r/CRedit • u/procyonloser • Sep 03 '25
Rebuild One mistake ruined it all
I admittedly messed up, which is the part that hurts the most. I've never missed a single payment, never had a late payment. I've been building my credit slowly for years and years, and it's been hovering about 780 now. I'd made an online purchase awhile back, not thinking anything of it, but I didn't notice the payment method had switched to a card I haven't used in months. I didn't even check that account anymore, because I used to do so monthly reliably, but when it was at 0 balance for so long, I just... didn't think about it anymore. Everything else was getting checked and paid normally.
When I finally saw it was saying I had a late payment, I thought it was fraud. I didn't use that card. Then, checking closer, I knew it was me. And I knew the fact my credit score had dropped down to 630 according to CK was my fault. For all I know right now, it's actually lower than that, since I know CK tends to over exaggerate.
There's not much I can think to do at this point besides the slow climb back up. It's Bank of America, otherwise I'd try a goodwill letter. I still will, probably, even though I know it'll likely be rejected. All this coming after the death of a family member a few weeks back is hitting my mental health pretty hard. I know it isn't the end of the world, but there was so much I was hoping to do soon. I was hoping to move, buy a house. I was hoping to get a small loan for a surgery. All ruined, for years and years, because I didn't make a minimum payment on a $200 purchase that was supposed to go on my bank card, not credit. I'm so, so incredibly depressed.
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u/og-aliensfan ⭐️ Knowledgeable ⭐️ Sep 03 '25
Your best bet at this point is the Goodwill Saturation Technique. Persistence is key, so don't give up. Best of luck to you!
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u/BrutalBodyShots ⭐️ Top Contributor ⭐️ Sep 03 '25
I would try goodwill letters, not a letter (singular). See the links provided by u/og-aliensfan. Be persistent. An isolated late payment is often the easiest to get removed since it's seen as atypical.
This is also an example of why I don't suggest keeping cards open that one doesn't use. Everyone always says there's no downside to keeping cards open that they don't want to think about, but your situation proves that's a myth.
https://old.reddit.com/r/CRedit/comments/1le5icm/credit_myth_67_theres_never_any_downside_to/
Here's another one to check out, u/Funklemire.
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u/Tennessee_guy_1980 Sep 03 '25
Damn that's a tough one. Keep your head up. You were there once you got this