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Confused about what collections to pay...

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runjerseygirl
Member

Confused about what collections to pay...

I am confused about something I'm seeing in the collections area of my report. 

 

Some are showing $0 under current balance, but are still showing up as being in collections.  Should I still try to contact the CA and pay these accounts?

Message 1 of 9
8 REPLIES 8
guiness56
Epic Contributor

Re: Confused about what collections to pay...

Hi and welcome to the forums.

 

If a CA account is showing a 0 balance, it indicates they are no longer collecting,  Either they sold the debt to someone else or sent it back to the OC.  In either case, according to the Credit Reporting Guide, they are supposed to delete those accounts.  Or you paid it, in which case, they can continue to report it.

 

A collections will always be a collections, paid or not.

 

How old are these?

Message 2 of 9
runjerseygirl
Member

Re: Confused about what collections to pay...

I'm not sure how old they are.  This is what I see on the collections tab of my myFICO screen

 

Message 3 of 9
guiness56
Epic Contributor

Re: Confused about what collections to pay...

If you haven't aready, go to annualcreditreport.com and get one each of your free credit reports.  Those will have much more detail.

Message 4 of 9
runjerseygirl
Member

Re: Confused about what collections to pay...

Okay, I got a little more information.  According to EQ, this is showing as being paid. 

 

The date of first delinquency is 5/2012, last payment date, 8/2013, and status date 11/2013. 

 

Can you help me understand why there is a status date after the payment date?  Also, will it drop off 7 years after the delinquency date, or the payment date?

 

 

Message 5 of 9
guiness56
Epic Contributor

Re: Confused about what collections to pay...

It will be removed from the DoFD of the OC account, so May 2012 or Nov 2012 if they use the 180 days.

 

Payment date is just that, when you made the payment on 8/2013.  Status date is the date it was updated with the CRAs either by them updating or if you disputed.

 

Since it is paid and closed they are not supposed to update with the CRAs more than 4 months after it was closed.

Message 6 of 9
runjerseygirl
Member

Re: Confused about what collections to pay...

Thank you so much!

Message 7 of 9
RobertEG
Legendary Contributor

Re: Confused about what collections to pay...

I'm a bit confused....

 

If you have not paid the debt, which was stated in the original post, then I question the basis for the CRA concluding that their reproting is indication that the debt has been paid, especially if you know that you never paid it.

The debt collector did not report paid, they reported $0 currently under their collection. 

 

The reporting of $0 now under their collection does not refer to the debt itself, but rather the amount they are currently authorized to attempt to collect.

It may be that they also own the debt as their basis to collect, but their reporing is of collection authority, not debt itself.

If either the OC has terminated their collection authority or they have sold the debt to another, then nothing in the CR will show the amount of the current debt itself.

 

Message 8 of 9
runjerseygirl
Member

Re: Confused about what collections to pay...

I honestly don't remember if it's been paid or not.  I haven't been the most diligent about my credit in the past.  It's cost me a lot of headache, money, and stress, so I'm working on trying to clear everything up now.  My EQ report shows it as being paid, so I'm assuming I paid it.

Message 9 of 9
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