what letter would you recommend using if you just recently ( within past 4 months) paid some medical bill collections. i pulled a credit report and without knowing that i could have disputed them, i call the ca and paid the accounts in full. so i'm not sure what approach i should take seeing how it wasn't that long ago. any help would be appreciated. thanks
Wandac, Are there any violations or problems with their efforts to collect? Did you get dunning notices from the CA, or was your first awareness of the debt as a result of pulling your report. We always need to know at least a few basics of your case if we are to help you.
to be honest, i don't recall getting any notices from the ca. i could have, but i don't remember. the accounts were all from like 2-3 years ago. i pulled my credit report to clean it up and try to re- establish myself. and when i called the ca to pay on the accounts, they never mentioned that i could dispute the charges.i had like 6 accounts with 1 ca, the others i had maybe 1 or 2 accounts with. and all of them were medical. i thought by paying them, it would help my credit score. do ca have to inform you of your right to dispute the accounts when you contact them over the phone?
Well don't pay anything else just yet. You have much studying to do Wandac. Start here: http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fcra.htm http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpa/fdcpact.htm
you don't have to worry about me paying anymore, i've already paid them all. there were a total of 10 collection accounts that, if i had known i could have disputed, i would not have paid. so what should i do?
Wandac- Have you tried disputing with the CRA's?? You MAY be able to try and get them on some violations now. Has anyone other than you spoken to the CA about these debts? Did they process a postdated check too soon? DId they threaten to post date a check? Threaten a lawsuit? Read the FDCPA, you may have them on violations already and not know it.
i was actually thinking of sending the ca a letter asking for verification of the debt and informing them of the fact that i was unaware i could dispute the accounts prior to paying them. i was never threatened. but then again i called wanting to pay them, thinking it could help my credit score. i honestly didn't know i could dispute. so when i called them i told them i had a copy of my credit report and noticed i had some open accounts with them and wanted to pay them. if only i knew then what i know now.
Wanda, This is absolutely, critacally important to you. Especially now that these are paid and you have less power or leverage. You MUST bone up on what's going on before you proceed. After all you're not under extreme pressure right now. Here's a previous post of mine that might help illustrate what I'm saying.
