Father's medical collection on my report...

[Estexan07]

Ok so I've been reading a good bit, but I am not 100% clear on the correct procdures to take for my situation.

A little about me:

22 year old full time college student

$5500 student loan, deffered until 2015

No credit cards (was denied a few months ago for student card, I now know why...)

I'm moving into a new apartment soon and with that will come a few credit checks (approved for apartment already through mother as garrunteeor) and for tv, internet, and utility services. Remember my dnied card I decided to pull my reports and was shocked at what I found..

My EX and EQ reports show a collections for what I assume is a medical bill. The Original Creditor is MOTHER FRANCES HOSPITAL N, status of Collection account. $159 past due as of Jun 2011 and account history is Collection as of Aug 2008 to Jun 2011. TU does not show this entry. I've never received any letters from the collection agency.

Now, I have NO medical bills, but I know my father does and he has the same first and last name as me. He has been in and out of hospitals for back surgery and other back and blood pressure related problems. He is also not very well off financially.

I KNOW this collection does not belong to me and have a good feeling it is a name mix up.

Do I only dispute this with EQ and EX? Or do I need to also send some sort of letter to the CA? Considering they have NEVER contacted me for this collection I feel it is a screwup on EX and EQ's end.

Thanks

[Estexan07]

Still reading.. still not sure if I contact the OC, CRAs, CA, ...

Like I said, this collection is NOT mine, it is most likely my father's. I have never received a letter or bill or call or contact from anyone about this bill/collection.

Help please. Thanks.

[p-]

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@Estexan07 wrote:

Ok so I've been reading a good bit, but I am not 100% clear on the correct procdures to take for my situation.

A little about me:

22 year old full time college student

$5500 student loan, deffered until 2015

No credit cards (was denied a few months ago for student card, I now know why...)

I'm moving into a new apartment soon and with that will come a few credit checks (approved for apartment already through mother as garrunteeor) and for tv, internet, and utility services. Remember my dnied card I decided to pull my reports and was shocked at what I found..

My EX and EQ reports show a collections for what I assume is a medical bill. The Original Creditor is MOTHER FRANCES HOSPITAL N, status of Collection account. $159 past due as of Jun 2011 and account history is Collection as of Aug 2008 to Jun 2011. TU does not show this entry. I've never received any letters from the collection agency.

Now, I have NO medical bills, but I know my father does and he has the same first and last name as me. He has been in and out of hospitals for back surgery and other back and blood pressure related problems. He is also not very well off financially.

I KNOW this collection does not belong to me and have a good feeling it is a name mix up.

Do I only dispute this with EQ and EX? Or do I need to also send some sort of letter to the CA? Considering they have NEVER contacted me for this collection I feel it is a screwup on EX and EQ's end.

Thanks

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I would start by sending a DV letter to the CA, and try to contact the OC as well, se if they can shed light.  If the OC can confirm it's not you, ask for a letter to that effect.  Send it to the CA CMRR, and dispute with the CB's as "Not Mine".  Do it through mail instead of online, and include a copy of the letter from the OC.  

If it turns out after you call that it is yours, talk to the CA about doing a PFD.  Look at the frequently requested threads on this board to see examples, and acronym explanations if you need them.

Good luck!

[Estexan07]

Thank you for the reply!

I'll update this thread with results! I hate threads that fall dead and we never hear of the results.

[AndySoCal]

Do you have a generation code like JR, II or is the middle name different?

[p-]

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@AndySoCal wrote:

Do you have a generation code like JR, II or is the middle name different?

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Good Question!  I have a JR on my name, I wonder if he does too.  Same name, same address, I could see how they might associate the two files.

[Estexan07]

No generation code. We have the same first and last name but different middle names. Yes, we lived at the same address until my parents divorced and he moved out in 2007, I was a senior in HS. I'm now a senior in college and have a had a different address from his ever since graduating HS, but I do see how it could be easily mixed up.

Updates when I have them! Thanks for the replies.

[AndySoCal]

I know the feeling I share the same middle and last name also the same first initial as well. Sorry for the sorry resposne. I would work with the OC to have this corrected.  I would interested in how this turns out.

[Estexan07]

Ok, I successfully removed the collection from my equifax report by going through the CSC Credit Services online dispute that equifax uses for Texas (and a few other states) disputes.

Now, roughly a month after using experian's online dispute system I finally recieved the results... Outcome: Updated.

"If ownership of the item was disputed, then it was verified as belonging to you. " it says...

I realize disputing online is NOT the way to go about this, but I didn't realize this until after the fact and I had already sent both disputes while waiting for replies to this thread when I originally posted it. I was too embarrassed to mention it and just figured I would wait on the results.

So now what? Go directly at the collector? Why would one report not show this collection in the first place, one remove it, and one update the status as belonging to me? What a messed up system...

[Estexan07]

Super late update! Pulled all my reports and it appears all is well, the collection is gone from all 3 reports!! My three scores are hovering right above 700 (up from 650 when this began). 

I've since graduated from college with a B.S. in computer science, got a nice job and capped my student debt at $13k which I just started making monthly payments on. I have a $500 CL Capital 1 platinum and was just approved for a Chase freedom ($500 also) yesterday.

Everything is on the up and up! Thanks for the help guys, I told you I would update this. Haha.

Happy dance: