Hello all. I've been reading and reading and I think I'm ready to start the repair. =) Years ago (1999) I let my father get a cell phone in my name with the promise that he'd pay it... well, he didn't and the account went to collections. Blaming my youth... I let him also handle the collections process. He ended up paying the account for a lot less than the amount owing, but now it's on my CR. I'd like some advice on what I can do with this account. I want it deleted. This is what the CRAs say about the account. Experian: --shows up as a revolving account in the summary Account Name: AT&T Wireless Type of business: Water Companies Account Number:XXX Account Status:Closed Account Type: Unknown -credit extension, review, or collection Terms: 1 month High Balance: Not Reported Monthly Payments: $0 Balance Date: 15-May-03 Past Due: $0 Balance: $0 Date Opened: Apr-99 Remarks: Election of remedy - reported by subscriber Payment Status: Payment Status: Legally paid in full for less than the full balance TransUnion: --Shows up under Adverse Account Info section --Does anyone know what Status unrated means?? AT&T Wireless Services Telecommuni/Cellular Account Number XXX Type of Account Open Account Owner: Indvidual High Credit: $0 Balance $0 Past Due $0 Terms or Monthly Payments $0 Date Opened: 4/99 Date Updated: 4/03 Date Paid off: 2/02 Comments: Settled --less than full balance <<Status as of 4/03: Unrated>> Equifax -This account shows up as open in the type of account but then when they summarize open and closed account it's listed as closed. AT&T Wireless Services Account Number Rate or Status: (blank) Type of Account Open Account Owner: Individual High Credit: $0 Balance $0 Past Due $0 Terms or Monthly Payments $0 Date Opened: Apr-99 Date Reported: Apr-03 Date Last Activity: N/A Months Reviewed: N/A Comments: Settlement Accepted on this Account Any suggestions?? How can they have a TL with $0? What type of letter should I send? Thank you very much for any help!
Re: Re: First time questions Thanks for the reply lbrown59. I understand it doesn't erase the fact I had the account... but there isn't any dollar amount at all...not a high balance, amount I paid, etc. That seems weird that they have me marked with a delinquent account but not for how much I owed them in the past. Oh well... I would just like to get it off my CR! =) I guess my real question is where do I start. I've read the newbie posts but I'm confused on what type of letter to write. I belive I need to first dispute the TL with the CRA using a verification letter...is that right? Any suggestions on exactly which letter? I'm just starting out and this all seems pretty confusing. Thanks!
AT&T Wireless Services Account Number Type of Account Open Account Owner: Individual 1*High Credit: $0 Date Last Activity: N/A 2*Comments: Settlement Accepted on this Account 3*Type of business: Water Companies LrningGrl - <>- ><- <> ~~~ ><- <>- ><- <> ><- <>- ><- <> ~~~ ><- <>- ><- <> 1*&2* What would be the $_________amount of a settlement on a $0.oo amount? 3*Dispute never had water service with AT&T. LOL
Re: Re: First time questions here's my approach... (actually, its not really mine...its what i decided was best after reading about 5 zillion posts, and it has worked for me.) I send a dispute to the CRAs--dont use a form letter you find here or anywhere else. You don't want anyone to pick up on the fact that you're trying to have a legitimate TL deleted. You start off nice and 'dumb'. Just say something like: "an entry on my report is incorrect. I don't even recognize it. Could you please investigate and verify that it belongs to me and is reporting correctly? It doesn't even list an amount owed or amount paid or anything. This can't be accurate." Then, wait for it to either be verified, deleted or updated. In the meantime, dispute with the OC so that they might pull your CR. if they do, its a non pp violation that can be used as leverage to get a TL removed. use the same nice, dumb approach w the OC. update us on what happens and we'll go from there.
Re: Re: First time questions Ok so I messed up. I got impatient and in the whirlwind of everyday life mixed with credit repair I decided to dispute online....well I forgot to dispute with the OC. I just got a letter from Equifax saying "Equifax has verified that this item belongs to you. Additional information has been provided from the original source regarding this item. See enclosed credit file." They changed the TL from "Settlement Accepted on this Account" to "Current Status-Charge off; Type of Loan- Tel/comm; Additional Info- Consumer Disputes This Account Information; Account Closed by Consumer; Paid Charge Off. When I called Equifax the CSR said AT&T verified the account was mine by name, SSN and date of birth. How does that prove this particular account is mine? That just proves they have my name, SSN and DoB. Should I send another "Not mine" to the CRA? And dispute with the OC as CrowMom originally suggested? Or did I mess up too bad to fix it? **Note-I have been reading and reading here and haven't seen an answer to this particular issue.** Thank you so much!
Re: Re: First time questions When I called Equifax the CSR said AT&T verified the account was mine by name, SSN and date of birth. ***How does that prove this particular account is mine? That just proves they have my name, SSN and DoB. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ***It don't.
Re: Re: First time questions Does anyone have suggestions on what I should do next? I'd really appreciate it!
since the CRA claims they verified the acct you need to now write to the oc or CA handling this acct whichever one has their TL listed on your CR. contact them by CMRRR and put that tracking # on your letter for your protection this proves they received that letter and not something else. send them a written dispute as not yours and request verification of this acct including a signed copy of your contract which proves that you have a relationship and obligation to them. since they are claiming money is due, make them prove it by producing all the statements reflecting the charges and credits. if they can not they have to delete and can not further collect. do you know the SOL on this debt? BTW AT&T just settled a major lawsuit there may be more to come with your situation. hope this helps you for a starting point
Thank you so much for replying fun4u2. I'll take your advice and dispute with AT&T (AT&T has an internal collections department). To clarify, the debt has been paid so I don't think the SOL applies here. Am I right? They are not still trying to collect from me... I just want them to stop reporting the paid collection. FYI: It is beyond the SOL; 4 years. If I'm going about this the wrong way please let me know... but since this is a paid collection, that came back verified from the CRA, I'm going to write the OC and dispute it as not mine with them and request validation of the account by asking for the signed contract. If they don't produce the contract in 30 days I'll write the CRA demanding they delete the TL because the OC could validate it. Well, that's my plan unless I hear otherwise. =) A huge thanks goes out to the people that take the time and effort to answer questions from all the newbies (such as myself!!) Thank you!!
I Wasn't aware that this is a paid collection account. how long ago did you pay this? this is imporatant as it reages the acct for reporting purposes. since you already disputed it with the CRA and it came back verified you may attempt to dispute the account with the CA but I do not know what good that will do as you paid it, they may not respond to you. and would not need to validate a paid debt. you can request that they remove their TL but they are not required to unless you had some type of agreement ( sucha s an accord & satisfaction or a deletion letter)
