The problem with Missing Data on Credit Reports

Anonymous · ‎10-25-2015

Its been almost a year since I started my journey to credit understanding, and six months since I started to truly understand what data makes up the Credit Reports that govern our financial worthiness.

Because I work in IT, and on data every single day - I decided to truly understand the credit reporting file elements (Metro2 Standard File Specs), and how they land in the major CRA's. Part of my journey, is to simply own what is reported about me - and expect it to be complete, lawful and accurate.

Earlier this year, I watched my reports daily for traceable changes and I began to challenge the CRA's with the data I saw in printed, raw and online reporting sites. They varied in accuracy and completness, and when challenged/disputed, they morphed into records that were missing key details and updated with attributes that left them simply orphaned.

When I disputed a line item, this account, BOA - had the payment history removed. That sole action, dropped my score by Vantage score by 84 points (their score that is provided) and by 40 points on FICO, and in a single day. It became clear that this key information, and not just its state - impacted how we are rated and reported. The CRA's denied this, for almost 5 months, before the shadily removed the orphaned account. I expected my scored to rebound, my views online showed payment histories..but when I ordered the printed raw reports directly from them, it was a different story.

I challenge everyone to look at the completeless of a Tradeline/Credit Grantor (Not Debt Collection account as they CANNOT have a payment history). If any required piece of that account/record is missing, especially the pay history, dispute it.

I believe we are accustomed to disputing items on our reports for so many reasons other than its completeness, that we are looking in the wrong bucket of valuable reasons to do so. If you look at your reports - and the pay history is not there and should be because its last pay was withing the 81 monthe reporting windo,-- dispute it and ask that they correct it and not delete it, if it is a positive tradeline.

If you have not used the account for activty, or paid it because the balance is 0 - you may see a simple "NR" for not reported.

If its not positive, challenge it to have it deleted.

Here is what a Incomplete/Complete tradeline looks like at Equifax, note that when I got the printed versions - the pay history that is highlighed does NOT exist.

It did report, until it was disputed last month.

The positive account - was closed in 2012, and within the last 81 month reporting periods.

xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx
xxx

Account Number:	xxxxxX	Status:	PAYS AS AGREED
Account Owner:	Individual Account.	High Credit:	xxxxxx
Type of Account :	Installment	Credit Limit:
Term Duration:	60 Months	Terms Frequency:	Monthly (due every month)
Date Opened:	08/01/2007	Balance:	$0
Date Reported:	09/04/2015	Amount Past Due:
Date of Last Payment:	01/2012	Actual Payment Amount:
Scheduled Payment Amount:	$xxxx	Date of Last Activity:	12/2011
Date Major Delinquency First Reported:		Months Reviewed:	53
Creditor Classification:	Credit Union	Activity Designator:	Paid and Closed
Charge Off Amount:		Deferred Payment Start Date:
Balloon Payment Amount:		Balloon Payment Date:
Date Closed:	01/2012	Type of Loan:	xxxxxx
Date of First Delinquency:	N/A
Comments:	Fixed rate

81-Month Payment History

No 81-Month Payment Data available for display.

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And below is an account with Pay History

xxxxxxxxxx

Account Number:	xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx	Status:	PAYS AS AGREED
Account Owner:	Individual Account.	High Credit:	xxxxxx
Type of Account :	Revolving	Credit Limit:	xxxxxxxx
Term Duration:		Terms Frequency:	Monthly (due every month)
Date Opened:	05/01/2014	Balance:	xxxxx
Date Reported:	09/30/2015	Amount Past Due:
Date of Last Payment:	09/2015	Actual Payment Amount:	xxxxxxx
Scheduled Payment Amount:		Date of Last Activity:	09/2015
Date Major Delinquency First Reported:		Months Reviewed:	16
Creditor Classification:		Activity Designator:	N/A
Charge Off Amount:		Deferred Payment Start Date:
Balloon Payment Amount:		Balloon Payment Date:
Date Closed:		Type of Loan:	Credit Card
Date of First Delinquency:	N/A
Comments:

81-Month Payment History

Year

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

2015

*

2014

*

Anonymous · ‎10-25-2015

Thanks for the detailed post. This is something I've considered as entries vary wildly between CRAs - even details that should be the same. How can a loan report a DoFD as 3/2008 on one CRA but 10/2009 on another?

I've contemplated challenging the accuracy, but am trying to apply for a mortgage within a few months. I don't want to rock the boat too much - I could see an improvement, but I could also see a major drop.

Anonymous · ‎10-25-2015

What was it that you disputed? Kind of curious as to why they would delete the payment history. Was it the payment history itself that was disputed or something else?

Anonymous · ‎10-26-2015

First --- I will not say its is entirely on purpose, But I will also say they have to know what happens when they (EQ and EX) update a tradeline with comments, as an example.

I had originally disputed the "Pay Status" which reflected a 60-90 day late, and was wholly innacurate. Additionally, the Payment History was spotless, as it should have been.

When they updated the account with the comments, "Disputed by Consumer-Reinvesitgation in Process".... the payment history all but dispaeared. At one point - there was Payment History re added - with the most current paid date in 2015 - which was incorrect, and I believe defaulted in when the added the comments.

The "Pay Status" was changed to reflect its actual state of paid and closed, and the comments updated.

The funny thing is - that when you look at the account, it looks like its reporting accurately - but, sadly its incomplete. Thankfully - I have the BEFORE and AFTER screen shots, and the trail of impacts to my scores.

And, beware --- if you are going to dispute it - it is at times like Poking a Sleeping Giant, as all kinds of data madness occurs once the record is manually touched by the CRA, meaning not just the Payment History is/can be corrupted.

Anonymous · ‎10-26-2015

Here is what the history looked like when the closed account - was updated with comments.

As you can see - the " * " (* = Paid on time) was added in the investigation month, and the pay history was filled in with NR going back to 09- innacurately.

This manually updated history also disapeared when they closed the investigation.

81-Month Payment History

Year

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

2015

NR

*

2014

NR

2013

NR

2012

NR

2011

NR

2010

NR

2009

NR