I had a Bellsouth Mobility cellphone in 1995, cancelled service in 1996 with a balance of $90. I was not credit-knowledgeable at the time, and I ignored the few letters they sent. It still appears on my credit report, now as Cingular Wireless. Account History: Charge Off as of 9-2002 to 7-2003, 4-1999 to 7-2002, 6-1998 to 4-1999, 3-1998, 12-1997, 11-1997, 9-1997, 6-1997 to 8-1997 30 days as of 3-1997, 12-1996 They are reporting as 'CO' every month, and I have never had collections attempt to contact me. Trust me, I have paid every collector who ever contacted me years ago (before I knew about how to handle collections) because I thought that was the right way to go. Anyways, if the earliest chargeoff is 6/97, when would this disappear from my credit report? And if I have *yet* to be contacted by anyone (OC or CA) in more than 6 years, does that mean anything? Help! I plan on applying for a mortgage this winter, and I know I could easily just write a check for $90 at closing, money is not the problem. I just want to know the most credit-score-beneficial way to approach this. I did a dispute as 'Not Mine' or something similar with EX and TU (EQ is not reporting it at all), and their deadline should be up soon, but *IF* it comes back verified, then what? Bueller?
If it's verified, you'll need to plan your next move carefully. Read the following thread: http://consumers.creditnet.com/straighttalk/board/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29276 In particular, where Lizard King said: I would do it in a different order. 1) Send validation to collection agency 2) 1 week later send dispute to CRA. Here is the reason. If the collection agency already has it in their system that you are demanding proof, etc. this might affect whether they verify it when the CRA contacts them. Many collection agencies will immediately return the account to the original creditor if you demand validation. So it is better if that happens, THEN the CRA dispute arrives. In my experience, that is the way to attack it. AND where tac14033 said I have attacked the original creditor personally by requesting validation "even though I know they aren't required under the FCRA" and letting them know I was in full dispute. They are required under the FCRA to investigate your dispute once you notify them of such. They are also required under the FCRA to communicate and notify the credit bureaus that you are in dispute over the account. I then contact the CRA and dispute the account with them. When they contact the OC the OC will verify the account as being accurate and forget or willfully not tell the CRA that you are in dispute. You then have the OC on an FCRA violation. I then contact the OC and tell them this and photocopy their tradeline from my CR showing this violation. I demand deletion and ceased collection in return for no filing suit against them. Good luck!
Any idea why a collection agency has never contacted me, and no collection agency has ever mailed me, and no CA appears on my CR? I thought it was strange that in all these years, the OC was holding onto a $90 debt like this... I am keeping my fingers crossed that it doesnt come back verified. If it does, I will definitely try what you suggested, although I will have to try to figure out who the he** the CA is, and if there even *is* one for this account...
Maybe because they just don't know how to get a hold of you. I work in fraud investigations and there's ways of finding just about anyone. I think if they go a year or so w/o being able to contact you, then I think they give up or sell it off to another CA. They might go back at the last minute before it ages off just to see if they can locate you, but who knows for sure.
