Innacurate reporting has destroyed by credit: what should I

Submitted by s-tias on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 05:26
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Background: I have been fighting a health clinic and a hospital over bogus and inaccurate charges which I disputed. One bill was for an emergency room visit at a hospital I never visited and the other was for a ovarian cancer test allegedly given to me (I am a man). I contested both bills. Yet both were eventually reported to a credit bureau, and neither medical provider informed the credit bureau that I had contested the bills as not belonging to me.

Harm: Without warning, the limits of my three Bank of America credit cards were reduced to levels below my current balances with NO notice with the result that I could not use the cards (Note that I used these three credit cards for 9 to 12 years: the banks issuing the cards were ultimately acquired by Bank of America.) Before this action, I used to make monthly payments on time of 7 to 30% of the outstanding balances. It took many calls to BoA before I discovered that they had started this action against me in response to the negative "bogus" and inaccurate information on my credit report.

Action: In order to lower my balances to levels below my new lower limits, I was forced to take draconian measures and take all of my available money which was earmarked for other projects to pay down the balances to levels below the new lower limits. On the advice of BoA, I obtained a copy of my credit report for the first time from TransUnion. I discovered the credit problem along with other surprises. The same day I received the credit report, I visited Credit Bureau Systems who had reported the contested bills and they promised to remove the contested charges. I have now visited Credit Bureau Systems twice in futile attempts to get the inaccurate charges removed, but I understand that the inaccurate information still remains on the credit report (at the last visit they told me they were going to try a manual override to remove the charges!!!).

Surprises: I discovered hard inquiries from FIA CSNA and my auto loan company, listings of cards I canceled with zero balances from approximately 9 years ago but which continue to report significant balances, a $34,000 loan from 6+ years ago which did not belong to me (no payments missed - thank goodness), and other inaccurate information.

Current Status: The upper limits of the BoA cards are still in free fall. For example, if the minimum payment is $400 and I pay $1,600, BoA reduces the upper limit to $300 above the current balance. Since three of my four cards are with BoA, this is negatively affecting my credit score. With a low credit score, I fear my insurance rates will increase. The only cards I have with balances are the BoA cards. Without a good credit score, I can not borrow money to run my business. BoA will not listen to reason. I feel I am living a nightmare.

I am open to suggestions on how I might: 1) stop BoA from continually reducing my credit limits; 2) how to improve my credit score; and 3) actions I should take to repair my previously good credit?

Thank you.

Hi Tias,

As the creditors are not informing the credit bureaus to remove the wrong listing from your credit report, you can contact the FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION(FTC) or the state attorney general. Under FAIR CREDIT REPORTING ACT(FCRA), both the CRA or credit bureaus and the creditors are required to remove any negative listing from your credit report, if it is inaccurate.

Mon, 02/08/2010 - 10:28 Permalink

I can understand your frustration having been through this myself. Getting bills that do not belong to you and trying to straighten out the mess is a nightmare. May I suggest getting your atty. general involved. I know I say this a lot on the site but until I did this myself I did not give enough credit to the atty generals office. I had my answers in a day and the problem resolved. good luck

Mon, 02/08/2010 - 16:15 Permalink