<<<Local library says they sent letters in '99 about two lost books. Did not receive (long story...if you've ever had a 16 year old intercepting mail because he mistakenly thinks something labelled from the City is an alert on his traffic fines, unpaid, then you can imagine the scenario.) I didn't even know the entry was there until auto insurance renewal and Farmers started pulling TU CR's. Anyway, all three CRA's have Unique Collections listed as negative report Below is from Experian UNIQUE NATIONAL COLLECTIONS 515 MICHIGAN AVE JEFFERSONVILLE, IN 47130 Status:NO STATUS. Status Details: This item was verified on 5-2002 and remained unchanged. Date Opened:06/1999 Type: Installment Credit Limit/Original Amount: $80 Reported Since: 04/2002 Date of Status: 04/2002 Monthly Payment: $0 Recent Balance: $80 as of 04/2002 Last Reported: 04/2002 Responsibility: Individual Recent Payment: $0 Your statement: Account in dispute under Fair Credit Billing Act I tried to dispute the account as not mine, then as inaccurate. Both times, on each of the three CRA's (verbal and online disputes ), they came back as verified. Unique says pay the fine is all that I can do at this point or get library to update as reported in error. They do not even collect $$$, they said go to Library to straighten out. So then I went to talk to the Librarian in charge of the Circulation Desk. She was not there, so someone else looked up the account & said she would call. In meantime, I actually found one of the books on their records, and turned it in. When I went back to Library to talk to Ms. Circ.Mgr. she was not in, but I asked them to pull the acct so I would know what it said exactly. Now it's down to $54 balance, since they gave me $26 credit for the returned book. I told Ms.CM the sad tale of wayward son and wayward mail, she is totally unsympathetic. I said I would happy to pay the fine, but asked if she would notify Unique Collections as acct. referred in error. she said absolutely not, just pay the fine, and she would report as paid. I don't mind paying the lost book and fine $$$, but hate like hell having this on my CR's as a paid collection account. I think this deragatory is having a major negative impact on my scores. I have not yet appealed to her boss, the Head Ms. Librarian or the City Manager, and those are my next options. However, what are my options if that doesn't work? <can I get Unique Collections out of the middle of this and force the Library to work with me, (close out the referral to the Collection Agency ) ? if so, how? what letters would I use? <is there any advantage to doing so? < can I use the fact that the library gave me a piece of paper showing the balance is $54 & Unique is showing it on the tradelines as $80? <all three CRA's say I have to have written documentation to show why I believe the entry is inaccurate before they will reinvestigate <can I do anything about the fact that they substitued their blanket statement of "Account in dispute under Fair Credit Billing Act " for the 100 word statement that I provided? any input would be greatly appreciated,
My library had a MAXIMUM of 90% of the value of the book...so a $12.00 book could NEVER have a FINE of $85.00... You could DISPUTE IT AS "NOT MINE" or "BALANCE $0"
The 100 word statement is a flag that you are having problems, Skip it. Someone else on here had the same issue, I don't recall how they resolved it. Perhpas they will show up and help.
I'd do a search for "author22" and see what you find I know Steph was having problems with library fines, and I'm pretty sure she had it all squared away. You may have to weed through alot of posts until you find it, but I know it's there.
Why not start sending the CA validation letters and get them on violations. It seems easier than talking to everyone at City Hall. Charlie
...this will be the first validation letter I have ever sent. I know I can look in creditnet library and find one, but what am I hoping for? does it matter that I know the fine is $54, not the $80 that is being reported? If it had been sunshiney today, I would say I am dazed and confused by being in too many rays, but it must be that I am basically a well educated ditz. who would ever have thought that a library fine could cause such havoc on a CR? wonder how many points this is costing me on my FICO?
