what is the fastest way to get a score to increase?

[damnedanddetermined]

Is it paying down the credit card at least by 40% (I was told by financial dude) or paying the "past due accounts" first?

This economy and unemployment situation has really beat up my score.

Anyone have any thoughts or advice?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

When you say paying past due accounts, what exactly do you mean?  Have they gone to collections, are they charged off or just late?

Ideally, your utilization should be overall 10% or below for optimum scoring.

However, with a lot of negatives on your CR you may see no increase at all.

[damnedanddetermined]

They are just late about 30-90 days..but collection letters and calls are still forthcoming....

[Anonymous]

Paying to current will not help your score but it will keep it from further damage.

Each individual late will stay for 7 years.

Do you know if it is internal collections or have you received dunning notices from 3rd party CA?

Once paid you to current you could ask GW removal of the lates.  But this will only work with the OC, CAs don't report lates. 

[damnedanddetermined]

wow! 7 years is kind of harsh, to say the least! But thankyou for that info...didnt know that.

The collection letters (most of them) are internal....but this one thats so annoying and calls every 5 minutes or so is a company called NCO...they represent Dillards, although dillards allowed me to make a payment via their website yesterday...go figure!