There can be a few surprising but very pertinent reasons for a sudden fall in your credit score. Let us dig deep into them.
Old and Inactive Accounts :
Have you ever found an interesting promotional offer in a shopping mall or a retail outlet and applied for a credit card? Well, I did at some point in time. And being my ever-forgetful self, I had conveniently forgotten about it.
An inactive account is of no profit to a lender, and a lender can automatically close it without giving you notice. Also, there’s no standard law to decide on how long your account needs to be inactive for before the lender can automatically deactivate it.
The solution to this problem? Well, I have learned my lesson, and so I have set up my internet bill to be auto-deducted every month from another one of my long-forgotten credit cards. You could do the same. Remember to set up auto-pay so that you don’t miss a single payment.
Although you haven’t applied for a loan or a credit card recently, you might have undergone similar minor changes in your lifestyle that resulted in a hard inquiry. You might have inadvertently permitted your internet service provider, cable company, teleservice provider, and even your landlord to conduct a hard inquiry on your credit report. Upgrading your credit card or applying for an increase in credit limit can also result in a hard inquiry.
The solution to this problem? I have become super vigilant. Now I read documents before signing on them; additionally, I always ask a service provider or a lender if the transaction involves a hard inquiry. If you find an unauthorized hard inquiry, it could be fraudulent activity, and you must take action immediately.
Old and Inactive Accounts :
Have you ever found an interesting promotional offer in a shopping mall or a retail outlet and applied for a credit card? Well, I did at some point in time. And being my ever-forgetful self, I had conveniently forgotten about it.
An inactive account is of no profit to a lender, and a lender can automatically close it without giving you notice. Also, there’s no standard law to decide on how long your account needs to be inactive for before the lender can automatically deactivate it.
The solution to this problem? Well, I have learned my lesson, and so I have set up my internet bill to be auto-deducted every month from another one of my long-forgotten credit cards. You could do the same. Remember to set up auto-pay so that you don’t miss a single payment.
Although you haven’t applied for a loan or a credit card recently, you might have undergone similar minor changes in your lifestyle that resulted in a hard inquiry. You might have inadvertently permitted your internet service provider, cable company, teleservice provider, and even your landlord to conduct a hard inquiry on your credit report. Upgrading your credit card or applying for an increase in credit limit can also result in a hard inquiry.
The solution to this problem? I have become super vigilant. Now I read documents before signing on them; additionally, I always ask a service provider or a lender if the transaction involves a hard inquiry. If you find an unauthorized hard inquiry, it could be fraudulent activity, and you must take action immediately.
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