You're hoping that they either improperly validate or ignore your letter or do not report to the CRA's that the item is in dispute. TU won't mark it and EX probably won't either. Charlie
Oh god, Unique Collections. Yes, I am the one that had the problems with them -Robin did too... they are now all gone from my reports, but I am not sure exactly how - I have my suspicions however. DO NOT PAY THEM. The first thing you need to do is write Unique and tell them you dispute this debt and send them a validation letter. Yes, I know you already spoke to the librarian. I am with you, it happened to me exactly the same way. You need to be very persistent about this. They (Unique) need to place a "Consumer disputes account" on your tradeline. Not where you dispute through the CRA, but where they place it. Mine fell off 40 days after this. But don't pay them, because it will NEVER come off if you do. My fiance paid his... It will be 7 years in November ad they still have no mercy. When was yours reported according to your report? That "account in dispute by consumer" is mandated by the FCRA if you have disputed the account directly with the source of the furnisher. They have to put it in there, and you want them to. Don't dispute the amount yet. This is TOTAL ammunition that you want to hold onto. You want to be able at some point to pay it off, and then have a receipt that says one thing, and a tradeline that says another, this will help you permanently delete it. If you want, look up my posts.
DR, thanks, I will look up your posts ...I am so glad you posted today, it gives me a positive that I didn't have before. I definitely do not want this to be on my reports. I think it is killing my scores. I don't think anyone intended a library fine to have this kind of affect on a credit score.
I know how you feel. I searched all over for Unique Collection information and I couldn't find anything except their website which was really disheartening. I did learn a LOT from trying to figure out how to beat it especially about the FCRA and learning about how furnishers have to report, so I guess I did learn some things. Right now, I am fighting with Providian about some 90+ late days which I really feel was their fault, but I guess I am ultimately to blame. I had a secured credit card and when I closed it, I didn't know that my secured savings fund wouldn't pay off the remainder - I thought it would but it doesn't work that way - moved and then they finally mailed me 5 months later - so I have (apparently) 4 30+ days, 2 60+ days a 90+ day and 120+. These are the only negative things left on my credit and they absolutely will not work with me on it, so I am stuck until they fall off. Oh well, can't win them all I suppose. But this library thing - I think if they place a disputed by consumer that they automatically fall off. And the good thing is, they don't report every month, they just report the one time - SO, if you can get it off, it will stay off. Start with a basic validate and dispute. See if they put that on.
Dancerat: They did put the disputed by consumer on my report but it hasn't fallen off. How long did it take for yours to fall off after that notation was made? My notation was placed on the report sometime late March early April.
please post what happens to yours as it goes along. I was hoping that they were not going to report it as disputed, .... have you paid the fine, what's the exact scoop on yours if you don't mind my asking?
Mine fell off about two weeks ago - so it was about 40 to 60 days from the time of placement. I have all my stuff at home, so I can't tell you exactly when it was, but I will look it up when I get home. NO - I did not pay it, learning by the experience of my SO. DO NOT PAY IT, you will NEVER get it off!
DanceRat, my email is on. I would love to benefit from any letters or documentation that you would be willing to share. I will not pay them, as you advise. I will dispute. What do I have to lose? nada
Re: library kickin' my rear! Help/L Well, the whole reason I wouldn't pay mine is because: a/ I truly didn't feel I owed it b/ even if I paid it, they refused to take it off c/ I just planned on disputing it with him until they backed off Why pay something when it won't help your score? Then my boyfriend had already paid his, and they refused to take it off, we are now going to use my paid collections angle on it.
Re: library kickin' my rear! Help/L I will post my letters in the a.m., feeling very icky right now, thinking I am coming down with something...
Re: library kickin' my rear! Help/L tomorrow is Friday, WHOO ! AAAGGGHHH! hopefully you work a M-F job, you will be able to scrape through the day, and then just kick back and use the weekend to relax and recoup...hope you feel better in the am thanks for your input !
Re: library kickin' my rear! Help/L DanceRat, Hoping you had weekend of rest and relaxation, If you find your letters to Unique Collection, and can post them to the board, it would be helpful. I bet I'm not the only "Library criminal" with a collections account that needs to be addressed... I want to make certain I get this one off my account. I don't know how many points this collection is costing me , but I bet it is a substantial amount since it falls into its own "collection" category.
