No problem. It's a bit long, but it worked, so here it is. I'll edit out the things that are specific to us that won't be of any use to anyone else.
Verizon Wireless
National Recovery Department
PO Box 1850
Olsom, CA 95630
To Whom it May Concern,
My name is blank and my social security number for your reference is blank. This letter is in response to an unpaid bill that I was recently made aware of, which has been negatively affecting my credit report since November 2006.
On March 11, 2008 I had my credit report run as I was attempting to obtain pre-approval for a mortgage. My mortgage broker informed me of the negative items on my report, which included a derogatory comments regarding a 'write-off' charge from your company for the last 15 or so months. On March 12, 2008, I called the Recovery Department at 800-852-1922 and spoke with blank in that department. He and I talked for some time about a $33.25 charge that I incurred as a result of porting my number to another carrier, which occurrec sometime around April 2006. After confirming my correct mailing address (blank) and home phone number (blank), he explained that after not receiving payment the bill was sent to a collection agency in November 2006.
I explained to him that I have never received any bills or correspondence of any kind from Verizon since I cancelled the service and paid the final bill (which was $380). I told him that had I known about a $33 charge, I certainly would've paid it. Rob said it "did seem strange" that I had paid every bill priorto that time, paid my final bill of a signficant amount, and then didn't pay the additional charge. Rob said that he couldn't help me as it had been sent to collections and then gave me the phone number of the collection agency to call.
I contacted the current collection agency, blank at blank and spoke with blank. She and I talked about the charge and when I told her that I never received any correspondence about this item, I was told that the address Verizon supplied to them was incorrect as was the phone number. The letters had been sent to at blank address, which was an oldl mail box address I had. I had indeed changed this address with Verizon prior to cancelling the account. Since the forwarding period had expired, I had not received anything from them as well. I paid the charge in full, and the confirmation number for that is blank. I have requested a paid in full letter from them, and that is in process.
The reason for all of this history is to come to this point in the letter. I spoke with an outside credit specialist, who is also an attorney, and I was told that if the situation warrants it companies who had put derogatory remarks on your credit can replace all the negative comments with positive ones. Essentially, this would be expunging my credit history of the problem. As I mentioned earlier, I am trying to obtain a mortgage and these derogatory comments are preventing this from happening.
I am simply asking for some help resolving an issue that has been completely blown out of proportion. I would like my negative credit history replaced with a positive history and the account listed as 'Closed by Consumer'.
I understand that since your company had the correct address on file, you may feel like the bills were sent to me and simply ignored. But you must understand that I did not receive any bills from you or the collection agency, or the bill would have been satisfied. This is simply a situation in which unless you sent the bills certified mail, you cannot prove you mailed me the bills and I cannot prove I received them. As such, I am requesting that since I was a good customer of yours in the past (prior to this bill), that you take that into consideration and expunge my negative credit history. I am also requesting that you take such action as soon as possible.
Please review my history and let me know of your decision in a timely manner. I would like to be contacted by phone as well as by letter sent to my residence. Please be sure to include in your response reasons why you have decided against my request, should that be your decision.
My contact information is below for your reference.
Thank you in advance for your consideration and I look forward to hearing back from you soon.
I have contacted the Better Business Bureau about this situation.
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This is REALLY long and I know really specific to us, but it was done before we even found this site, so now we know a lot more about how to write this type of letter. But, it worked, so hey!
