what is your perspective?

[Anonymous]

I have been LONG time reader of the forum and I love all the help everyone here provides and I make it a point to read all the new posts each day. I have not posted for all this time but I recently noticed something that I wanted to get everyone's perspective on.

I declared bankruptcy in 12/2001 which was discharged 2/2002 and I had STELLAR credit before then but getting sick and separated destroyed my credit with 90k on top and therefore why I ended up with a bankruptcy. I have had lots of credit, perfect history since the bankruptcy and frankly other than the old stuff still haunting me, everything new since has been PERFECT, no lates, no overages, no large revolving balances and bluh bluh, you get the idea.

My scores were generally not considered TERRIBLE but they were much lower than they used to be before all this happened. My Experian was the lowest (high 500) as they are frankly the rudest, most stubborn and litigious bunch of jerks I have ever seen in my life but hell its their job right? My TransUnion was relatively healthy given the circumstances (mid 600) and my Equifax was the best and cleanest (high 600).

My credit has been steadily improving and going up in all of them with the largest leap in Equifax, then TransUnion and of course nothing in Experian (almost nothing). I ended up with the largest shock of my entire life when I pulled my FICO scores last week and nearly S*** myself when I saw that my Experian jumped into the 700 and surpassed my TU and **bleep** near my Equifax. I mean now I am looking at TU 695, EQ 755 and EX 712. My question and where I need your perspective is how in the living hell did that happen? I mean how did my Experian go nearly 200 points in less 2 months (my last score pull when it was 545).

I am happy, don't get me wrong and I will take it but I want to understand what happened and is it a fluke or what. Any input would be appreciated and I am sorry about the long rambling here but I had to give some history to make my point. Thanks in advance to all.

[haulingthescoreup]

Before you do too much celebrating , print out all three reports and get your yellow highlighter out. Compare opening dates, balances, credit limits, dates of derogatories, all that. Print out (or look at) your older EX report and do the same with the yellow marker.

Something changed, that's for sure! maybe the BK fell off your EX report early? (tiptoe, tiptoe)

[Anonymous]

Oh believe me boss, I am not celebrating. Hence why I was compelled to write this message and ask what you all thought. I have actually checked the two and did just that, took my (pink) highlighter out and marked all the bad stuff still there (bankruptcy still there, bummer so I knew it wasn't that) and then I took my (green) highlighter and marked all the stuff that was there before but not now.

I only noticed 3 items gone which were considered "OLD" and were marked to be deleted around this time and other than that and a couple of inquiries, nothing else was gone. Hence why I was so shocked at the MAJOR bump in score with such little stuff gone (relatively speaking). So any ideas?

I am really tempted to check again after 10/10 when these scores expire and see how it goes again to see if it stayed the same but $50 bucks is steep. The FAKO score for Experian which are reported at CreditKarma (which I don't put too much stock in but was curious) show that my score was 706 and became 701 which is a 5 point drop but my FICO scores went from 545 to 712 which is mind blowing. I am so confused and slightly skeptically pleased.

Message Edited by Guardian on 09-16-2008 01:30 PM

[Anonymous]

We know about the BK

Besides the BK list each CRA

Most recent baddy and the most sever-

Example

EX 6/2003 IIB

[Anonymous]

I know I mentioned the BK but it was thought maybe that fell off and to my disappointment, that was not it. Just confirming that is still there.

in 4/08 it said $1942 past due on 1 account and 27 late which was crap of course and I tried to dispute it but it wouldn't let me saying it has been previously verified, which is bogus but that is besides the point.

now 9/08 it said no account past due and 18 late which is still crap and I am fighting them on it but it will take time. As I said Experian is by far the most evil I have dealt with knowingly posting bogus information because they know most people can't fight them or have the money to take them to court but I am working on reporting them to the feds, doubtful anything will happen.

I see the difference but the problem is that I didnt' think that could make so much of a difference, I mean that is huge.

[smallfry]

Congrats Guardian. Save yourself a few bucks. Wait till all your accounts update and pull EX only next month. 755 EX with a BK showing is excellent.

[smallfry]

Have you pulled a credit report directly from Experian? I would do that.

[Anonymous]

Yeah it is indeed nice to have a 715 with a BK from Experian, but I guess I am just trying to understand how these people work. I mean they have been the worse nightmare of my life for the last 6 years and now suddenly its my middle best score which is higher than my previous higher score.

Unfortunately with FICO when you want to dispute Experian, you are required to go through the hoops of their online dispute and therefore it pulls ANOTHER report when you want to dispute. I am sick of it because they A-hole you into the online dispute and then refuse to investigate and you can't do squat. I hate it and when I mail them, they just send back this "we consider it frivolous because we already investigated" basically giving me the same crap as the website.

I am a law student and I have consulted both my instructors, the judges I work with and even family/friend attorneys about this and they all agree it is illegal and we can try to shake them with letters but the fact remains that unless you can take them to court (which requires money) they won't take you seriously or do anything. So in the meantime, they violate the FCRA and the feds do squat when you report it or file a complaint.

[haulingthescoreup]

EX is master of the stonewall.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely and I have developed such a grudge for them that when I pass my bar, I will dedicate a portion of my time just to make life hell for them. I will do on my own time and for fun and payback. I have studied the FCRA and related documents so much that by now I practically know it by heart which is so sad.