conflicting advice - what would you do?

[Anonymous]

Hi -

645 Eq

642 Ex

639 Tu

My fiance and I are buying our first home.  After having my portion of the credit pulled, our loan guy suggested it would be helpful if i could get above 660 - sounds reasonable i guess.  My fiance has an 840 across the board.

Herein lies my question - i have a $254 old cingular wireless bill that is showing up on my report twice from a collection agency called Asset Acceptance.  My guess is that Eq is listing it as an item and it's listed again with both Ex and Tu.  However, i recently recieved another collection attempt on this from another collection agency.

I was thinking of just paying it in full and knocking it out.  But, the conflicting reports i'm hearing is that on one hand - by paying it - it knocks that much off of my credit balance (which reflects positively) and morally speaking - pay what you owe.

But, as i am here trying to increase my score by 15-20 points - maybe i should let it go - i saw the forum that says write them a letter and tell them i will pay in full if they delete it from my record - but, this new company isn't showing up on my report - it's the other company who tried to collect.

If i pay it - am i going to get dinged? 

Kind wierd - not sure what the right play is here.

thanks, this forum is very insightful - (it's one of those....Why didn't i find this sooner situations)

[CreditDrama85]

send a letter to eq ex and tu stating the debt was transferred to another collecton agency, and that you do not owe to the collection agency currently reporting;  

keep your letter to a minimum. legally this has to be removed.

also, call the new collection agency and pay over the phone if they promise not to report this on your credit. if it has already been reported, send them a pfd letter.

[ronq]

Ask the company on your report to delete it if you pay in full. The other company can't report it unless it's a valid debt. If the second company does report it later you can send them a debt validation letter. Also if you have any CC balances pay those off as much as possible and this will also raise your score.

[Anonymous]

Interesting - send a letter to eq, ex and tu to have them remove the collection attempts from Asset Acceptance.  Then tell the new agency collecting that i will pay in full if they promise not to report - is that correct?

However, i will never pay by phone or check by phone to an agency.  They will be receiving a money order or bank check - Also, shouldn't i get it in writing that they will not report if i pay in full?

Thanks for these responses

[Anonymous]

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vedderman wrote:

Hi -

645 Eq

642 Ex

639 Tu

My fiance and I are buying our first home.  After having my portion of the credit pulled, our loan guy suggested it would be helpful if i could get above 660 - sounds reasonable i guess.  My fiance has an 840 across the board.

Herein lies my question - i have a $254 old cingular wireless bill that is showing up on my report twice from a collection agency called Asset Acceptance.  My guess is that Eq is listing it as an item and it's listed again with both Ex and Tu.  However, i recently recieved another collection attempt on this from another collection agency.

I was thinking of just paying it in full and knocking it out.  But, the conflicting reports i'm hearing is that on one hand - by paying it - it knocks that much off of my credit balance (which reflects positively) and morally speaking - pay what you owe.

But, as i am here trying to increase my score by 15-20 points - maybe i should let it go - i saw the forum that says write them a letter and tell them i will pay in full if they delete it from my record - but, this new company isn't showing up on my report - it's the other company who tried to collect.

If i pay it - am i going to get dinged? 

Kind wierd - not sure what the right play is here.

thanks, this forum is very insightful - (it's one of those....Why didn't i find this sooner situations)

---

what is the DOFD on the cingular account????  you say old..how old?

[Anonymous]

ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS get a PFD agreement IN WRITING before you pay. Some collection agents will promise everything short of selling their first-born sons to Satan to get you to pay...and then promptly forget anything they verbally promised and leave you to hang out to dry. And what recourse do you have? Squat. Verbal agreements, while technically binding, are exceedingly difficult to enforce.

Message Edited by TheNewWorldMan on 08-27-2007 04:56 PM