General Credit Topics

[f1maxis]

If you were wanting to send a goodwill letter to try and have an old (5-6 year) collection removed, would it be best to send it to the original creditor or to the collection agency assigned to the account?

[Noah_Bodie]

First things first. What's the DOFD? If it's too old to report, then dispute it with the CRAs. Should drop off on it's own.

[f1maxis]

I have no idea what the DOFD is, the report you receive from MyFICO doesn't show that date and I haven't been able to find anyone who knows how to find it.  I can't find a number for Equifax or I'd call them directly and ask them.

It's an old medical bill for an insignificant amount, $11, that I'd like to get removed.

[f1maxis]

Forgot to add...that this is a PAID collection.  It was paid shortly after we received the notice several years ago, just a small medical bill that slipped through the cracks.

[Noah_Bodie]

DOFD is Date Of First Delinquency. That's usually the date when the account when 120 days late. It probably won't be on your CR, but you can call the CRA and ask. They are supposed to tell you, even though they don't provide it on reports.

Look on the copy of your reports--whether paper, online, TC, MyFico SW, et al. Should be address and numbers for the Big Three.

If not, try here.

https://www.econsumer.equifax.com/consumer/sitepage.ehtml?forward=contact_us

http://www.equifax.com

http://www.experian.com

http://www.transunion.com

[f1maxis]

OK, assuming I find out the DOFD...

Should I send the letter to the OC or the CA?

[Noah_Bodie]

That depends. Adverse TLs can only be reported for 7.5 years from the DOFD. If the DOFD is 1998, then dispute with the CRAs as too old to report.

[dawsonmel]

Maybe I'm not understanding the answer. If you had a debt lets say 2 years old that you paid for should you write a letter to the original creditor or collection agency?

[txjohn]

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f1maxis wrote:

If you were wanting to send a goodwill letter to try and have an old (5-6 year) collection removed, would it be best to send it to the original creditor or to the collection agency assigned to the account?

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If this is PAID, then I would send to both.  Can't hurt and you might get lucky on one or both.  If at first you don't succeed, try again (every month).

[RobertEG]

A lot of extraneous fluff being offered in response to this simple post.

The CA account  is paid, so no DOFD issues reside at all.  It is not a dispute of anything.

It appears to all be about ggetting the CA removed,.

You paid the CA, and to get the CA deleted, you must GW the CA,