I still consider myself a "newbie" although I have been working on my credit since late February (admittedly not too hard though) I just wanted to give a little encouragement... just when you think its time to quit on an account because you can't get the results you want... Read this. 6 months but I got it off ALL 3 reports Background: $967 Collection Account w/ Nationwide Recovery OC- Cingular Wireless. Original Validation Letter: 3/28 - no response "Verified with Experian" Deleted from Equifax Disputed again with TransUnion the day it came back "verfiied" Deleted from TU in late May 2nd Validation Letter: 5/1 - no response 3rd Validation Letter: 7/16 - no response (copied the FTC, TX State Attorney General, Office of Consumer Credit and the Tx Better Business Bureau) Requested Verification from Experian (I called them and explained-- or rather whined about how I sent all these letters and I could send them to Experian to start a new dispute) EXP: Deleted tradeline 9/4. While on Experian it only made a 2 pt increase in score it was one of the worst items on my report. So my advice, keep at it and get progressively "grumpier" with them.