@guiness56 wrote:
There is nothing that says that have a time limit to respond. Once they receive the DV they are not to pursue collection activities until they do.
There can be a time limit under state laws, like there is in Texas. And while federal statutes do not mandate a time frame, the fact that they must cease collections till they do validate includes "verifiying" the debt to the CRA.
Reporting a collection to a CRA is "an act of collection." CA's are prohibited from reporting to a CRA until they DV. If the accout was previously reported, prior to the dispute and DV, then the CA may only report an update (required) that the collection/debt "is in dispute." They may not update nor report amounts, corrections or anything else. If they update the CA on the CR in any other way, they are in violation of FDCPA because they are continuing to collect on the debt, because the act of reporting is only permissible in their effort to collect.
This is the reason you should DV (cmrrr) and then wait 45 days. Then send a follow up DV (cmrrr) if no response and then wait an additional 30 days for response. Once they have failed to reply to these DV requests, and you have your cmrrr proof, then you can dispute with the CRA in writing (not online). Send a copy of the DV letters and CMRRR/certified receipts, both the initial and follow up. In your dispute you put the CRA on notice that the CA has refused/failed to respond to you and to validate the debt and that the information being reported to the CRA is not accurate, and therefore not in compliance with FCRA, and that the CRA may not knowingly report inaccurate information, also a violation of FCRA.
If the CRA comes back that CA is verified, then send your request for "method of verification" and reiterate the CA's failure to respond to your attempts to commuicate and get validation of the debt as required by FDCPA.
IMO IME 
Thank you for the advice as well. Wish I knew that for mine...I did the dispute online after sending DV letters for six months. Of course it came back valid, within 48 hours! Then I made the mistake and called the CA to get more info., hoping a phone would be better contact for them (argh), and was verbally assaulted. Messy, messy. But one question, if they don't have to get a DV back to you, the consumer, in an timely fashion, you could literally try sending DV letters for seven years? If you want validation and won't pay till you have it, is it just time and stress on you sending the letters every month to prove you are trying to get info on it, but can't be used against the CA should they go further, and just stay on your credit report aging? Sorry, I'm just trying to learn as much as I can.
EQ. Starting Score 08/19/12: 545