Upon initially reviewing all three of my credit reports, I disovered that Asset Acceptance and Midland Credit Management were both trying to collect for the same debt, an old landline phone account. Same creditor, different amounts due (I only had one landline phone; this is how I knew it had to be the same debt).
I disputed the accuracy of the information with all three credit bureaus. Transunion deleted both tradelines immediately. Experian and Equifax came back as both debts being verified. I then DV'd each collection agency. Asset responded first sending me a debt validation listing the original creditor, original account number, date the service was initiated, and date the service was terminated. Midland never responded. I finally called them and explained that I needed a debt validation from them listing the original creditor, original account number, and balance due. After speaking with a supervisor, they faxed it to me immediately. Indeed, both collection agencies were listing the same original creditor account number.
I called Experian. I explained my situation and the documentation I had. They deleted the Midland tradeline immediately and let the Asset tradeline remain. I was okay with that.
I then called Equifax. I explained my situation. They told me I would have to fax them a copy of all the relevant documentation. I did and a reinvestigation was initiated.
I received the results of my dispute this morning. It stated that both accounts have been verified as belonging to me!!! What???? I was never contesting ownership of the debt; I simply wanted to know who truly owned it.
I immediately got on the phone and called Asset Acceptance. I requested a copy of the documentation they used to verify the debt. Their exact words to me were "We don't have any documentation. All we have is our computer system and the information provided by the original creditor".
I then called Midland Credit Management requesting their documentation. They kept playing stupid and stating that they really weren't sure what it is I was asking for; when I explained to them that I was trying to confirm who truly owned the debt, they told me that it could be possible that the original creditor had "split" the debt and sold it to two seperate collection agencies. I was then told that I should pay one of the creditors and then contest the other account with the credit bureaus as already paid. I think the CA must have thought they heard "stuck on stupid" in my voice; I wasn't falling for that one!
I then decided to call the original creditor to possibly determine who they had actually sold the debt to. Again, no luck, as they had already purged their system of the information.
Finally, I called Equifax back. I explained that the dispute results did not address my inital concerns and that I wanted to request a detailed explanation of their method of verification. The rep told me that Equifax had simply sent the CAs a form and since they had my correct information, the debt was verified! How in the world does that constitute verification of the debt??!!! I again explained that I wasn't contesting if the account was mine, I was contesting the fact that two collection agencies cannot own the same debt!!! After thirty minutes of back and forth, the rep finally agreed to do a re-reinvestigation. I'm not expecting the results to be any different.
My question is, what should my next steps be? Midland is scheduled to report until 12/2010 and Asset until 06/2011. These are the only remaining collections on my account and I want to get this taken care of!! Any suggestions?
