Medical collections - help wanted

[iowe]

I only have two collections on my credit reports. Both are medical. 

Receivable Recovery LA

Opened: 11/19/2014 (2Years, 4 Mths)

$197

When I called the OC (hospital) to try to PIF in exchange for them recalling the collection and getting it off my credit report, they told me they have no record of me owing anything. My account there showed zero balance even going back and researching their archives. I double checked everything and even called back a second time and had a different person look with the same result. So, the OC has no record of me owing anything. Should I DV this one or goodwill and offer to PFD??

The other collection is

Southern Credit Recovery

Opened: 7/11/2013 (3years, 8 months) 

$125

In 2015 I attempted to call the CA to offer to PIF for deletion but got told "no sir that's against our policy;against the law" etc etc.. They have a reputation of being difficult, though I have read on myfico of two or three other successful cases of PFD with them with goodwill letters. Should I goodwill and offer to PFD on paper since a phone call was unsuccessful?  

I've already begun the first steps of the other method that we aren't allowed to speak of here lol. Before I continue down that road though, I wondered what the forum thought about if there's a faster way to get these off my reports.  

Any suggestions and advice is appreciated. These are the last baddies I have. Neither reflect my credit worthiness and they are putting a big dent in my portfolio. 

[RobertEG]

It is not uncommon for a creditor not to retain account information of a debt that they have sold.

Sometimes they pass everything to the new owner, and sometimes they archive and their reps dont take the time or know how to retrieve.

Regardless, if the OC is not reporting (or reporting accurately), then no issue of a dispute necessitiates their verification or validation.

It is the new owner who is pursuing active collection and/or reporting to a CRA that is of interest regarding validation or verification.

It is necessary for the debt collector to have adequate basis for validation or verification.

The fact that you were unable to obtain adequate info from the prior owner is not factual basis for contesting the accuracy of the collection or its reporting.

As to whether ot DV or PFD, that depends upon whether or not you contest the debt or wish to begin payment negotiations, whether you wish to place a cease collection bar on the debt collector as a reprieve from their collection activities, and whether any DV would be timely.

More specifically, a DV only imposes restrictions on a debt collector if it is timely (meaning it is sent within 30 days after their dunning notice), and even if timely, its effect is not to require validation, but rather to impose a cease collection bar until they have first sent validation.  If timely, your DV imposes a cease collection bar, which prevents the debt collector from conducting any negotiations on terms of payment, such as a PFD or settlement offer.  Thus, you may be in an extended state of limbo once you send a timely DV.

The post does not state that you contest the first collection or that any DV would now be timely.  If not, and your primary goal is deletion of the collection, yu might wish to move directly to a PFD offer rather than send a DV.

Sending a DV is not always the best route.  It depends upon your circumstances........

[iowe]

Yes the MO is to get them removed from my credit reports asap. I don't mind paying them to accomplish that. Just wanting to do it expeditiously.

[iowe]

I have a pfd letter for each collection in the mailbox outgoing for tomorrow. Wish me luck!

I kept it short and informal. I hope they will work with me and agree.