Collection paid reported on 2 updated 3 and new date?

[llsnmerriman]

Hi, I am new to the website & ecstatic to find it!  Recently I have paid all collections on my report, trying to get everything in order & take responsibility.  So, my question is; I was checking my credit report this morning.  I had paid a collection in Feb/early Mar.  They were reporting on 2 out of 3 of my reports.  It was a $295. collection opened in 2007.  So, this morning I noticed they have updated info paid but also added the info to Experian which was never on there with an open date of 2/2010?!?!?!  the date on the other 2 has stayed 2007.  Is this allowed?  That 2010 date will set me back since it is so current.  Any advice is very much appreciated.  Thank you!

[mauve]

Do you have DoFD available?

And I'd send GW to all collections on my report if I were you.  

[llsnmerriman]

I will search my records but I do know the date opened on the other 2 reports were 6/2007.  So this new update will set me back 3 yrs?  Can I dispute that?

[mauve]

It probably dropped your score with that CRA because it looks new, but it should drop from all three reports at the same time, since that's based on the date of first delinquency.  TU & EX both list "scheduled to continue until" on their reports while EQ lists DoFD.  (But only on the reports from the CRAs directly)

[llsnmerriman]

But since the account open date is inaccurate by 3 yrs on Experian in comparison to the other 2 reports, can't I dispute that information?

[mauve]

Account open doesn't really mean anything, I don't think.  I guess if you had proof that the date opened was different (and citing other CRAs doesn't count, I think), that would help.

[llecs]

If a CA reports the "date opened", then that's the date the baddie first went to collections. The open date the CA reports will always be later than the open date that the OC would ever report. That date has no bearing on your score or the way lenders see you. The one date you have to make sure is correct is the DOFD.

ETA...ditto to the GW letter suggestion. It doesn't matter if you owe $0 or $10,000, the damage to your FICO score is equal. Paying a CA will never help your score. The only way to help it is to get it off.