Credit Ratings are a Huge Scam

I've always known this intuitively. Now, after running my own free credit report , I have proof. The report claims I have three dings on my credit report--all several years old, and all relatively minor. As in a credit card payment that was late once and a couple of more similar items. (My first couple of years post-college were dicey). I have approximately a DOZEN accounts "in good standing."

I went ahead and paid about $8 bucks to get my FICO score. Yeah, the report itself is free, but if you want to see precisely where you fall on the bell curve, then you have to pay up. Anyways, my score was ranked "fair to poor." Uh, ok. Three small, old dings on my credit report (one of which I'm disputing because I settled it years ago), and a dozen accounts that have been kept current. I don't carry high balances on my credit cards, etc. But yet somehow, several years of keeping current on bills counts for nothing.

What a fucking scam.

I guess this is yet another system you have to be an engineer or attorney to know how to manipulate.

My empathy for people who have shakey credit (I see it all the time in this business) is renewed yet again. A couple of bad patches or a forgotten bill, and you'll be punished for years heretofore.