After my success with EX Wednesday, I was so happy! Then yesterday I got my results from the dispute I sent to EQ on Monday (the local agency) They verified all 3 collections and did not change the Judgement to satisfied. Now I dont know what to do. Here is the situation: Collection#1: Risk management Alternatives...in March they contacted me for an old MCI bill that I am not sure was mine...was from 1996...given to the 2/01(wierd, this is when I switched from MCI to AT&T) They say if I dispute to send in the little card and they will not report to CRA until they verify. So I did...nothing...get my EQ report and there it is! Sent them a validation letter saying that they had violated my rights, remove immediately or prove it is mine...nothing(this was May) So Monday I disputed...Verified!!! Now what? Collections#2 and #3: Local collection agency-from 1998...small amounts...I have never been contacted about these...EVER! disputed....verified. Do I send a validation letter? Offer to pay for deletion? Leave it be? Judgement: They state the creditor verified my name and SS on judgement...well duh! I never said it wasn't mine, just said that it should show satisfied...what do I do? Other than my Student Loans (and the judgements) these are the only derogs on this report. Any help appreciated Larissa
If I were in your situation I would ask the bureau's for the proceedures used to verify, meaning the name, addresses, and phone numbers ect. You have to remember, it is highly unlikely they didn't verified anything but send you and updated report telling you they verified. It happens all the time. They count on you giving up the ghost and leaving them alone. Thats what they want you to do. Start your paper trail right now. Send them a letter (certified return receipt) asking them for procedures used to verify your disputes. Remind them they have 15 days (as described in the law). I think you will find they didn't verify the validity of your disputed tradelines. You might get lucky and they delete them.....it happens. As for your paid judgement, see if the creditor would vacate the judgement for you. They might, you won't know until you ask. Also if you have sent validation letters to a collection agency and they didn't respond, send them another reminding them they have a legal obligation to reply validating you owe them. Also, CC the Attorney General of your state and The Federal Trade Commission, with regards to the MCI bill, CC the Public Utilities Commission. I don't know if you have one in your state, you will have to find out. Send it return receipt (remember from this point on, send everything return receipt because you need to create a paper trail). Do not call anyone, correspond by mail only return receipt. It gets expensive to send certified mail, I would suggest loading stamps.com on your desktop. I did, it saves a lot of time because you can send certified mail from your home. I don't know if it will work, but nothing beats a failure but a try. At best, you will get a letter from the collection company telling you they're removing their tradelines......thats the goal.
I have been fighting RMA over MCI for almost a year. First requested validation for a bill from nearly 4 years ago. That I have a cancelled check for. They sent me a word printout of the bill I allegedly owed. Did not bother to supply any info regarding their license to do business in my state, their right to collect debt, etc. So I C&D them. Then I took it up with MCI. Send original copies of everything-got no response. So I am now in the process of disputing w/Atty General, Consumer Representative Office in my state, and other areas. And you know what? RMA keeps placing inquiries on my file. Hard ones. And here is the kicker-they are a spin off of Equifax.
I am afraid that they probably did verify at least the local ones because it is a 2 minute trip from CRA to the CA...probably just called them. The RMA one though maybe not. Like I said I mailed them twice and got nothing back...does anyone know of a good letter to send them...ya know...last chance buddy, answer me or else? How does one go about asking the creditor to vacate a judgement? I could try my AG...I happen to know him personally *grin* but sometimes that makes people take you less seriously..ya know? I have not noticed any inquiries from RMA yet...plus the debt is 5 yrs old...they are running out of time and they know it! Do you have an address for MCI that I could use to try and contact them? I hate to initiate because I finally got them to stop calling me to switch back! Finally had to hang up on a couple guys...but I will do what it takes! Thanks for the advice Larissa
Larissa, They may have verified it, just tell them you want the name, address, person, ect. Send them a validation letter. If the debt is small they're going to get tired of you and go away. Equifax sold their collection business to RMA. I have a hard inquiry from them on my Equifax report, and I am waiting for it to show up. It might not, which is my hope. I don't know what it is for. I had a small collection account with Equifax that disappeard when they sold their collection agencies to Risk Management Alternatives.
