Collection from 2002- can I get it removed?

[furkidz3]

Okay, I have a listing on my EQ report from a gym I was a member of in 2001.

It is listed as a paid collection, status date March 2002 with date of last activity of Sept. 2001.

The SOL in Texas is 4 years according to Bankrate.com (thank you, to whomever supplied that link).

Do I send a GW letter for removal?  If so, do I send it to Equifax or to the original creditor?  (I'm not sure they are still in business-It was a privately owned small ladies gym)

Or do I write some other kind of letter stating that it is past the SOL date and should therefore be removed?

[SanFranMatt]

Is the listing from the original creditor or the collections agency? If it's the original creditor, I would dispute it as 'not mine'. Since they're out of business, they won't be able to verify and it should fall off. If it's a collections agency, you can dispute it as well since they might not keep their records for 5+ years.

[furkidz3]

It lists both a collection agency (no name, but a long number with letters) and the original creditor (name of the gym) right below that.

Any suggestions based on that?

[furkidz3]

Bumping for more replies hopefully

[SmartCookie]

Both are due to drop off of the CBRs in Sept 08, so you have just under a year if you don't do anything about it.  This is reporting SOL, which is different from collecting SOL.  A 4 year collecting SOL means that if you did not pay, they could have sued up until Sept 05.   

It is highly doubtful that the OC will be verifiable under the circumstances you explained.  Any dispute at all on it would probably result in it being wiped.  Disputes go to the CRAs.

For the CA, being that there is no name listed, I would choose to dispute personally just on that basis.  Again, to the CRA.  If it was valid and is paid, most likely the CA will just delete it being that you have less than a year to go until this drops on its own.  

Wait on that before you GW, I don't even think it will have to go that far.

[furkidz3]

Thank you, thank you, Smartcookie.

I will dispute it ASAP, since I need as many baddies off of my CR as possible. I don't want to wait another 11 months.

[SmartCookie]

Welcome welcome!  And good luck.