Hello and thanks to everyone that helps out with the questions of newbies. I do not have a lot of credit problems, but I have one I need to solve and I am not sure how to proceed. I had a collection for an unpaid doctor bill towards the end of 2005. The collector was NCO-Medclr. I had totally forgotten about this, until I got a credit report a few months ago. The original debt was for $234, and thats how much it was showing on my credit report a few months ago. Recently I tried to get a loan for a new car, and this debt was showing twice on my credit report, with different dates (the original at 2005 and a duplicate at 2007) and different partial account numbers. After a long search on the internet, I found a working phone number for NCO (the one on my credit report wasn't connecting anywhere) , they were able to locate this debt on their computers and I paid off with my debit card. When I asked them about the duplicate , the lady on the line said she didn't have any other accounts for me, but after explaining it was on my credit report, she connected me to someone else. (apparently another company called Affiliated credit services) Apparently this company also had one account for me for the exact same amount, but he said he didn't have any duplicates. I tried to explain that the duplication was across two companies, not each company having two accounts for me, that the original debt was for $234, and not a penny more, and both of them were trying to collect that amount, under the same collector name on my credit report (NCO-Medclr). After a while he just told me to call back later and maybe it would change to paid on their system too, but I know it won't because its not even same account numbers, and reported twice with different dates and account numbers on my credit report. Could anyone suggest what would be the appropriate thing to do in this situation ? Is this a 'repairable' ?(for both of the accounts). Is there any way for me to get either one or both of them removed from my credit report ? Sorry for the long explanation, and thanks for your suggestions.
Well, I have good news and bad news... The good news is that you can dispute them both through the credit reporting agency and the old one will probably go away. The bad news is that now that you paid it, and unless you negotiated this before you handed them your debit card, one of them will stay on your credit report for the next seven years. So it goes. If you're lucky, they might both go away, but odds are that one will stay and show as a paid collection which will knock about 50-100 points off your credit score. Sorry.
That was fast, thanks. I was hoping they could take it off my credit if I pay, based on my experience with another collector, which agreed to remove it if I pay the balance off. I wasn't really thinking about alternative ways of clearing it off.
Well, I have good news and good news . . . Write a letter to NCO alleging that Medclear is reporting inaccurate information and said information is deceptive and misleading. Imply that you're entertaining the notion of filing a civil action. Watch the account tradeline disappear in a week. If the other agency is affiliated with NCO, the same will apply. Go ahead and dispute both tradelines through the credit reporting agencies. They both will be deleted.
