I am wondering if there are others like me who are trying to rebuild their credit after it has been left in ruin due to bank errors? I am having the most difficult time.

My report is an absolute flipping mess. There are so many mistakes on it, I am going to be writing a 5-6 page letter just to address the basics.

I called Equifax yesterday...and was hung up on twice...the third time I got the" ladies?" name before I would even discuss why I was calling with her. Finally some progress...then of course the onus is on me, contact this creditor and that creditor, and fax us this and that and then we will see what we can do.

I am so tired of this, this is the third time for some of these issues to be rehashed. Why are we guilty until proven innocent?

 I am not on this occassion even going to get into the deeper debates as to who's fault it was that for over a year after graduating I did not know I owed thirteen thousand dollars to the Royal Bank. I was also told at the time would not be reported derogatively to my credit history because there had been a mistake. So much for that.

You know any one of the "minor" issues, as was suggested yeserday, probably wouldn't cause grief, but put together, what a mess.

A word also about TUC, I read where someone else on this site has never been able to get their report form TUC due to technicalities, "photocopy too light", "can't read signature", "need photocopy of both side of ID". I am on my third attempt with TUC and have never seen what my history looks like on their report.

Please respond...it is nice to know we are not alone. If anyone has ever received a copy of their TUC report, I would like to hear about that as well. It would seem to be a fairly elusive report at this point.

I have not received a copy either.  I sent a total of three requests.  Two requests were sent by regular mail and had all the necessary documents.  No reply.

 The third was sent by registered mail and they sent a reply stating they could not issue it because it was not signed (it was clearly signed) and my old address does not match their records (I don't know because I can't see my old address since they won't send me the report).   Such a load of crap!

You know...my credit was ruined and I have kicked and screamed the whole time it was happening and when I reached "the bottom" I made peace with the reality that my life was a mess.

I took time to educate myself and prepare to get this mess cleaned up. I guess for the last three years I have kept the bills I have been aware of up to date. Not the Royal Bank SL or the Alberta SL...Though as soon as I became aware...I have paid them. The RB portion is all I have left to pay. ($12000 of $34000 total).

I get so "off Pissed" (thanks whereto)that everything has to be such a battle. Why is the system so backwards. Why do I have to make them clean up my credit history, they made the mistakes and I have told many of them about the mistakes. Pure frustration.  I have letters from two of the creditors that admit to mistakes, I show them to any lender that should happen to question my credit report, 'cause creditors/equifax can't get it together.

Well maybe if I keep fighting...

You're entitled to all that and more, D & C.

What's wrong with this picture? Is it something you did? I don't think so. And yet there are those making out like bandits on your suffering, struggle and contributions.

Get out of it. Leave. Why work for THEM?

Do it for yourself and your family. It's MUCH MUCH MUCH better almost anywhere else. And it's just buying into the big lie to believe that Canada has more to offer you or is in ANY way an ideal place to live.

Think of it as encouragement and support. Not nagging.

I'll talk to your husband if you like...there IS a better life out there. Oh, excuse me, the maid is bringing me a coconut with rum and pineapple juice to help ease the tension as I sit under the palm tree by the fountain.

It's Friday here in West Java. Maybe I'll go to Bali for the weekend. Or perhaps take my wife shopping in Singapore...it's really cheap, only an hour and a half away and besides with a medium income here, anyone could afford those options. Which do you think I should do? Maybe I'll just go to a spa by the volcano. Oh, I don't know...so many choices when you aren't in their clutches.

Thanks Java, send me a rum&coke through the wire!

*sigh*

Java you keep telling people to move somewhere else. This is my HOME. My family has been here 10,000 years. I don't want to BE anywhere else. So, I suppose we just have to accept the fact it's messed up, do what we can to survive and hope to change a bit.

All I gotta do is stay Metis and die!

Update:

I have now received both reports, Equifax and TUC(my First one)...Finally

I have sent dispute letters to both agencies, with supporting documentation of course. Equifax-Seven issues in dispute. TUC-Eleven. The letters were sent Express Post and required a signature.

Today I received in the mail a letter from Equifax stating all of the changes that have been made, all six of them, and requesting another piece of supporting documentation for the last item.

 OH HAPPY DAY

Thank you Equifax, for finally coming through. Now if TUC could just come through as well...

6273kat,

Congratulations!  Persistance does pay off.  I was going to suggest if they still didn't like the photocopies, you could make 100 of them at varying brightness levels and send them parcel of supporting documentation.

help,

Go to http://www.equifax.ca - www.equifax.ca and http://www.tuc.ca - www.tuc.ca to download and print the forms.  Doing it online is expensive. 

Update:

I have now received the TUC response to my letter of dispute and they have corrected all of the mistakes on my credit history.

If I look at the big picture that means 17 items corrected so far. I wonder how much influence these items had when I was shopping for a home or a vehicle?

I guess persistence pays off.  It is too bad they take any information given to them(by creditors) as facts.

Way to go 6273kat!!

You had the motivation and organization to argue your point and it paid off for you big time! I have seen others do it as well and I myself have had similar success. It is so gratifying to see the updated report as though the negatives had never existed.

Ferren,

I am glad to have the clean up part of the process over. I have promised myself to take a proactive approach from this point on.

The thing about debt and collection for me was that I was so stressed trying to keep up on my day to day issues, that the fact of my future being messed up "credit-wise" was of little concern.

Islander,

I know that the credit issues have caused me significant difficulty when buying my home and my vehicle. I do however have a very busy schedule(three kids, spouse, home, work full time and go to school on the weekends) and have to pick my fights.

It feels like a cop out because I know what they reported on my credit was wrong. I absolutely should sue, but they have had something that I value more than money and that is my time. I will not give these people any more of my time than is required to keep them in line.

I have been down the lawsuit road, that is how I got in this mess in the first place...I wrote about it in my other posts, while I was still in school, my house was being built, builder goes under, is unable to finish house. I sue, it takes years of my time and alot of my money, I eventually win...life in shambles. I just couldn't go there again, I feel physically ill just thinking about it.

I may pass it by a lawyer to see what they say, I did read the story on this site about the award given by the court of 60000.

God knows I'm not trying to push anyone into litigation! I'm really glad that you got what you were entitled to and you deserve all the peace of mind that comes along with it.

You might have a case there, though. The reporting agancies have a responsibility of due diligence. IF you had the time, energy and desire to lock horns with them, it would be for EVERYONE'S benefit, though. It might just force the credit reporting agancies to clean up their acts and do their jobs with some degree of integrity. It would be an enormous sacrifice on your part, of course, and I'm not suggesting that you owe it to anyone to tilt at windmills.

Of course any judgement you won would be yours as some minor compensation for your efforts....

To be quite honest I would love to take them all on...even if it was for principle only. We'll see...

I knew you were only offering suggestions...on the litigation. If I had the time and energy.