I'm confused how my FICO score goes down because my credit card balance increases? I pay off the balance within 30 days, yet I've been hit twice with lower scores because of a "balance increase". In one case, I used a card that had a $0 balance for a few months and used it for a $331 charge. Then my score dropped almost 20 points. I haven't even received a statement yet from the credit card company. Like most, I use my credit cards for travel and some months I have a higher balance but have paid on time. Please help me understand when I should pay my credit cards so I do not get penalized by in this case Equifax. Can I dispute this with them?
