Hi. I recently signed up for a credit monitoring service. I was under the impression that all my old charge-offs were gone by now, but apparently my unpaid medical bills are still there from 2003-2004. Unfortunately, something seems fishy about how they are listed on my report(s) and I'm looking for some advice. All of the bills originated between the years of 2003 and 2004. According to the county collections department (whom I have spoken with on the phone), they were all reported as charge-offs in 2004 under one account. On my credit report they show up as 4 or 5 separate accounts. This wouldn't be that troublesome, except for the dates listed. Under each charge-off, 08/2004 is listed under "date opened". However, under "date reported", each varies greatly from 02/2009 to 01/2010. Does this mean that instead of being eligible for removal in August of this year (as it should be) I have to wait until 7 years after 2009 and 2010 because the collections department waited so long to actually report it? If so, this seems very unfair. Can somebody please help me out with this? Thanks.
"Date reported" usually means "date updated". Think of it as "date (on which the collection agency last) reported (some information to us)". Most tradelines should fall off your credit report seven years after they were first reportable. In your case, if they were all reported in 8/04, they should all fall off around 8/11. I say "around" because the CRAs seem to be asleep at the switch lately, and it may take an additional month or so for them to disappear. Personally, I would dispute them as "outdated" on 9/1 of this year.
I have found that some listings will fall off a few months before the date they are due to expire. For example, I had an account with Household Finance that was due to come off 9/11 and with a simple CRA dispute, it has fallen off on 2/11. Hopefully it stays off, but if not, I'm almost there anyway.
