Collection on CreditReport...

[slycat]

While i was still in college i had to use CCs for a lot of stuff coz i was paying my own way.
So i have like 3 collection items on my cr. Two says PAID, final one says UNPAID...its like $230 and from 1999.
Do these stay on file forever?...does it ever get wiped out? The thing is i can't find the company anymore...
i think they got bought over or bankrupt...can't even find them to pay them. Second thing is i know if i do find them
and pay them, it updates the record, thus the date too so it will stay longer on my cr. True or not?
So, should i hunker down and look for these guys to pay them the $230 to get the record changed to PAID?...

 

[cricky]

Pay it... I had the same problem when I was buying a house. A cable bill from 3 years earlier had went to collections without them even bothering to get ahold of me. Rather than dispute it, I just paid it (I owed the money, anyways) and got a letter stating PAID in FULL from whoever owned the debt currently. Showing that in a situation where the credit report might be crucial helped.

It won't just go away. It might take some work to find who owns the debt now...

 

[SP33Demon]

Here's the deal. Dispute EVERYTHING on your record, even if it is yours. I had a buddy from college get 3 things removed b/c he claimed he didn't know wtf they were... If after the dispute, it really is "yours", dispute it again. Tell them the amount was incorrect... these places only have 30 calendar days to respond, and often, don't give a dam. Eventually after assaulting them with correspondence they won't bother to send it back to the credit company anymore.

 

[slycat]

Originally posted by: SP33Demon
Here's the deal. Dispute EVERYTHING on your record, even if it is yours. I had a buddy from college get 3 things removed b/c he claimed he didn't know wtf they were... If after the dispute, it really is "yours", dispute it again. Tell them the amount was incorrect... these places only have 30 calendar days to respond, and often, don't give a dam. Eventually after assaulting them with correspondence they won't bother to send it back to the credit company anymore.

hmm..very interesting...well, for the 2 that says PAID i guess there's nothing i can do about those, but the 3rd
one..i wanna try this. So basically i call the credit agency and dispute it?...any help very appreciated.

 

[SP33Demon]

Originally posted by: slycat

Originally posted by: SP33Demon
Here's the deal. Dispute EVERYTHING on your record, even if it is yours. I had a buddy from college get 3 things removed b/c he claimed he didn't know wtf they were... If after the dispute, it really is "yours", dispute it again. Tell them the amount was incorrect... these places only have 30 calendar days to respond, and often, don't give a dam. Eventually after assaulting them with correspondence they won't bother to send it back to the credit company anymore.

hmm..very interesting...well, for the 2 that says PAID i guess there's nothing i can do about those, but the 3rd
one..i wanna try this. So basically i call the credit agency and dispute it?...any help very appreciated.

Yes, especially the paid ones, you want to dispute. Why? According to my friend, he said that usually paid accounts will not get as much attention as ones where they are owed money. I am actually trying this with 4 things on my record, one a judgement, 2 paid, and one where I still owe them. I will let you know how it goes...

The ideal time to dispute a charge is during Thanksgiving/xmas. Since it's 30 calendar days, they really only have about a week to read the mail. If they delay, their letter probably won't get back to the credit company in time.

Well, depending on what state you live in, you're entitled to a free report a year (I know that MD and NJ this is true). If not, you'll have to buy it (it's $9 for Equifax's). I'm disputing through www.equifax.com right now. Other ones are TransUnion and Experian. Buy the report for all three and dispute everything with all three (you will need your report number in order to dispute). You can dispute by either calling them, or I know with Equifax you can dispute online, it's automated. I don't know about the other 2 for online disputes, but you can definitely call them and/or write them a letter.

If one comes off your record from one of the big three, let the other 2 know this (that the investigation from say, Trans Union, took it off your record). I'm pretty sure that the other two will then have to remove it, although don't quote me on that (it would only seem logical, unless they ruled that their investigation overrides the other two companies, in this case: Equifax and Experian).

 

[slycat]

uhm..how would u dispute PAID accts?
i mean since u actually paid it doesn't that mean u agree its correct?

if i try to dispute the PAID ones...how would i reason it?...that i dunno what it is and its just a phantom record?

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: SP33Demon

Yes, especially the paid ones, you want to dispute. Why? According to my friend, he said that usually paid accounts will not get as much attention as ones where they are owed money. I am actually trying this with 4 things on my record, one a judgement, 2 paid, and one where I still owe them. I will let you know how it goes...

