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Interesting score bump by using an inactive credit card

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gamegrrl
Frequent Contributor

Interesting score bump by using an inactive credit card

Best Buy sent me an email last month saying that if I didn't use my card (hadn't used it for two years), that they were going to cancel it. So I found something fairly cheap on their website, made the purchase using my card, then paid it off as soon as the purchase showed on my account. It was annoying, and I really didn't want the thing I bought, but I needed to do something.

 

My scores are really good: Experian and Transunion are both 850, and have been for over six months. Equifax has been hovering around 840/841 for the same amount of time.

 

This morning, I got a myFICO email alert, telling me my score had changed. I logged in to see what was happening, and imagine my surprise when I saw that my Equifax score was increased to 849! The reason given was "An account that has been inactive for more than 22 months has become recently active".

 

As annoyed as I was at having to buy something with my card just so I could KEEP my card, thank you Best Buy for helping me to get that Equifax score up! I am SO CLOSE to the 850 TRIFECTA! LOL! One measly little point away!

 

almosttrifecta.png


EX myFICO 850 - EQ myFICO 850 - TU myFICO 850
Goal Score: 800+ across the board! *DONE!!!*
Message 1 of 11
10 REPLIES 10
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Interesting score bump by using an inactive credit card

I can't even imagine what is dinging you for 1 FICO point.  Is your AAoA or AoNA different on that CRA?

 

Congrats!

Message 2 of 11
gamegrrl
Frequent Contributor

Re: Interesting score bump by using an inactive credit card

I know! One little point! LOL! To be honest, I haven't dug too deeply into this. Super busy on the job and stuff. I haven't even had much time to hang out here at myFICO much recently. I just take the lessons and concepts I learned here and try to apply them to my behaviors and the decisions I make.

 

If I have time, I'll try to figure out what the difference between them might be.


EX myFICO 850 - EQ myFICO 850 - TU myFICO 850
Goal Score: 800+ across the board! *DONE!!!*
Message 3 of 11
gamegrrl
Frequent Contributor

Re: Interesting score bump by using an inactive credit card

I couldn't resist. Had to check my AAoAs:

Equifax: 100 months (Score - 849)

Experian: 113 months (Score 850)

Transunion: 88 months (Score 850)

 

I guess that's not it. LOL!


EX myFICO 850 - EQ myFICO 850 - TU myFICO 850
Goal Score: 800+ across the board! *DONE!!!*
Message 4 of 11
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Interesting score bump by using an inactive credit card

How about the age of newest account?  Maybe one account on EQ was first reporting a month later than the other 2?  Crazy!

Message 5 of 11
HeavenOhio
Senior Contributor

Re: Interesting score bump by using an inactive credit card

If you don't want the item, return it. You still would have made a transaction. Smiley Happy

Message 6 of 11
gamegrrl
Frequent Contributor

Re: Interesting score bump by using an inactive credit card

The age of my most recently opened account is the same for all three: 10 months.

 

I thought about returning the item, but that seemed like more trouble that it was worth. I don't get out of the house much, so I would need to ship it back to them. Meh.


EX myFICO 850 - EQ myFICO 850 - TU myFICO 850
Goal Score: 800+ across the board! *DONE!!!*
Message 7 of 11
gamegrrl
Frequent Contributor

Re: Interesting score bump by using an inactive credit card

I'm due for a free 3-score full credit report on 8/22, so that will make it easier to look for differences.


EX myFICO 850 - EQ myFICO 850 - TU myFICO 850
Goal Score: 800+ across the board! *DONE!!!*
Message 8 of 11
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Interesting score bump by using an inactive credit card

Report back so we know what's causing you to be such a subprime risky borrower on EQ. Hope you won't have to hang your head in shame too long.
Message 9 of 11
gamegrrl
Frequent Contributor

Re: Interesting score bump by using an inactive credit card

Smiley LOL

 

You betcha! LOL! 


EX myFICO 850 - EQ myFICO 850 - TU myFICO 850
Goal Score: 800+ across the board! *DONE!!!*
Message 10 of 11
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