Credit Card Late Pay

[Anonymous]

So I got an email last week from Equifax telling me "unfavorable" information has been posted to my credit file. An unpaid credit card bill. It was correct and I paid the whole balance online, immediately. I recently moved and am certain I changed addresses on all my accounts, but swear I never saw this bill. The account is with a bank I've had home mortgages and auto loans with, paid in full, as agreed. Credit card accounts for nearly 20 years and far more cash on deposit than the damn late card balance.

And my bank is trashing my credit. It's my fault, I don't mind paying late fees, but this seams over the top. Do I call them and ask them to retract the negative report?

WWYD?

[Anonymous]

One late payment is not going to trash your credit. Just make sure you pay on time in the future.

[Anonymous]

Yes call and ask them to remove it - your bank. They should be accommodating if you have a good history with them and it was a fluke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes call and ask them to remove it - your bank. They should be accommodating if you have a good history with them and it was a fluke.

+1 call them and BE CONTRITE. They have the power to retract a bad report.

[Anonymous]

They should be accommodating if you have a good history with them and it was a fluke.

OP here, yes, a fluke. Like I said, I've got nearly 20 years of history with them and average FICO is over 800. Just worried it's a massive bank (BoA) and calling 1-800-Indian-Clerk is not going to get the issue resolved. So frustrated!

[Anonymous]

Hey OP- I have Chase bank and I just started looking at my credit recently (I am young...) I saw there was 1 late payment from 2 years ago. The balance was $9. For some reason I didn't pay it, so it was on my report. I called and was nice and persistent and they said they could do nothing.

A few weeks later I walked into a Chase and did the same thing. The guy did it for me- he called them and asked them to remove it (and even refunded the late fee, though I didn't care about that). Point is, be persistent, and if it's a bank you can walk into, I'd do that. It was my only late payment ever, so that is also in your favor.

[Anonymous]

OP, I've banked with BoA for years and I've been impressed at their customer service. Call their 800 number and they can usually help you. If not, at least they'll be polite about it.

For a mistake like that, it's something they can and should fix. Call them and ask them (politely) to do so.

[Anonymous]

I'm with the PP's on how to resolve this. Also, one late payment shouldn't affect your credit. I've made maybe 2-3 payments a couple days late over the 25 years I've had credit cards. (a couple times because I just plain forgot the due date was approaching and once because their site was down when I went to pay and then erroneously remembered "having paid it".) If the rest of your credit is good, shouldn't even be a blip.