Rebuilding Your Credit

[hippychic823]

Need some advice on writing a good GW letter to a CA so they will remove some PIF collections off my account. The CA is called CBS (Credit Bureau Services) and from what I can gather from their website they are a fairly small, local (based in my area of Southeast MO) company. The collections are from 2009 and there are 3 (2 in the amount of $186 and 1 in amt of $142) all from the same OC and all from the same ER visit. First off, I'm not sure why they are reporting it as 3 small accounts rather than 1 big one. Also, I PIF in July of 2011 and I contacted the CA after I PIF and they said they "can't" remove the items because its "illegal". Well, from what I've learned on here they CAN remove the items, they just WON'T!!! So, I need some suggestions on how to write a good GW letter that will show them that I KNOW that they CAN remove the items if they wanted to....this GW needs to make them "want" to remove these items. Any help/info/advice would be very greatly appreciated!!!! Thanks!!

[rckstrscott]

My GW letters look something like this. I did the same thing as you, I paid in full on most of my collections and solicited GW.

The key is stressing the point that they do NOT have to report if they so choose to. Sometimes I went sappy, sometimes I went straight forward. Here are two I used:

August 25th, 2001

Scott Rckstrscott
123 Come On Over To My Place Dr

Naperville, Il 60563

Dumb CA

Tampa, Florida 33614

Regarding: $474 for Collection On Apartments, Woodridge Illinois

Acct: XXXXXXXX

To Whom It May Concern:

In March of 2011, I paid in full a collections account with your company, it was listed as Collection on Apartments in Woodridge, Illinois. I am asking for a goodwill adjustment to how this is reporting to the 3 major credit reporting agencies.

This is one of the last negative pieces of history on my credit file, and it is hindering my ability to move on from the financial issues I had 5 years ago. I paid in full even after your company made a lower settlement offer, without haggling, and I hope you can return the good faith gesture I made.

Please consider that the Fair Credit Reporting Act does not demand that all accounts be reported, only that any account that is reported be reported accurately. Therefore, a company does have legal discretion and permission to remove any account it chooses from the credit report. I hope you consider my request.

Best Regards,

Rckstrscott

And here is one I used for a settled account:

October 8th, 2011

Rckstrscott

Naperville, Il 60563

Dumb CA

Sometown, MD 20705
Re: ACCT 3458XXXX– Courtyard Villages 01649 for $5797.69
Settled account for $3899.00

To Whom It May Concern;

Thank you for agreeing to settle my collections account with your company. I also appreciate the swiftness in providing me validation when I requested (on February 21st, 2011) and the way in which your company handled my account. Collections accounts are not pleasant, and I just wanted to say thank you for not hounding me at work, or at all hours of the day. I understand your company deals with angry and arrogant people daily. As soon as I was able to pay a settlement, I reached out and paid a large lump sum.

I am reaching out to you now for a gesture of good will. I have spent the last 2 years rebuilding and repairing my credit history in order to purchase a home for my family. I made plenty of mistakes over the years, but I have been mistake free for over two years and intend to keep it that way. I apologize it took me so long to pay this account, but it was by far the largest and required additional savings to pay off. I would appreciate if your company would consider removing the trade line from all three credit reporting agencies. At this stage, it is the last thing weighing my credit score down.

Please consider that the Fair Credit Reporting Act does not demand all accounts be reported, only that any account that is reported be reported accurately. Therefore, a company does have legal discretion and permission to remove any account it chooses from the credit report. I'm hoping that Dumb CA will do that in my case for this account

Best Regards;

Scott

-scott

[hippychic823]

These are great!!!! Thanks so much!!!!