Help please! Removing Verizon Collections!

[Anonymous]

Hello all,

First post here trying to repair my score. Appreciate anyone who takes time to reply and hope this may even help others on similar shoes.

Situation:
Have a Verizon collection account showing up on all 3 credit reports as a closed account in collections.

Amount of about $1,000. Left Verizon in Dec 2016 after having for 4 years.

It's currently with RPM collection agency. I believe Verizon still owns the debt though. It shows up as Verizon on CR.

Not sure the debt is accurate, I want to dispute just to make sure because I don't remember not paying a whole $1k, but it very well may be 100% legitimate and accurate. Also, don't know if disputing could possibly trigger anything worse assuming debt is valid, like extra bad reporting.

Goal:
I want to remove this completely from my CR's, or at very least make it look least bad.

Question:
Should I not pay now so I can ask for a "pay for delete"? So I have a bargaining chip?

Or should I pay first, have no bargaining chips, and just repeatedly beg for forgiveness and them to consider me. "Good will" letter I believe it's called?

As I've realized from doing the research first, I know the odds I'm against with Verizon and the amount of work I'd have to do to try to get this done. I'm willing to though. Desperately need the good credit for important things.

(In case this helps, I already called both RPM, and Verizon, both said no to PFD, not unexpected so I know I have to keep plugging away, just looking for proper next move. Don't want to pay first and be screwed if that's the worst move)

Thanks all!

[gdale6]

If the CA is reporting offer them the PFD. Verizon isnt going to grant you the PFD though they will update to paid and stop monthly reporting then you can begin a GW letter campaign asking them for removal of the TL. You might call the OC to have them verify the charges they are trying to collect so you can make sure you didnt already pay them.

[HiiiPoWeR]

I'm in a similar situation with Verizon. I have a $1,200 collection with them and yes they still own the debt and refuse to do PFD. I been told a hundred times that it's accurate and will stay on CR for several years. I even went as far as filing complaint with the BBB because VZW keeps changing the balance from $1200 to $0 and vice versa every other month which causes my score to tank. Of course, the meanest woman in the executive office is handling my case so there's high chance nothing will change.

[Kree]

In my personal experience it is quite possible that you do not owe Verizon any money.  70% of derogatory accounts that have appeared on my report are due to billing errors. For example an employee entering 99.97 for a payment instead of 99.98 with the remaining penny collecting late fees, extra months of payments after the close of an account, and interest.  Of course they never bother contacting about closed accounts, so we don't hear about it for years.  Or returned equipment that did not get properly checked-in, resulting in hundreds of dollars billed after closing, again with no contact other than collections.  (the remaining 30% seems to be scams.)

Contact Verizon and have them provide you with an itemized statement for the alleged debt. The easiest way to get your report cleaned is if Verizons has made a mistake and cleans it for you.

[howellco2]

I have a problem with them also   date of debt 2-2012  Settled on 3-2013  reports says  settled for less than balance 

Debt is on all 3 CB  I disputed  but all came back as vaild per FCRA  

Transunion says that estimate  8-2018 that it will be removed  does this apply to all CB anyadvice in speeding up removal

Sorry not trying to post jump  just wondering