We all have a credit report and scores. What or who determines what your score is based on your payments, and good credit/bad credit? Is it computer generated? Or does an actual person go in a make that determination?
My story. Trying to give as much detail as possible so I can get some serious help.
My 3 credit scores are as follows:
TransUnion 530
experian 507
equifax 540
Yes. Very very poor. I bet i'm below 75% of the rest of America at least. However, i'm not trying to get any loans, really (I plan to try to get some financial aid for college but I don't think that involves credit). I just want to have a healthier credit score so maybe I could have a shot at financing for a house in my 30s. What happened was I ended up getting like 6 credit cards or so when I was 18 or 19 (yea I know) and screwed myself. I couldn't handle them and all became seriously past due (i'm talkin' a couple to a few years). I finished paying off my biggest one a year or so ago (5000 credit balance) and I recently paid off another (was like 500 or 600 did it in two payments couple months ago). Basically, I paid some off but, I didn't talk to them about removing these items from my credit score in writing at the same time and it seems that people who really know that stuff will tell me there's no point in paying the debt then since it creates unwanted recent activity on the past due account(s). How should I go about fixing my credit score with my situation? If I need to provide more info I can. Yes I have printed copies of my current scores accounts, and contact info of the agencies. I'm just lost right now on what is really the best way to handle this. thanks for all answers.
I am currently 25 years old just to give ya a better idea of the timeframe.
All right, credit scores aren't everything in the loan process. So I assume its best to just take care of these past due accounts soon and deal with the pathetic score? And should I ask for my paid deragatory accounts removed from my credit report right away? Or would it be easier to go to a debt consolidation type-deal and have them talk to the creditors regarding removing paid past due accounts? I have my reports from "the big 3" here in front of me, 7 pages of bad financial history. I take it getting them paid off with the same crappy score is better looking than not paid off with a crappy score?
And yeah i've been trying to be good with the accounts I have paid off so far, using either a personal check (always had the funds, always cleared) or money order directly from my bank. Thanks for all the helpful responses!!
i just turned 18 in april... i also just opened a bank account in late may.. ive been looking for credit cards for people with no credit... but have gotten NOTHING!!! it just always says insufficent credit history...ad lack of credit history...well how the hell am i suppose to build credit!?! please help!!!
tried capital one.. didnt get one...
tried doing the bad credit/no credit cards too..was denied.. 
! what is the deal!!!
please help!! this is ridiculous...
The more I read about credit scores, the more I think that they are pointless. The only real reasons I can think they are needed are for purchasing a home or a car. When buying a home, does the morgatge company look at more than your FICO score?
Multi-part question...thanks for any input!
Currently my credit score is around 550 !
I have 5 credit cards that are maxed out totally 00 - I have one credit card - joint with my mom - zero balance. I have past due bills on my credit totaling about 00.
So my question is, if I pay all of the past due bills and pay the balances on my credit cards and for the next 6 months continue to charge little and pay the full balance and continue to pay my car payment on time? In 6 months - how much of an impact will this have on my credit score with no new credit inquiries?
Also once a bill is in collections and on your credit report - when you pay it, does it go away and not show on your credit report anymore?
