I'm a newbie looking for a little guidance. Any help is very much appreciated. We bought a house 11/03 after paying off a few lingering debts to get approved. The biggest was almost $500 for a natural gas bill in '01. I got a recent copy of my equifax "3 in 1" credit report in anticipation of an increased credit score and see that a new collector had started reporting the same natural gas debt on 1/04 to all 3 agencies. I confirmed with the original creditor via telephone that the bill had been paid on 11/04/03. I spoke via phone with the collection agency and they stated that they had purchased the debt 1 week after it was paid by me. They asked for some type of proof of payment, so I faxed them a short letter stating that this had been paid and that they were incorrectly reporting me. I included a copy of my bank statement (because I paid with a debit card) with a line item circled payment to the original creditor for the correct amount. I recieved a letter response a week or so later: Dear ****, In regards to the above mentioned account, we understand that you have paid this debt prior to us receiving it. Please provide one of the following proofs: - A letter providing proof that the above mentioned account has been paid in full or settled. - A copy of a cancelled check that will provide our office sufficient proof that the account has been satisfied. - A letter providing us with the amount of the payment, the date of the payment and to whom it was paid. It seemed to me that I had already provided this proof. What is my best course of action to get them off of my credit report? What I intend to do (prior to any better advice) Get a letter from the original creditor saying paid. Send copy to the collection agency, wait for them to post "paid" on my credit report. Dispute with credit agency and provide them with contact and account numbers to verify that this was paid before the collection agency got the account and try to get them to remove the item. Is this right? How long should all of this take?
Ask that the OC provide you in writing the date that it was paid by you, and demand that they contact the CA to demand that the account be recalled as SUBMITTED IN ERROR. YOU DO NOT WANT IT TO BE REPORTED BY THE CA AS PAID, BECAUSE A PAID COLLECTION IS STILL A COLLECTION. Once the OC provides the letter, and you receive it, *THEN* you ask them to contact the CA to demand that it be recalled by them, BECAUSE now they have provided you the proof that they submitted the account in error, and if they refuse, you have the ammunition you need to go after both the CA, and the OC.
*************** GET THE BASICS HERE. http://consumers.creditnet.com/straighttalk/board/showthread.php?s=&postid=410243#post410243 ***************** > I'm a newbie looking for a little guidance. Any help is very much appreciated.
