Multiple Tradelines, Two CA's collecting?

[Anonymous]

I have an odd situation going on with a cable account that I am familiar with.  Ultimately, I would like to have this deleted from my account via a PFD agreement.

First, I just pulled the 3 bureau report via USAA and there are two entries for this debt but each one has a different account number, none of which I recognize.  The amount due is not what was originally owed.  

Second, I received a notice in the mail from a completely different CA.  The account number on this notice is correct and so is the amount due.  This CA does not appear on the credit reports.

How should I address this situation with the two tradelines/different account numbers/incorrect amount?  Is this simply an online CRA dispute of not mine?  

I planned to contact the CA mentioned in point #2 to discuss a PFD but I pulled the brakes when I saw the credit report.  I don't know who to contact now.

[RobertEG]

When the new debt collector sent dunning notice, one or the required elements is to state who they are collecting on behalf of, which is another way of stating who currently owns the debt.  That may give a clue as to next step.....

Do they identify themselves, the other debt collector, or the original creditor?

I would begin there, as ultimately if debt collector 1 no longer has collection authority, as evidenced by new contact from debt collector 2, they are instructed per CRA reporting policy to delete their collection.  I would first want to know the chain of ownership, which may likely show that debt collector 1 is fuly aware of the presence of debt collector 2.

[Anonymous]

The letter I have from CA #2 identifies themselves along with the original creditor.  CA #1 is reporting two tradelines with two different account numbers; they have not deleted.  Do I submit an online dispute with the CRAs for these two reporting tradelines as unknown debt?

[RobertEG]

If you cannot associate their reporting with a specific debt, then debt validation would have been the earlier bridge to have crossed.

Unless you happend to live in TX, which has no timeliness requrirement under their state DV statute and also requires mandatory credit report deletion after 30 days if they do not validate within that period, then the federal DV process wont cut it.

Yes, you can now file a dispute, but statement of lack of knowledge of the debt is not a very strong basis for dispute unless you have some documenttion to establish as such.

You normally dont have evidence to support a negative, and anyone can simply assert "debt not mine" or "debt not recognized," so such a dispute often simply concludes with veriifcation by the furnisher, and nothing more.

The best way is to clearly establish that they are both collecting on the same debt, and then that debt collector 1 no longer has collection authoriyt.

You seem to now be unable to do either of those.

Perhaps a call to debt collector 1 for clarification as to the details of the debt they have reported upon?

[Anonymous]

How exactly do I establish which one has collection authority?  I'm sure if I call them both, they'll both say "pay me".  That's basically what they're saying now - CA #1 is reporting two different account numbers (neither one resembles the OC account number), same amount but different than OC amount, correct OC while CA #2 has sent a notice with the OC account number, OC amount.