Hello, I've been a lurker all this while and keep on learning from the experts here. However, I think I will be more active in repairing my credit. I just checked my credit report last week and found out the following: 1) New collection from T-Mo under TU. I called T-Mobile and they said there was a balance of $21.xx and $51.xx for 2 accounts I closed around April 2004. The one account ($21.xx) was taken over by my friend (we were on family plan and he took over the account when he moved out of state). The $51.xx was from my previous number but I'm pretty sure I paid for it. However, to look for the proof of payment from 3.5 yrs ago is not an easy thing to do for me. T-Mo rep told me to call the collection agencies (2 numbers for 2 accounts) and dispute it with them. I plan to dispute this or at least work out something to get them remove the collection from my report. The next thing to do would be to send them the verification letter to the collection agency right? Do I need to send the same letter to T-Mobile as well? 2) Another collection from Comcast on TU. I think it was from 2001 or 2002. The charge was for $2xx.xx. What happened was that I didn't return the box to them (I was young and stupid but I learned my lesson). When I found out they were charging me, I called them and was told by the rep that if I returned the box the charge would be removed. However, that was not the case because it is still on my credit report. Should I dispute this one and sent a verification letter to the collection agency? 3) Hospital bill on Experian. It was from 2001 and I didnt have any insurance at that time. If I remember correctly, I was told by the hospital billing dept to fill out a form stating I had no income (which was true) and they would take care of the bill. I wanted to work some payment on this because I know the charge is valid but should I even bother to dispute it? How long medical bill will stay on the credit report? I don't have any debt at the moment other than credit card bill that comes around $200-400 per month. No mortgage, no loans at all. My credit score with Exp is 700. Not sure with TU and EQ. Any comments and suggestions are welcome
1. You would need to send dispute letters to the collection agencies that have the account and the reason you are disputing the debt/request validation if you feel you dont owe it. When he moved out of state, did he remove you completely from the account? Was the account setup in your name from the beginning. 2. You'll need to dispute that with the collection agency or OC and the credit reports. I'm afraid that they will update it as paid collection though. 3. You could try for a PFD. Sounds like you tried to get help from the hospital and a write off, but for whatever reason it wasn't approved or they didn't write off the whole amount. Medical will stay on your report 7-7.5 years.
1. The account was under my name originally and he took over one of the number when he moved out of state. If I remember correctly, T-Mo was supposed to bill him instead of me. 2. Any way to work this out so they remove it completely? 3. I want to dispute it but I dont want this to go back as an active collection account and restart the clock to be X yrs from now until the account will be dropped. Since it has been 6 years for this account, do you think I should just wait for another 1-2 yrs until it disappears from my report? I wouldn't mind arranging pay settlement though now that I'm working and have income to work on the payment.
More information I live in CA now and the bill #2 and #3 were from WA state (went to school there). For all 3 collections, I have never received any letter from collection agency at all.
1. If I remember correctly, I had this problem with Sprint, I had to goto a local store and sign papers to remove me from the account. Doesn't sound like that happened. You can send them a dispute letter, but unless you have some paperwork showing you were removed, doesn't sound like you'll get out of it. Obviously, if you are in collections and T-Mo sent it, they didn't do what they said they were going to do. 2. Unlikely, it's a valid paid collection. 3. I would suggest doing a pay for deletion letter. If it's a valid debt, it should be paid.
Would contacting them reset the clock to renew the debt? I'm new to this and would like to double check before I do something I'll regret later on. Thanks for your reply Collectman.
To which debt are you asking about? If the medical debt, if you send them a pay for deletion letter and they accept it, they will sign it send it back to you and you will pay the full amount at once. Then within so many days they will remove the tradeline from you credit report.
For the Comcast debt as well. I already returned the equipment and they should've removed the balance before turning it into CA. Would contacting the CA reset the clock and turn the collection account to be active again? For the medical debt, I cannot make a full payment at once. Would they settle for less? Or if not, at least can I bargain for payment installment?
The cable debt you should dispute as paid before collection, since the box was returned before it went to collections. Do you have the receipt showing it was turned back into the cable provider? No contacting them will not reset any clock. The medical debt, if you are going for a PFD, it's the full payment at once. If you settle or make payments it will still report on your credit as either settled for less than legally owed, or some variation, or paid collection.
Collectman, I don't have the receipt to prove that I brought back the box to their store. This happened around early 2002 and I have moved to different states since then so finding the receipt is impossible for me
Here is what I would do On the medical debt . . . it concerns me that you filled out a form and were reassured that there would be no problem w/ the debt. That form should still be on file somewhere. As a student, w/ no insurance, the hospital should have worked w/ you on this, and personally, I would have written off as charitable care, w/ no reporting. You can do nothing and hope it expires in 2008-9 . . . or you can write the CEO/Administrator of the hospital, explain your situation (that you were a student) and that you were assured in 2001 that this would be written off as "charitable care." Please note - the key phrase is "charitable care" as that has a legal meaning for hospitals. If this was reported as charitable care, and you still were billed for it, certain violations have taken place, which we don't need to get into here . . . as you don't have the original form you signed . . . If you wish to write a letter, you can provide the name of the hospital and I will be glad to find the CEO's name for you and write you a sample letter. Just let me know. Ani
Hello anifani821, At this point, I think I will just do nothing to straighten the medical bill and wait until it drops next year or in 2009. I'm so tired of fighting over this and I don't want to risk making more mess than necessary Previously, my credit score with this medical and Comcast collection was around 700 so I think I'm doing okay and just wait for them to expire. The only thing I'm trying to fix now is the T-Mobile debt. I called T-Mo and was told to call 1-800-937-8924 (the collection agency). However, everytime I called that number, it went back to T-Mobile greetings. They came into conclusion that it is in-house collection agency and then forwarded me to Finance Dept. Spoke with several CSR and was told flat out that they cannot delete the debt out of my credit report. It will be reported as paid collection once I pay it off. I'm trying to get their address so I can send them the PFD letter but a search of that number on Google didn't bring up anything helpful. What do I do now? Does anyone know who to contact?
Move up the chain of phone drones. You need to move this to the level where some actually has the authority to address the issues. As they bounce you around the telephone dial, they are building a pattern of unfair practices and possible even deceptive. If you can't find T-Mobile's address. look at the data provided by your State's Secretary of state regarding their Registered Agent. T-Mo is nationwide; you should be able to locate the RA for yours. Post your letter to them at the RA's address. You may want to look under Deutche Telecom which is, I think, the true corporate name.
Oracle, I was thinking about sending the PFD letter to Corporate address listed on their site here http://www.t-mobile.com/Contact.aspx What's Registered Agent?
Those addresses are likely good. The Registered Agent is an agent within the state that is empowered to receive documents for a foreign (not located in-state) corporation as if he were that corporation. Used mainly for the service of legal papers or like correspondence. Designed to handle situations where service elsewhere is impractical or unnecessarily burdensome. An official post office box, if you will.
Always addressed to the corporation c/o the Registered Agent. Registered Agent is only the local mail room.
