Tale Of The Tape (16 August)

Don’t matter who did what to who at this point. Fact is, we went to war, and now there ain’t no going back. I mean, shit, it’s what war is, you know? Once you in it, you in it. If it’s a lie, then we fight on that lie. But we gotta fight. – Slim Charles (’The Wire’)

• Credit Score Pre-Letter Blitz (14 August) – 599 (abysmal I know)

Check back in 30 days or so to see where I stand.

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Going To The Mattresses.

That Sonny’s runnin’ wild. He’s thinkin’a going to the mattresses already. We gotta find a spot over on the West Side. Ya try — 309 West 43rd Street. You know any gooda spots on the West Side? -Clemenza

1. Credit report — check
2. MS Word — check
3. Witty form letters — check
4. Big Bowl of Enthusiasm — check
5. Gin & tonic — half-empty

I started culling through my credit report and let me just say that this thing is a mess.  Not so much my credit, but there appears to be loads of duplicative and erroneous information.  One charge-off from Chase, two collection agencies, three closed accounts, and six entries for Sallie Mae.  The latter is pretty interesting since five are closed/paid; however, I only had one loan and that’s current.

Rather than tackling all of the credit reporting agencies (CRA) at once, I decided to start with writing letters to Equifax challenging what’s reported on my credit report (CR).  I trolled the Web for examples of form letters and most ran the gamut of really crappy to so-so.  I took elements from what I found and put together a letter that seems pretty good (we’ll see, right?).

With Equifax I am “disputing” the validity of 12 entries on my CR and asking that the information be updated and/or expunged.  Rather than including a list of accounts in one letter, I am sending three letters with four account disputes each.  Tomorrow, I’ll make way to the post office to have these sent certified with receipt.  Then the waiting game begins.

To get started, you will need:

1. Up-to-date credit report (Free here)
2. Dispute letter – will post mine tomorrow (as a template for use) with insight on what should and should not be included
3. CRA Address – Equifax – PO Box 9563, Allen TX 75013

Send ALL correspondence certified with a return receipt.  It doesn’t matter who at Equifax signs for your letter-even the janitor-it is considered legally received when someone accepts and signs for it.  

Ensure that you communicate your current address so that any responses are received by you in a timely fashion.  Finally, follow-up on any responses from the CRA, i.e., requests for additional information and the like (but be smart and research the Web first to find the best possible response).  I have added a link to CreditNet, which is a board for people looking to fix their credit and they have some very good information posted.

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Let The Fix Begin.

I’m not perfect.  Far from it really.  I’m not looking to spin a yarn with loads of excuses like, “I moved and they didn’t forward my mail” or “I didn’t know about the debt until years later when I was refinancing my apartment/house/condo/co-op”.  No.  Most, if not all of the debt on my credit is due to sheer stupidity on my part.  I’m a live-in-the-moment kinda guy.  Still am.  Fortunately, I make a shitload of money and am able to keep my head above water (barely).  I pay the bills I have to: Amex, mortgage (CC+tax too!), and car payment (why the F I have a car is beyond me).  Everything else is open for debate.

What I do hate, and always have is hypocrisy (see ‘Eliot Spitzer’).  I see first-hand what easy credit does to people.  Apparently, we’re all a bunch of live-in-the-moment dipshits who like that shiny new big-screen television but make up a thousand reasons why not to pay the bill.  Most likely because we’ve bought some other useless shit to fill our homes, apartments, etc with.

Banks give us easy credit and then when we don’t pay (d’uh!) they send in the goons.  Smarmy little fucks with made-up-stripper-names who sit in their cubicles dialing for dollars.  They cajole, lie, and threaten to get you to settle.  When you do, they still report you to the credit bureaus and your credit goes further into the shitter.  The irony is these fuckwads are up to their assholes in debt too and they’re the vultures picking at the carcass of easy-credit death.

This is my plan to fix my credit by any means necessary.  Pay my debts?  Perhaps.  Use the law to my advantage?  More likely.  I will try to be as honest and blunt as I can.  No excuses, lies, or half-truths.  You don’t know me, but if you did you’d like me.  I’m not a bad guy, in fact, I’m the guy next to you Thursday nights buying rounds for everyone while I try to scam your girlfriend or sister.  I guess I lack in the moral responsibility department too.

The point behind the blog is for me to share my experiences with complete strangers and hopefully pass along what works and what doesn’t.  Hopefully, my mistakes will benefit someone because if they don’t I’ll make sure they benefit me.  I’m a bit irreverent so get used to the language.  I am from New York City after all.

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