My Credit Score Went Up?!?! What?

Anonymous · ‎10-24-2016

I use myFICO as my Credit Monitoring and there is a posting when I maxed my card out a few weeks ago. I actually "over-maxed" it because of an interest charge so I was at 102% util on my card.

But my score shot up 16 points because of it..

What? Can someone explain why this happened?
I've already paid the card down below the 100% mark, but why would over-maxing my card make my score go up?

Anonymous · ‎10-24-2016

This is weird and sounds like something broken in the system, perhaps only reading percentages as two digits and thinking that you were at 2%. More likely is that credit scores are very complex and that something else happened leading to your score rise.

Anonymous · ‎10-24-2016

Did it actually report at 102%? You mentioned you paid it down..

Anonymous · ‎10-24-2016

Here is what my alert stated with the jump.

Anonymous · ‎10-24-2016

@Anonymous wrote:

Here is what my alert stated with the jump.

The alerts are only produced under certain triggers. So it may well be that your score went from 609 to 640 (say) due to aging, reduced util etc (which don't produce alerts) , and then the card went over limit and it decreased to 624.

Anonymous · ‎10-24-2016

@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:

Here is what my alert stated with the jump.
The alerts are only produced under certain triggers. So it may well be that your score went from 609 to 640 (say) due to aging, reduced util etc (which don't produce alerts) , and then the card went over limit and it decreased to 624.

Well that's a depressing but likely realistic answer....

Anonymous · ‎10-24-2016

Don't be depressed! This should mean more increases to your score to come as you get your utilization down even further.

Anonymous · ‎10-24-2016

Hah! I just had some new fraudulent inquiries on EQ come in on an update (never got an alert!), no good changes, and my score went up 28 points. Weirdest thing I've ever seen.

Anonymous · ‎10-24-2016

If your utility is as high as you say (not doubting you), then you should get some great bumps as you pay it off.

NRB525 · ‎10-24-2016

@Anonymous wrote:
I use myFICO as my Credit Monitoring and there is a posting when I maxed my card out a few weeks ago. I actually "over-maxed" it because of an interest charge so I was at 102% util on my card.

But my score shot up 16 points because of it..

What? Can someone explain why this happened?
I've already paid the card down below the 100% mark, but why would over-maxing my card make my score go up?

OP, your score is in the low 600's, which implies you have some baddies.

Because you have negatives on your report, normal behavior of FICO scores is suspended.

There is probably some favorable change in those negatives, either aging or bits dropping off, that is contributing to some positive move in your score. As pointed out by LTL, however, things dropping off or aging, by themselves, do not trigger a score update. This card reporting, overlimit or within the limit, prompted the score update.

FWIW, this is a legitimate score increase, so you are on the right path in general. Do try to pay down the balances to continue helping your score.

Good luck!