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If you want a high credit score you can definitely get one. But sometimes you might wonder why it takes so long to build that score. Good news: Experian Boost can be a great way to boost your credit score quickly, but unfortunately it doesn’t always recognize internet or telephone company providers. That said, don’t despair. If Experian Boost isn’t recognizing your data, there are things you can do. Keep reading to learn what you need to know. What is Experian Boost?Experian Boost allows consumers who don’t have a credit card or who have a thin credit file to add positive data to their credit profile if they have a record of paying utility and phone bills on time. Basically, you give Experian permission to access your bank information, and they pick up the positive payment data. This data is then used in figuring your credit score. Both FICO and VantageScore consider this data. What to do if Experian Boost doesn’t recognize your dataWe contacted Experian to find out what a consumer can do if their utility accounts are not recognized by Boost. Company spokesperson Greg Young said there are two steps you can take. If your utility bill is not identified, Boost will take you through a question-and-answer session that helps determine if the bill is eligible, Young said. “For example, the individual may not have made three payments to the account in question in the last six months,” he said. “Also, sometimes a municipality is the payee, and the bills or payments may not be recognized because they can’t be distinguished from other payments to that municipality,” such as trash, water or traffic tickets. Based on your answers, you’ll get an explanation as to why the account is not eligible, and you’ll be taken to a page where you can submit the account to Experian. Young also noted that after you connect your bank account to Experian Boost, you’re taken back to its main page, which features a feedback module. The module provides three options, including “some of my bills didn’t show up.” “Selecting that option brings up language that asks if their bill is qualified, providing information to help the individual make that determination,” Young said. “If the individual believes the bill qualifies, there is a ‘my bills qualify’ button that leads to a form where the account information can be submitted to Experian.” Experian Boost is not the only option if you’re thin on credit dataThe good news is Experian Boost is not the only option for you – or for anyone – to boost your credit score. If you have a thin credit file, even if you’re the most responsible person on the planet with your money, if your financial habits don’t include something that the credit reporting agencies can track, your credit score will not necessarily reflect this good behavior. Without adequate data to input into their systems, there is simply not enough there to generate a great score. There are several ways to add data to your credit report and increase your score. Here are a few:
Also, keep in mind the five credit scoring factors. Credit scores are built on five factors. Here are some quick tips addressing each scoring category:
Bottom lineIf Experian Boost doesn’t recognize your data, there are ways to work out the problems. Meanwhile, try building your score in other ways, such as those above. If you start improving your score the traditional ways and Experian Boost recognizes your providers, you’ll likely have good credit in no time. Editorial Disclaimer The editorial content on this page is based solely on the objective assessment of our writers and is not driven by advertising dollars. It has not been provided or commissioned by the credit card issuers. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Steve Bucci has been helping people decode and master personal finance issues for more than 20 years. He is the author of “Credit Management Kit For Dummies,” “Credit Repair Kit For Dummies,” “Barnes and Noble Debt Management,” co-author of “Managing Your Money All-In-One For Dummies” and “Debt Repair Kit For Dummies” (Australia). Steve is an experienced expert witness in identity theft, credit scoring, and debt-related cases. He has been a presenter at the FICO InterACT Global Conference, the Federal Reserve and the International Credit Symposium at Cambridge University in the UK. How do I add a bill to my credit report?You can't directly add things to your credit report, even if they are bills you pay each month. Instead, you must depend on your creditors and lenders to send updates to the credit bureaus based on your account history. There are three major credit bureaus in the U.S.: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
What bills can be added to boost?You can choose to include only your cellphone payments, only your cable bill, only your Netflix® bill, or a combination of the bills Experian asks you to confirm.
How do I add to Experian boost?How to sign up for Experian Boost. Connect the bank account(s) you use to pay your bills.. Choose and verify the positive payment data you want added to your Experian credit file.. Receive an updated FICO® score.. Why is my phone bill not on my credit report?Phone bills for service and usage are not usually reported to major credit bureaus, so you won't build credit when paying these month to month. However, through certain credit monitoring services, you can manually add up to 24 months of payment history to your report.
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