Debt Validation Ony Ended as an Update on My Credit Report

[finnewbie]

I've been hard at work for the past two years trying to clean up my Experian report. Currently, I have a collections account whose original creditor is the public library! The collections account has been reporting since the end of 2008. At the time, it was the least of my concerns ( a balance of $100). I wasn't aware that I even had fines, since I received no notice or letters (don't use the library very often). I decided to DV the collections agency and all it did was update the account on EXP. I'm a little peeved that this happened, but am not sure of what step to take next. Here are my two options:

1) Contact the public library and see if they can still take the account out of collections-- if they even still have me as a user.

2) Wait the remaining of the 30 days for the collection agency to contact me and then write a letter to Experian

3) any other suggestions?

Thanks.

[alleycat1975]

If the CA is "Unique Collections"  (or something like that)  I hear they will delete after a year once the fine is paid.   I owe the library fines too and evidently had a lost book.  When I DV Unique they came back with the library's info and when i contacted them to PFD they said i needed to pay the Libarary directly.     I found the book and mailed it and a check off to the library. 

[finnewbie]

Yes, it is Unique Collections. Should I contact them directly or the library?

[Anonymous]

Did they send you anything back in writing?? 

DId you send the DV cmrrr??

Did you clearly state that it was a debt validation letter in accordance to fdcpa 809 (a) (5) with request for name and address of the OC in by rights stated in fdcpa 809 (b).

It sounds as if they handled your dv request as a dispute.  I just want to make sure you are certain you covered all your bases in your attempt and you have not left a loose end during your initial request for validation.

[finnewbie]

This a copy of letter that I sent CMRR. I have the return receipt, but they did not send back anything in writing. I don't mind paying the $100, I just don't want them reporting a collections account :-(:

Unique National Collection

119 East Maple Street

Jeffersonville, IN 47130

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing in response to a collections account that your company reported to the credit agency, Experian. The account no is , in reference to the New York Public Library. The amount is $100. I was unaware that I even owed charges to the library system since I am not an avid user. They did not inform me that I owed charges. Had I known, I would have investigated the matter and made reparations before my account was referred to collections.  In fact, I am puzzled as to how I accumulated these charges in the first place.

Nonetheless, I haven’t received any notification from your company in regards to this collections account. If I rightfully owe this amount, I am more than willing to pay it. However, I currently have no information or documentation that shows how I accumulated this debt and that you are legally allowed to collect this debt from me. Therefore, I ask that you send me the appropriate information to validate this debt, including how the charges were incurred and proof that your company is legally assigned the debt.

If your office does not respond to me within the next 30 days (after receipt of this letter on your side), all references made to my personal information and debt must be deleted from my Experian credit report. A copy of these entries being deleted from my credit report must also be sent to me immediately. I thank you in advance for your cooperation. 

[guiness56]

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@finnewbie wrote:

I've been hard at work for the past two years trying to clean up my Experian report. Currently, I have a collections account whose original creditor is the public library! The collections account has been reporting since the end of 2008. At the time, it was the least of my concerns ( a balance of $100). I wasn't aware that I even had fines, since I received no notice or letters (don't use the library very often). I decided to DV the collections agency and all it did was update the account on EXP. I'm a little peeved that this happened, but am not sure of what step to take next. Here are my two options:

1) Contact the public library and see if they can still take the account out of collections-- if they even still have me as a user.

2) Wait the remaining of the 30 days for the collection agency to contact me and then write a letter to Experian

3) any other suggestions?

Thanks.

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If they received,  but did not validate, they are in violation of the FDCPA.

[Anonymous]

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@finnewbie wrote:

This a copy of letter that I sent CMRR. I have the return receipt, but they did not send back anything in writing. I don't mind paying the $100, I just don't want them reporting a collections account :-(:

Unique National Collection

119 East Maple Street

Jeffersonville, IN 47130

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing in response to a collections account that your company reported to the credit agency, Experian. The account no is , in reference to the New York Public Library. The amount is $100. I was unaware that I even owed charges to the library system since I am not an avid user. They did not inform me that I owed charges. Had I known, I would have investigated the matter and made reparations before my account was referred to collections.  In fact, I am puzzled as to how I accumulated these charges in the first place.

Nonetheless, I haven’t received any notification from your company in regards to this collections account. If I rightfully owe this amount, I am more than willing to pay it. However, I currently have no information or documentation that shows how I accumulated this debt and that you are legally allowed to collect this debt from me. Therefore, I ask that you send me the appropriate information to validate this debt, including how the charges were incurred and proof that your company is legally assigned the debt.

If your office does not respond to me within the next 30 days (after receipt of this letter on your side), all references made to my personal information and debt must be deleted from my Experian credit report. A copy of these entries being deleted from my credit report must also be sent to me immediately. I thank you in advance for your cooperation. 

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I suggest you send it to the CRA's if they have not sent anything to you within the 30 day time frame ... however I'd like to point out that in most cases they are not ordered/ found liable to prove this...

Also let them tell you who the creditor is if they haven't already ... you're doing their job for them.

and i hate to say but the opening paragraph sounds like a dispute ... you do mention dv in the second but upon reading it sounds as if you are disputing the debt.

[finnewbie]

I did contact them, and the rep told me that they are a third party collection agency and don't collect the debt directly. He told me that I should inquire at the library and whatever adjustments the library makes would be reflected on their end. Once the amount is paid, the collection should come off in a year.

Just curious, if I wanted to pre-qualify for a mortgage, would a paid $100 collections hurt my efforts?

[Anonymous]

See if you can work things out with the library directly if they can pull the account from the first CA ... hold off on the runaround ... they open tommorrow no?

[guiness56]

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@finnewbie wrote:

I did contact them, and the rep told me that they are a third party collection agency and don't collect the debt directly. He told me that I should inquire at the library and whatever adjustments the library makes would be reflected on their end. Once the amount is paid, the collection should come off in a year.

Just curious, if I wanted to pre-qualify for a mortgage, would a paid $100 collections hurt my efforts?

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If you pay it, it can drop your score when it updates because it will look newer.