Anyone dealt with Asset Acceptance or Collection Company of America??

[Anonymous]

Has anyone been able to get a PFD with either one of these two collection agencies?? They are my last two unpaid collections and it would be nice to get them deleted? I also do not want to take a hit to my credit score to pay these guys off. Any experiences or input good or bad would be great. Thanks!!

[Anonymous]

Asset Acceptance, yep. Collection Company of America, nope, never dealt with. :/

AA accepted our PFD. In fact, they even settled ($500 on a $2500 C/O). It was for an OLD Citibank account DH had in college. Of course, they accepted the PFD about 2-3 months before it would have fallen off due to CRTP anyway. We just didn't know about the CRTP and thought (no laughing, please) that if we DIDN'T pay it, it would stay on FOREVER.

[Anonymous]

I might also mention that they've contacted us again over *another* Citi card DH had back in the old days. Arrow sold the debt to THEM after we told Arrow to kiss our backsides.

AA is now offering us a settlement of $1200 on a $8K balance (over $3K in interest and fees and whatnot). Since that debt's over 14 years old, we felt pretty d@mned comfy in telling them to take a giant leap offa short pier.

ETA: Had such a hard time writing "pier" that I hit the "post" button too soon.

They ALSO offered to remove the tradeline from DH's CRs in return for accepting the settlement offer.

Um ... did I mention that this debt is over 14 years old and not on his CRs?

So, I'd say, give'em a shot. They're not real bright.

Message Edited by Wonderin on 01-07-2009 05:04 PM

[JShidell]

I haven't had any luck with neither.  Asset Acceptance would not accept a PFD so I ended up PIF and now i'm still trying to get them do to a GW.  They even updated my reports saying I was tyring to dispute an account when I sent in my GW letter and then added a duplicate account on my equifax report.  I disputed the duplicate reporting to equifax and both accounts were deleted off of equifax, now i'm working on trying to get it off of TransUnion and Experian.

Collection Company of America is just straight stubborn, they are one of my headaches, i've been able to get them to delete off of TransUnion and Equifax due to them not being bonded in my state to collect.  Before I learned they were not bonded I tried to PFD and they mentioned they do not do that.  I'm still fighting to get them removed from Experian.

Good Luck

v/r

JShidell

[Junejer]

If they are operating illegally in your state, I am sure that your state AG would be interested in that, as well as the BBB and the FTC. If CAs are being stubborn, you have to be willing to be just as stubborn back at them. A paid collection is not better than an unpaid one from a scoring standpoint. In fact, I would venture to say that you lost points when you paid it as they updated the information. Then again, when they treated your GW as a dispute.

This is my opinion. I would not pay a CA without a PFD...period.

[hopefulinde]

Asset Acceptance is collecting on a old Bally's account of mine, they have been a pain in my side.  They'll accept the settlements, but won't delete.  I'm praying the last PFD I sent them will work.

[JShidell]

ByrdMan -

I have contacted the FTC, AG and BBB in regards to Collection Company of America that is how I was able to get them deleted off of TransUnion and Equifax.  However, Collection Company of America is stating that they are bonded in my state, they provided me with thier license number and everything however according to the Secretary of State they are not...so i'm in the battle with them over this.

As far as the Asset Acceptance situation I would have loved if they would have accepted a PFD, but some people are in different situations then others that is why I PIF'd.  I have a security clearance i have to protect so i'm trying to cover all my mistakes the right way.

I know that an unpaid or paid collection means nothing in scoring with FICO unless of course the CA updates my report after paying (which like you said) can lower my score.

v/r

JShidell

[Junejer]

Hey Jshidell, I wasn't coming down on you. I hope you didn't take it that way. I do apologize. I understand different situations, which is why I prefaced by saying that it was my opinion. Heck, many who read this may feel totally different than I do, as well as some of my fellow Mods.

I wish you the best of luck with CCA. Keep sending GW to Asset--can't hurt.



edit: can't spell this morning.

Message Edited by ByrdMan on 01-08-2009 07:40 AM

[Anonymous]

---

@Duckyz1769 wrote:

Asset Acceptance is collecting on a old Bally's account of mine, they have been a pain in my side.  They'll accept the settlements, but won't delete.  I'm praying the last PFD I sent them will work.

---

Hmmmmm I think these two I will probably wait and see if I can get pre-approved for a mortgage without paying them up front and then If I have to pay them and they won't take a PFD then I will try to settle for less than the full amount before closing. I swear I wish I had been smarter when I was younger- of course we had alot of catastrophic events happen so maybe it was ignorant bliss I didn't understand credit scoring! LOL!!!!

[Anonymous]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@Duckyz1769 wrote:

Asset Acceptance is collecting on a old Bally's account of mine, they have been a pain in my side.  They'll accept the settlements, but won't delete.  I'm praying the last PFD I sent them will work.

---

Hmmmmm I think these two I will probably wait and see if I can get pre-approved for a mortgage without paying them up front and then If I have to pay them and they won't take a PFD then I will try to settle for less than the full amount before closing. I swear I wish I had been smarter when I was younger- of course we had alot of catastrophic events happen so maybe it was ignorant bliss I didn't understand credit scoring! LOL!!!!

---

How much are they and what are they for?

I ask because from what I've been told, if it's under $200 OR medical, 'specially if they're older than 2 years, your lender won't really give a doodly-squat.

Now, if either of them are government-originated (like a student loan or tax lien -- though I've never heard of either companies contracting to the gov), THEN that would present a problem.

But when it comes down to it, as Dallas says, if they require a regular ol' collection to be paid before closing, find another lender!!!