Senior Member needs help...

Is this paid?

Have you tried a PFD?

How many times have you disputed this? Sometimes it takes a few disputes before it takes?

I would try disputing it again, but look for a detail in the dates of DFMD, DOLA, etc. Ther must be something that is in error reported.

 

Starting w/the basics, did Afni-Bloom make any "mistakes" in thier first communications? You need to look for some leverage (legal and/or business) to persuade them to delete for various reasons.

Have you spoken to Charter about this bill? Is there any way to (legitimately) dispute this bill?

Have you requested validation from the CA? Legally they do not have to provide at this point, but it is worth a try.

I would suggest making a written "PFD" request, but be sure to include wording you dispute this, "but"..in the interest of clearing this up, you would pay for a deletion, or lack of verification.

You can make a "business case" that you will run them through the papermill proving this debt, or it can be settled "today" by mutual agreement.

 

A five-year old negative TL? Shouldn't have sufficient effect to tank the FICO; a hit yes, but after 5 years, it should be minimal. Is there something else like usage that could be affecting the numbers?

 

Agreed. What else is on there?

 

It shouldn't but, it does. Anderson Financial reports the account as an "open" or installment account type and generally, 120 days past due. This will certainly tank the score. My guess is that it is costing 50 to 75 points.

No sense in contacting Charter at this point insofar as AFNI now owns it.

With that said, and flame away . . . we can take this off. May take a while, around thirty days but, it will come off.

 

I said 'five year old negative trade line'.

NOW you're talking about an OPEN trade line ("Anderson Financial reports the account as an "open"" (sic)), which means it's NOT showing as being closed/charged off 5 years ago.

This is a totally different situation. Of course an open derog trade line will bang this risk score that much.

 

No, actually I'm talking about an "open" or "installment" account type not an open tradeline. It's a data field. The reporting of this rather than what it really is, a collection account type, is the damaging element.

This doesn't even take into consideration the fact that it probably is reporting a past due balance and the status may be denoted as 120 days past due.

Completely different from what you thought I was saying.

In addition, while the debt may have initial date of delinquency five years ago, I would be surprised if the status date is reported as such. More than likely, the date is reported as the date AFNI bought it or in their perception, it was opened.

 

I don't have any advice for you, but oddly enough, the exact same tradeline is the final negative item on MY credit report too. Charter Communications sold to AFNI, but the amount is $63 instead of $220.

I recently disputed the tradeline on all 3 of my reports, and all three came back verified. All three reports say it will continue to appear on my credit report until January 2008, so I decided to just sit tight until then and see what happens.

 

My bad. I thought you were saying that the account was showing as an OPEN account.

There's going to be more to it, then.

 

Charter was one of the (very) few companies that absolutely refused to remove a negative, regardless of what you did. I've helped many people get things cleaned up, and they would rather NOT be paid and have the account age off than get their money and remove the collection. Never could figure them out.

 

I agree with the above. However, we're dealing with AFNI now and Charter is out of the mix.

We can remove AFNI . . .

 

That's cool. I can't remember the name of the CA that Charter had turned over the few Charter accounts to that I couldn't get removed (no PFD, no removal after satisfaction, nothing), but they would NOT remove it, and Charter refused to instruct the CA to remove the CA from their credit histories. Their answer was: That's the accurate history, and we're choosing to report history, so that's the way it will stay.

 

AFNI owns this account, they're not simply collecting on behalf of Charter. Charter has no say so in this by virtue of that. I think that perhaps Charter just assigned the collection of their accounts to a CA in your case. I may be wrong.

Sometimes you have to know counsel or officers within these companies to make things work.

 

You might want to contact Apex's firm re: handling this account, if you don't feel comfortable or confident about it. Sounds like Apex has handled these successfully before.

 

Did you try PFD in writing without acknowledgement of debt, but just to make it "go away"

 

They won't take it . . .