DeVry Charge Off - In dire need of guidance

[Anonymous]

I am posting this in here because of another members recommedation.  I am in dire need of help on this one as I'm not sure how to attack this, the circumstances are definitely different, please read.

I attended school at DeVry University and graduated in October 2005. I began repayment 6 months after to the appropriate student loan lenders.

In April of 2008 I applied for a a new job which was contingent on receiving my college transscripts. So, I called DeVry to obtain my transcripts and they told me I had an outstanding balance of $2,200. I told them I had absolutely no idea that I was in debt to them this amount of money. They explained to me that during my last semester of attending DeVry, my student loan lenders did not cover the full tuition and that the left over balance was $2,200 owed to DeVry. I told them it's been 3 years (at the time) since I graduated and never once heard from DeVry to collect payment, not a phone call, not a letter, nothing.

The woman asked me if my address was some place in Texas and I told her absolutely not, I never lived in Texas (which is 100% true). Like a sucker, I gave her my correct address so she could "update her demographics"...Since I was in a bind, I assumed the debt was true and really had no choice but to pay it since my new job relied on these college transcripts.

A month later, I find out they report to Experian that I paid this debt to them and the account is now listed as a Charge Off! Unbelievable, I would have been fine just paying the money but they had to report it. Not once did this account ever show up prior on my credit report as a collection account etc...

3 weeks ago, I opened a complaint with the local BBB stating my case.  DeVry said they attempted to collect this debt in December of 2005, I graduated in October of 2005 and moved out that same month.  Keep in mind, at this time, I never knew I owned a penny to DeVry, only my student loan company.  My most recent dispute with the BBB is that since I moved out into a new house in October of 2005, (provided a picture of my state issued ID in October of 2005 reflecting the address change too), and that I never would have been aware of any collection activity made in December of 2005.

Just today, they decided to run some inquiry against my credit report completely unauthorized and responded to my BBB complaint saying that there are activity records made from January 1999 to March 11,2009.  Of course their might be activity records between that time span because of old accounts still associated with that old address that I lived at prior to October of 2005.  There are no accounts opened after October of 2005 associated with my old address.

I know this is a complete mess but I need to plan my next rebuttal.  Any assistance/information/advice is appreciated.  Do I have any leverage against them running an inquiry against my credit report un-authorized?  Thanks in advance, your help is greatly appreciated.

[LIGHTNIN]

Everyone I know, who graduated from a college had to go to the Financial office, to make sure their debt to the college

was cleared, before they received their diploma.

My DD is graduating college next month, and she had to make sure her fees and everything was taking care of last week

before, they will even let her graduate.

Is DeVry reporting as a CO, on your CR's?   or/and Is there a CA reporting a collection, on your CR's?

[Anonymous]

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@LIGHTNIN wrote:

Everyone I know, who graduated from a college had to go to the Financial office, to make sure their debt to the college

was cleared, before they received their diploma.

My DD is graduating college next month, and she had to make sure her fees and everything was taking care of last week

before, they will even let her graduate.

Is DeVry reporting as a CO, on your CR's?   or/and Is there a CA reporting a collection, on your CR's?

---

Hmmm...I'm glad you mentioned that.  I do remember making a trip to the financial office making sure everything was good and at that time, it was.  I would remember if I had to pay $2,200 to receive my diploma.  I might make mention of this in my rebuttal.

DeVry is reporting as a CO and there is no CA associated with this account at all.  DeVry is showing as the owner, not a CA.