How do I get a Credit Reporting Agency to take off a negative report when I was at fault?

Question

I've had A+ credit for 30 years, for some reason I missed paying a $50 debt to a department store for 4 months. I have no idea why I didn't pay it, I don't do that, except this time and I don't know how I could mess up but apparently I did.

I do Not need to rebuild my credit, I have lots of other credit cards that I pay off monthly (never late in 30 years). I just need to know if there is a way to get this one mistake off my record. Is it possible?

Answer 1

Absolutely.



The link i posted below offers a descriptive way on how to do this. Of course, they are selling their product.... But essentially, it makes it easy as pie and shows you how to contact the CRA to dispute a tradeline.



You will need to write a letter to all 3 reporting agencies using minor details about your dispute. The credit agency is then required by law to investigate it. The CA will contact the company you have/had an account with. If they do not resolve it within 30 days, by law it must be removed from your credit report.



We have done this with bankruptcies for people. People who have filed BK in the past have had the BK removed from their report altogether. A BK dispute is much easier because instead of contacting the company, they contact the federal government. And good luck having the federal government resolve a dispute within 30 days.



Bottom line: It CAN be done. Personal experience is my source.

Answer 2

All these people telling you that you can't remove these delinquences have NO clue what they are talking about.



You CAN get delinquencies off your credit report (even if they are legitimate and unpaid) IF you know the methods and are willing to invest the time and energy to do it.



As for this one, I'd need some more information to be able to help you. Is this a charged off account? Is it a store card that is still open and in good standing now?

Answer 3

It's a legitimate derogatory item and there is no way to get it removed, except to let it age off.



If the account has not been charged off, continue to use the credit card and pay it on time. It will take 24 months of consistent, on time payment history to offset those late payments. But eventually the account will show in good standing.

Answer 4

You can file a dispute on your credit record, and put personal comments on it, and the store has 30 days to respond, but typically, credit bureaus will side with the retailer.

Answer 5

Don't know but I'd like to know myself.



I guess the person who put it on your report (the department store) could help you out by calling the credit agency and asking them to remove it. That's what I would try.

Answer 6

The only way to get it off your record is to contact the department store and see if they can take it off. If not, then you could add a statement that this was a one time thing which your creditors would see anyway and it would not penalize you much.

Answer 7

You can't. But the effect of one late payment will decrease as time goes by. Just keep up your on-time payments and move on.

Answer 8

You can't get it taken off, but the top 3 credit bureaus do let you add a statement to your report. In the statement you can say why something is on the report. So you can try doing that, just explain that it was a mistake that been forgotten, but as soon as you realized there was a problem you paid the bill.



Who knows how many businesses will be swayed by any statements on a credit report, but it can't hurt to try.



Here is the details for Trans Union, you can also add the statement to the other 2 credit bureaus:



How do I add or remove a consumer statement on my credit report?

Send your consumer statement or removal request along with your name, address, and TransUnion File Identification Number (FIN) from your credit report to:



TransUnion Consumer Relations

P. O. Box 2000

Chester, PA 19022



If you would like assistance in writing your consumer statement, please call us at toll-free at 1-800-916-8800, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. ET, excluding major holidays. If you are a resident of Hawaii or Alaska, representatives are available to assist you Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. in your local time zone, excluding major holidays. If you already have a copy of your TransUnion credit report, be sure to have your TransUnion File Number available when you call.

Answer 9

You answered your own question... You did the deed.. so it is reported.to the agency as a fact. You can not change that.



Credit reporting agencies are just clearing houses for information. They can not change or alter that information. If you want it deleted you have to get the REPORTING store to reverse their report.



As a so-so reponse, you can write a comment or explaination and submit it to the reporting agency. They must include that with any report they provide.



Otherwise, you are stuck with that on your record for about 7 years until it rolls off.



Sorry..

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Answer 10

Once it's reported to the credit bureau, it's there for 7-10 years. Sorry.

Answer 11

I can tell you what I did, go to FREECREDITREPORT.COM look at your credit history on whats been logged in, if you find where the mistake was done I believe there is a option to decline and explain why. I did that with one of mine and a few months later it was taken off my credit. Just try it and see.

Answer 12

Forget about it.

Chances are you will be buying your next car for cash.

And you'll probably move to a smaller house some day.

You might be close to paying off your home right now.



FORGET about credit.

You're old enough to live without it.

If you have 20% down for a house - of course they'll overlook that.

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Answer 13

You can try talking to the credit bureau but it isn't likely they will remove this infraction from your credit report. Those things can dog you for seven years.