Collection agency charging extra for a PFD

[Anonymous]

I have 2 hospital bills that are with Universal Collection Services out of Baltimore. They didn't respond to my PFD letter I mailed them. Getting desperate, as these are my final baddies, I decided to call them. Rep on the phone said to get them expunged from my report instead of just being updated, I would have to pay an extra $25 per account. I asked if they could put it in writing and he said no. I thanked him and hung up. Now my question is, is this even legal? Should I take the chance of paying without getting it in writing? Would recording the call do me any good? Thanks to everyone in advance for your advice.

[Treysdaddy08]

Me personally, I would have no problem paying the extra 25 dollars. Call it an, "administration fee". However I would not pay anything without getting it in writing. You're hoping they stand by their word and have no recourse if they don't.

[Anonymous]

Thank you. Yea I know I should get it in writing. I'm just really eager to get these off asap. Anybody think recording the call would help?

[pizzadude]

That's interesting ~ i haven't heard of CAs Asking for "extra" to delete ~ but it's really not surprising given how most CAs operate. I agree that it would be risky to just pay and take their word that they'll delete without having something in writing in first.

[FrugalRican]

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@Anonymous wrote:
 I asked if they could put it in writing and he said no. 

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This was all I needed to read.

[Treysdaddy08]

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@FrugalRican wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:
 I asked if they could put it in writing and he said no. 

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This was all I needed to read.

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+1

[Anonymous]

Thanks everybody. What if I paid the OC directly. Would that force the CA to delete the tradeline, or just update as paid?

[FrugalRican]

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@Anonymous wrote:
Thanks everybody. What if I paid the OC directly. Would that force the CA to delete the tradeline, or just update as paid?

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They would more than likely update to "Paid as Agreed" and it would have absolutely no effect on your FICO score... but it'd look nice to a future lender who might lay eyes upon that... but as far as scoring, the effect is nil.

You either want the PFD or the eventual GW, but letting it drop off after 7 years as a "Paid as Agreed" is the resource we exhaust when they decide to not GW for the full 7 years.

[Anonymous]

So I'm assuming that recording the call would have no bearing if they didn't delete?

[Student_Loans_Kill]

I agree.... My $57 collection after they deleted it due to missing my insurance payment.... I begged to pay them I was so happy to have it off my CR, they wouldnt accept payment