This is a draft of a slight variation on the standard Validation letter. Am I on the right track or did I tell them something I don't wan't to? I had a late account with Lillian Vernon which I paid to LV, not to IC System. I never corresponded with IC. Comments are sought and appreciated. Thanks. Dancer ********************* March 16, 2002 I. C. System, Inc. 444 E. Highway 96 P.O. Box 64639 St. Paul, MN 55164 1-(800)-279-6620 » RE: Account #12345 / Lillian Vernon Dear Sir/Madame: This letter is a formal complaint that you are reporting inaccurate and incomplete credit information. I have recently been denied a mortgage based, in part, on your inaccurate reporting of this account. The number one reason listed on my denial is â??Collection Accountsâ? among which your firmâ??s erroneous tradeline is listed. I have never done business with your firm but you have seen fit to damage my credit rating, in violation of the FCRA, to an extent greater than any other firm in my file. This is intolerable! My family and I have suffered damages and denial of credit as a direct result of your violations of the FCRA. I am extremely displeased that you have included the information referenced in my credit profile and that you have failed to maintain reasonable procedures in your operations to assure maximum possible accuracy in the credit reports you publish. Credit reporting laws were enacted to ensure that bureaus report only 100% accurate credit information. By law, every step must be taken to assure the information reported is completely accurate and correct. The following information therefore needs to be re-investigated. I demand to be provided proof of this alleged item, specifically the contract, note or other instrument bearing my signature. Failing that, the item must be deleted from the report as soon as possible. Again the erroneous tradeline is: Account #12345 / Lillian Vernon The listed item is entirely inaccurate and incomplete, and as such represents a very serious error in your reporting, and your obligations under the FCRA. Please delete this misleading information and supply a corrected credit profile to all creditors who have received a copy within the last six months, or the last two years for employment purposes. Additionally, please provide the name, address, and telephone number of each credit grantor or other subscriber to whom you provided this erroneous information. Under federal law, you have thirty (30) days to complete your re-investigation. Be advised that the description of the procedure used to determine the accuracy and completeness of the information is hereby requested as well, to be provided within fifteen (15) days of the completion of your re-investigation. Sincerely, Dancer
You have some serious problems with this letter. First, if you are addressing this to a collection agency, in the 2nd paragraph you say "you have failed to maintain reasonable procedures in your operations to assure maximum possible accuracy in the credit reports you publish". Collection agencies do not publish credit reports. 4th paragraph, again, collection agencies do not supply reports to creditors. How do they know who received your report in previous 6 months. Next paragraph again goes to a credit reporting agency not a collection agency. And the last paragraph again goes to a cra. You have apparently taken different letters that are for different purposes and combined them into something that makes no sense. Go to the letter section, use the validation letter that is there and don't combine it with any other letters. Also, maybe instead of writing to I.C., you may consider writing to L.V. and explaining this to them. They need to take the acct. back from the collector. Then the collector has no right to report it.
Thanks I thought it was the right one but after reading the draft it didn't seem to mesh correctly. so I posted it for review. Based on my scenario, which letter would you start with? None seem to apply to my case except the nutcase letter and I don't want to lead off with that one. Appreciate the help. Dancer
Thanks. I thought it was the right one but after reading the draft it didn't seem to mesh correctly, so I posted it for review. Based on my scenario, which letter would you start with? None seem to apply to my case except the nutcase letter and I don't want to lead off with that one. Appreciate the help. Dancer
You can use either the 1st validation letter or the dispute debt #2. Whichever you use, you will have amend to your own situation. But, the more I think about it, the more I think you should contact the creditor and advise them that since it has been paid, they need to take the acct. back from the collector. Then you ask the creditor for a letter stating the debt was paid in full to them, not a collection agency. You can then dispute it with the credit bureau by sending a copy of the letter you get to them.
I appreciate the help. I was wondering, A. Since I didn't do business with them can I just get them to delete it based on the fact that I didn't have an account with them? B. Since I ordered from LV online and never provided my signature, can they even validate? How does that work? I appreciate the help. Dancer
You could try calling the collection agency and tell them it was given to them in error since you paid in full with the original creditor. And, that being the case, they need to delete it from your reports. I don't know how that would work as far as ordeing online.
