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UPDATE 2/5/03: Well, if the past five years of
struggling weren't enough, I've received numerous offers from dealerships to buy a new car
for some ridiculous amount, and have also received more outrageous credit card offers than
one can handle in a year: 24.9% interest - $84 annual fee - $35 processing fee - $72/year
account fees. Yes, many of these cards were going to allow me to charge up to $5000
(meaning the card limit would be about $500) and they wanted $191 per year to allow
me to borrow the money at 24%! I was in an accident and filed bankruptcy people,
I didn't lose all common sense and reason!
So how have I fared for the past five years after the accident and filing bankruptcy? Well,
the bankruptcy was not the most pleasant thing going on in my life. I didn't turn everything
into bankruptcy court, despite the urging from my attorney, and reaffirmed a large portion
of my debts at the time of the filing. Far too many people file for bankruptcy these days,
mostly because they get in over their heads and just can't - or sometimes they simply don't
want to - pay their bills. That tends to make my situation appear more like I'm irresponsible
than the victim of a true, financial hardship. Creditors don't see a bankruptcy with a valid
reason, they just see "high risk" and they go for your wallet's throat.
But I was determined not to let Allsnake ruin my life, and I still work and live at the same places
I have for the past five years. I've also managed to have ZERO negative activity on my credit
report, paid off some loans and established some new ones. I am currently in the process of buying
my first home...a brand new home...and it's a very exciting and also a bit intimidating. It's great
to put the whole accident and bankruptcy behind me and move forward.
Well, not so fast. It seems that two years ago Skank of America purchased a Nations Bank of Delaware,
the holder of a credit card that was discharged on my bankruptcy five years ago. Yes, three years
after my bankruptcy was discharged, Skank of America decided to report me as delinquent on that very
same credit card. But they didn't stop there, no they had to do it full scale. They reported me
as 120 days late for 24 months in a row and reported this to two of the three major agencies. To
make matters worse, when I brought this to their attention they assured me they would clean up
the error but it took two months and several phone calls and threats of a lawsuit to get them
to finally remove the false information. This false information kept me from pre-qualifying
for the first home I looked at, but all's well that ends well...I found an even better home
in a better neighborhood.
So five years later the accident reared it's ugly head yet one last time to remind me to always keep
my guard up and expect the unexpected. Who would have thought that Life has a funny way of keeping you on your toes...and hopefully I've heard the last of that stupid accident once and for all.
Keep your fingers crossed...
UPDATE
5/28/03:
Well, here it is just a
mere 2 months later and SKANK OF AMERICA has continued to screw me
over. I have letters stating that they have made errors on my
credit reports, and yet to this day those assholes are STILL
reporting me as 90 days late on a credit card that doesn't
exist! This is, AGAIN, causing problems with my home loan and
my loan may not be processed simply because of the negative activity
that has my credit score dropping. I swear, if these assholes
don't straighten this up I will sue the hell out of them for the
full amount of my new home. I am sick and tired of industries
like this who screw up and leave the consumer to fend for himself
while they continue to go about their lives as though nothing
matters. I will keep you updated, but I'm telling you now...I
am PISSED OFF THIS TIME!!!!!!!!
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