CA couldn't validate. Sent back to OC.

[esme]

I submitted a dispute through the CRAs for a tradeline that was showing up on my husband's credit reports. We got a letter in the mail from the CA stating that they are sending it back to the OC - I'm assuming they're doing this because they can't validate. As far as I know, the OCs aren't subject to the same rules as CAs under the FDCPA... so I am wondering what we need to do from here. Do I call the OC and ask them to provide us with a bill? We are willing to pay in full, we just want to make sure that they will not report to the CRAs themselves. Any thoughts on how we should proceed?

[Anonymous]

What kind of bill is this? Whatever you do, DO NOT call the original creditor. Write them a letter asking them for a statement of your account.;

Is the OC reporting now? IF the OC is reporting, I suggest a PFD (pay for delete). If they are not reporting, pay the bill. If the CA is still on your credit report, dispute that account with each CRA - it's doubtful they will verify and it will be deleted off your reports.

Simply put, if the CA no longer has the account, they can't verify.

[esme]

Okay, so I have 2 situations that ended up like this. The first is a CA for a utility bill that my husband never received because it was the final gas bill after he moved. We didn't know about it until we discovered it on his credit reports last month. We disputed through the CRAs asking for verification, the results came back verified. Then we sent a DV letter to the CA requesting validation, they sent us a letter saying that they couldn't validate the debt, so they sent it back to the utility company. They said that since they could not validate, they've sent a request to the CRAs to have their TL deleted. It came off of TU within days and here we are 5 weeks later, and it's still on EQ. It was never reported to EX. Can I send the letter from the CA saying that they couldn't validate via fax to EQ asking them to delete it asap? We need to apply for our mortgage in the next few weeks so we're in a time crunch.

The other collection is Verizon Wireless. This has been something we've been trying to resolve for over a year now. In Dec 2010, we sent them a DV letter, they wrote us back saying that they've tried calling us and weren't able to reach us. They gave us a number asking us to call them and settle, but we never did because we requested DV in writing. Anyway, we got pregnant shortly after so that fell off our radar until last month, again, because we pulled our credit to prep for a mortgage app.

So we decided to try disputing the Verizon collection through the CRAs. They came back verified. Please note that these were not frivolous disputes, there has been a lot of weird activity just on the Verizon TL over the course of all this. For example, they were reporting it as a charge off in 2009 and 2010, and then all of a sudden, it's back to being reported as a collection account. Now DH's EQ report is saying that it's 120 days late (last reported 1/2012 as a result of our dispute) and EX and TU both have it listed as a collection. There's also been different balances reported, with some being written off, and none at all. It's weird. All we want is a validation of the amount owed and the status of the account. Is it charged off? Was it sold? Is it still theirs? It's a mess.

So anyways, last month, in response to the dispute through the CRAs coming back as verified, I sent a letter through Planetfeedback per some success stories on here from other members going that route. We got a call back within a few days, but they said that the account had been transferred to a colection agency EOS CCA. We called EOS CCA, tried to negotiate for a PFD, but 1. they were only collecting on the debt and 2. it was Verizon who was reporting to the CRAs, not EOS CCA. After two weeks of going back and forth with them, requesting validation, they ultimately couldn't validate so they sent it BACK to Verizon. Great, I thought, finally I can negotiate with the OC since they're actually reporting.

I sent a letter to Verizon Wireless corporate last month and requested a reinvestigation under FCRA 623(a). They haven't responded whatsoever. I am willing to pay, I just want to see a statement which we have never seen and for them to explain why this account has changed status so many times. But their refusal to send me even a statement, paired with the fact that their own collection agency couldn't validate makes it hard for me to trust that the balance is correct and that it's even owed! Anyone have any thoughts on what I should do from here?

This was long, so to summarize:

1. Can I send the letter that I received from the CA of the utility company saying that they couldn't validate the debt to EQ and request that they delete the TL asap?
2. What should I do next with Verizon Wireless?

Thanks.