Hi all, As a recap, last month I posted with questions in regards to United Collection Bureau, or UCB, about how to get validation for a debt because they refused to send me a statement. After getting advice from you guys, I sent out a validation letter, certified mail with return receipt. Here's where I'm at now; it's been like 34 days since they have received this letter and they haven't sent me anything or made any attempt to contact me about it. So, my question now is, now what do I do? Since they won't send me a statement of any kind, or validation information, what's my next step? Because I'm at that point with another company too, Russell Collection Agency. I sent them the same letter on the same day and haven't heard anything from them. With Russell though I paid on 2 accounts I had with them because I knew they were valid and had the paper trail myself. But there were 3 other accounts on there I didn't know about. So I sent them validation letters for those 3 accounts and haven't heard anything from them either. And this too is troubling because in 2 days they say the total on those accounts have gone up...with no explanation as to why. I simply got a statement with a "thanks for payment, here's your remaining balance" then 2 days later I got another statement with the "this account is seriously delinquent, here's your balance" which was higher then the one I got 2 days ago! And they won't credit the 2 I paid in full because they "rolled" all 5 accounts into one. So until I pay it all, I won't get credit for full payment on anything. But how can the balance (thats been the same the past 4 yrs they say) all of a sudden be going up? So, with them not sending me validation I have to of course question the valididity of these accounts. But what do I do next? I was expecting this from UCB because they've been not at all cooperative (even though I have the money to pay in full), but I was a bit thrown with Russell because I've dealt with them before with no problems. Any advice on what I'm supposed to do next is very very appreciated. You all have a lot of knowledge on this stuff so I know you're the people to ask. Thanks so much in advance!
The ones from UCB are on my credit reports, only 3 from Russell are on there, not all 5. I was under the impression (through here and research) that you have to do the whole validation process before you can actually "dispute" them. To dispute them, is that this 2nd validation letter I've been reading about, anyone have a link to that or that Estopple letter I've read about. Kind of clueless what to do from this point. Thanks!
I meant dispute them on your credit reports. Forget estopple - wish the mods here would delete that, it is archaic. On the 2 accounts for Russell that are NOT on your credit report - there is no need for you to do anything else. They do not have to validate if they choose to stop collection activity. The others, and the UCB accounts, I would dispute with the credit reporting agencies.
Ok, how do I go about disputing them on my credit reports? Sorry for so many questions, just want to make sure I cover my butt on this and do it right. Thanks for your help!
You will need to write letters to each of the agencies reporting the debts in question, and dispute them. You tell them what you think is wrong with the way the account is reporting, and make them investigate it.
Ok so I send a dispute letter to the CRA's, what should I send to the CA's themselves? Another letter saying I requested the information, you failed to provide it so I'm disputing it with the CRA's? Thanks in advance!
