Should one dispute the old addresses listed on the credit report and have them deleted before disputing tradelines?
Yes. Apparently, whenever the CRA receives your dispute and tries to validate with the OC/CA, they ask to confirm the following: - your name - your SSN - your address If the OC/CA confirms 2 out of 3, the tradeline stays. So get those old addresses off.
Dang! The account I disputed has my current address on it! come to think of it, they have all those 3 information!
There's hope yet. The 30-day rule. You know - the CRA gives the OC/CA 30 days to verify the tradeline, after which, if they don't receive any verification, they will in many cases delete. If the 30 days have gone by and they haven't sent you any updated reports, you can hit them with another letter, reminding of the 30-day rule, quoting heavily from the FCRA and hinting at the fact that you are aware your rights are being violated. Of course, even if they delete, it doesn't mean the tradeline can't come back. The OC/CA may re-report it, especially since they have your current address. Then the CRA has to notify you in writing within 5 business days. If they fail to do that, see above about your rights. Sorry if I spread common knowledge - I'm by no means an expert, just sharing what I've learned recently myself.
