Delinquent vs Derogatory

So I’ve been working on getting my credit back to when I was a kid, I now 29M had a credit score of 760 when I was 19, but sadly I told my mother and she used it multiple times to open accounts under my name, Now I’m working back to get it to that 700 range seeing as I want to build a network of CC’s to use the rewards to full effect, I’d like to know the best ways to get rid of Delinquencies and Derogatory marks, PLEASE help a brother out!! Thank you in advance
 
Damn bro, that’s rough about your mom. It sucks when the people closest to us end up doing damage like that. For delinquencies, I’d start by calling the creditors directly some are surprisingly willing to work with you, especially if it’s older. For derogatories like collections, try pay-for-delete (get it in writing). Good luck on your rebuild journey
 
Delinquent = late payment. Derogatory = the scar it leaves. Think of delinquents as the crime and derogatories as the criminal record.
Best thing to do: settle or pay off what you can, and wait. Time is your biggest healer. Also, get on-time payments flowing ASAP. Open a secured card or two if needed.
 
Here’s a basic plan:

Pull your full credit reports from AnnualCreditReport dot com.
Highlight all accounts marked delinquent/derogatory.
For anything not yours, file identity theft reports and dispute.
For legit ones, negotiate pay-for-delete or send goodwill letters.
Rebuild with secured cards or credit-builder loans.
 
People sleep on the power of a goodwill letter. I got two 30-day lates deleted from my student loan just by being polite and honest in a handwritten letter.
Sometimes a simple i was young and dumb, and I’ve changed really works. Especially if you’ve been making on-time payments lately.
 
Hey man, first of all.....sorry about what your mom did. That’s a brutal betrayal. But you’re not alone; a LOT of people have been victims of family fraud. Start by pulling your full credit reports from all 3 bureaus (AnnualCreditReport.com is free). Dispute anything that was opened without your permission. File a police report too..it sucks, but it helps with removal.
 
Bro… moms really be the first scammers. I had a cousin go through the same. If the accounts are old and still hurting your score, try pay for delete with collections. Also, goodwill letters actually work sometimes. Just don’t expect miracles overnight.
 
Can’t stress this enough.....self-lender loans helped me A TON when rebuilding. Also, if you’ve got any open cards now, make sure you’re never late again. Payment history is 35% of your score, so every on-time payment helps bury the bad stuff.
 
So wild how parents mess up their kids’ credit and think they’ll understand someday. Nah. That’s identity theft with extra steps. Anyway get a secured card (Discover’s is decent), pay in full, and don’t max it. Use it for gas and groceries, then chill.
 
Empathy, bro. You’re fighting uphill but not alone. Mine dropped from 780 to 530 after a medical collection hit I didn’t know about. It took 2 years and a LOT of calls, but I’m at 702 now. Stay consistent. Celebrate small wins like hitting 620, 640, etc.
 
Cap One kept a 60-day late on my report from 2018 and REFUSED to remove it after I paid in full. Wrote goodwill letters every 2 months.....finally got a rep who said yes. Persistence pays off. Just document everything.
 
I’d recommend signing up for Experian Boost and Credit Karma. Boost gives you credit for utilities and phone bills, and Credit Karma at least helps track changes. Don’t pay for credit monitoring right now.....use that cash to build savings or pay off debt.
 
Just a heads-up....some credit repair companies are straight-up scams. They’ll charge monthly for doing what you can do for free: disputes, calls, goodwill letters. Reddit has better advice than most of those places. Save your $100/month.
 
Have you looked into getting added as an authorized user on someone’s old, positive account? Only works if the bank reports AU activity. Did that with my aunt’s AMEX from 2003......my score jumped like 60 points in a few months.
 
All I know is i paid off a $46 collection from some dental place, and my score DROPPED 10 points. I was like… what??? Turns out, paying doesn’t always equal deletion unless you negotiate for it beforehand. Lesson learned.
 
Paying off old accounts is cool but won’t always help unless it deletes the negative. That’s why people chase pay-for-delete or goodwill removals. Keep emotion out of it....creditors don’t care about your sob story unless it’s officially documented.
 
I’d also check out Reddit’s r/personalfinance flowchart. It literally saved my life. Helped me go from paycheck-to-paycheck to having a 720 and $15k in savings. Credit is part of the puzzle, but habits are the real secret sauce.
 
Think of delinquents like weeds.......you can trim 'em, but they'll come back if you don’t plant good stuff instead. Build solid history with credit-builder cards or apps like Kikoff. Also, lock your credit so your mom (or anyone else) can't do it again.
 
I hate that you went through that, man. My dad did the same and called it helping. You can report identity theft through the FTC and get a recovery plan. Might be emotionally hard, but it’s worth it long-term if you want a clean slate.
 
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