Datacrédito Report: Common mistakes that ruin your credit history and how to prevent them to maintain good financial health.
A credit score reflects each citizen's financial behavior and opens doors to loans and benefits. Maintaining it in optimal condition is essential for accessing credit and products . In contrast, a poor score can limit access to loans, credit cards, or any product that represents a financial responsibility.
According to Datacrédito , all bank-connected individuals have a credit history that requires constant attention. However, just as it offers opportunities, it can also restrict them: the lower the score, the lower the likelihood of receiving financial assistance.
Practices that ruin your score The official Datacrédito portal points out that there are specific behaviors that do affect credit scores:
- Failure to meet financial obligations.
- Becoming more than 30 days in arrears.
- Having accumulated credits that exceed the established quota capacity.
- Using one credit to pay another.
- Being a co-debtor, which involves assuming another person's debt in the event of default.
Keeping your payments up to date is key to maintaining financial confidence. Photo: Istock
According to Gloria Ureña, executive director of the Colombian Credit Ecosystem Association, there are other common mistakes that affect financial reputation, such as not answering phone calls from financial institutions.
However, he explains that it's crucial to recognize that the call is from a verified entity to prevent fraudulent calls from scammers posing as financial institutions. He also advises avoiding the illusion of "normalizing" debt.
Correcting errors promptly prevents future problems with your score. Photo: Twitter: @BancodeBogota / @Davivienda / @Bancolombia / EFE
According to the Financial Superintendency , in 2024, 96.3% of Colombian adults had at least one deposit or credit product. However, only 35.5% accessed loans from formal financial institutions. Furthermore, 50.5% of the adult population obtained credit products through non-financial entities in the real sector, such as mobile phone companies or retailers.
Recommendations to protect your history For its part, the Colombian Association of the Credit and Collection Ecosystem emphasizes that ignoring calls can be detrimental. Instead, it recommends the following actions:
- Use the legal mechanisms offered by the financial system and avoid informal credit, such as gota a gota .
- Reach out to organizations ; many offer support programs for informal workers and small producers.
- Keep information up to date.
Good financial management strengthens your reputation with banks. Photo: iStock
But that call is a nuisance. According to Law 2300 of 2023, popularly known as "Stop Fregar," it establishes clear rules regarding the hours and conditions of contact between financial institutions and clients.
- They can only be carried out if the client gives express authorization .
- If the entity has 24/7 support, the user can contact them at any time.
Daniel Alejandro Bonilla Martínez
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