't understand how that caused a score drop!

[courtney091082]

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dett_phree wrote:

I feel you. I am trying to figure out Equifax's deal...my score dropped 18 points when I disputed and 6 CA's changed status from N/A to N/A...

I don't understand how that caused a score drop!

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EQ really sucks !

[intookst]

Finally someone here has a reason for the drop in scores, I thought I was crazy.. I disputed a PIF auto loan from 05 that went 30 days late in 04 from  a stupid error on their part... but that is another story. Anyway they reposted it as 30 days past due 13 times in the last 17 months... ironic it has been PIF for 3 yrs.  So from 30 days late and DOLA 6-05  to  30 days past due and DOLA 1-1-08...Myscore dropped from 601 to 534 at this point so... I read at another site that Capital One intentionally puts this negative stuff just to hurt your scores so you can't go get any better offers(SICK) and that the CRA's send letters to your creditors letters letting them know you are disputing items on your CR.. so it is a can of of worms I wish I would have let go...my mistake was disputing a PIF acct instead of sending a GW letter which Ihear they wouldn't have budged on and who knows maybe I would still have the same hassels..... I hired Veracity credit to help because I am just to tired and way to busy right now to deal with this anymore   not sure how it will turn out but I don't believe they can do any worse than I have done...

Good Luck ..reading posts here is truly a benefit and has made me a lot smarter in this crazy credit world...:-)

[Anonymous]

Well, I bet this is a penalty to keep people from randomly disputing, especially correct information in hopes that creditors just do not respond to the dispute.  Still, there should be a warning that pops up before hand letting you know that disputing is costly no matter the outcome.

[dragnldy]

I don't know why they said a dispute could cause your score to lower.  I've disputed a lot (some specific items more than once) and it has never created a score drop for me.  Thank goodness.  I just had two accounts deleted due to disputes I've sent in.  One of the accounts I've disputed four times because the information kept being changed, but incorrectly.  Good luck to you.  Watch the tradelines on EVERYTHING.  That seemed to be where I kept finding surprises pop up.

[Anonymous]

As of today a total of 21 points and DROPPING.... Once again.. just to receive another alert that an account satus will stay the same!  Yeah.. this is a royal s***w job!  I will just have to see what my sores will be in April and May.  March is a wash!

On second look, something is fishy.  With the first 2 disputes my score only dropped 5 points.  Interestingly, it now says that my score drooped because of the age of my oldest account, which for some reason .. they are reporting MIDLAND as my oldest account with an open date of N/A.  They were reporting this before... but a couple of weeks ago I got a message stating my score increased because "the age of my oldest account does not" hutt my score as much.  Firslty, I do not know how the hell they are using a collections account with an unknown open date as an aged account anyway, especially when I have multiple college loans dating back to the 80's.  

Update and hoping this is true!   I spoke with another Equifax rep. who said that the drop in score is temporary and I will not really know my score until all disputes are finalized.  I will what's what in a few weeks!
Message Edited by RecoveringMyLife on 03-04-2008 06:34 AM

Message Edited by RecoveringMyLife on 03-04-2008 07:09 AM

[Anonymous]

This whole thread is really worrying me. We just recently took inventory of what is on our credit reports and noticed a few accounts that don't seem to be properly noted as being discharged with an '05 bankruptcy. I really hope that disputing this doesn't hurt my currently recovering (665) score. Any thoughts?

[Junejer]

Hi all. This is not an EQ problem solely. This is the case with each of the CRAs. What has happened is that the new report date brought the derogatory more recent. The recency of the new derogatory has caused a score drop. This is one of the reasons why the dispute process is so unstable. Do so at your own peril. That said, if there is something reporting incorrectly, you shouldn't just live with it. Request MOV, send ITS letters and quite frankly, take them to court if need be. Don't take it lying down...just be careful with the blanket disputes.