God forbid people take some personal responsibility.

 

[MailBoxHead]

Originally posted by: mugsywwiii

Originally posted by: SP33Demon

Yes, especially the paid ones, you want to dispute. Why? According to my friend, he said that usually paid accounts will not get as much attention as ones where they are owed money. I am actually trying this with 4 things on my record, one a judgement, 2 paid, and one where I still owe them. I will let you know how it goes...

God forbid people take some personal responsibility.

Never paid a bill in your life?

 

[Yzzim]

Originally posted by: SP33Demon
Here's the deal. Dispute EVERYTHING on your record, even if it is yours. I had a buddy from college get 3 things removed b/c he claimed he didn't know wtf they were... If after the dispute, it really is "yours", dispute it again. Tell them the amount was incorrect... these places only have 30 calendar days to respond, and often, don't give a dam. Eventually after assaulting them with correspondence they won't bother to send it back to the credit company anymore.

How do you dispute it? I have a claim on my record which I PAID IN FULL to a collection agency, but never got a reciept or anything. The record on my report still says UNPAID, which pisses me off.

 

[slycat]

Originally posted by: Yzzim

Originally posted by: SP33Demon
Here's the deal. Dispute EVERYTHING on your record, even if it is yours. I had a buddy from college get 3 things removed b/c he claimed he didn't know wtf they were... If after the dispute, it really is "yours", dispute it again. Tell them the amount was incorrect... these places only have 30 calendar days to respond, and often, don't give a dam. Eventually after assaulting them with correspondence they won't bother to send it back to the credit company anymore.

How do you dispute it? I have a claim on my record which I PAID IN FULL to a collection agency, but never got a reciept or anything. The record on my report still says UNPAID, which pisses me off.

i assume u can prove u paid? like check stub or something. Now call the company and ask to speak to their billing dept and specifically ask them to change/update with credit company to change UNPAID to PAID. Also, ask for a note in writing from them stating the acct is fully paid and closed. If nothing happens in a few mths, call Equifax..or other and ask them to investigate it. I called Equifax about a similar case before and within a month i saw the change made.

 

[Yzzim]

Originally posted by: slycat

Originally posted by: Yzzim

Originally posted by: SP33Demon
Here's the deal. Dispute EVERYTHING on your record, even if it is yours. I had a buddy from college get 3 things removed b/c he claimed he didn't know wtf they were... If after the dispute, it really is "yours", dispute it again. Tell them the amount was incorrect... these places only have 30 calendar days to respond, and often, don't give a dam. Eventually after assaulting them with correspondence they won't bother to send it back to the credit company anymore.

How do you dispute it? I have a claim on my record which I PAID IN FULL to a collection agency, but never got a reciept or anything. The record on my report still says UNPAID, which pisses me off.

i assume u can prove u paid? like check stub or something. Now call the company and ask to speak to their billing dept and specifically ask them to change/update with credit company to change UNPAID to PAID. Also, ask for a note in writing from them stating the acct is fully paid and closed. If nothing happens in a few mths, call Equifax..or other and ask them to investigate it. I called Equifax about a similar case before and within a month i saw the change made.

Not check stub, darn debit cards

yah yah, that's my fault, should have paid differently. They said if I didn't pay right then, they were going to put it on my credit. Looks like it was already there, bastards :|

 

[slycat]

Not check stub, darn debit cards

yah yah, that's my fault, should have paid differently. They said if I didn't pay right then, they were going to put it on my credit. Looks like it was already there, bastards :|

well, live and learn. it should still be fine coz your bank statement will say who the money went to so long as u didn't
pay cash.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: MailBoxHead

Originally posted by: mugsywwiii

Originally posted by: SP33Demon

Yes, especially the paid ones, you want to dispute. Why? According to my friend, he said that usually paid accounts will not get as much attention as ones where they are owed money. I am actually trying this with 4 things on my record, one a judgement, 2 paid, and one where I still owe them. I will let you know how it goes...

God forbid people take some personal responsibility.

Never paid a bill in your life?

Oh I've paid plenty of them. I just don't buy things that I can't afford, so I've never had any late/unpaid accounts. But hey, they're just anonymous corporations, why SHOULD I pay them the money I rightfully owe?