Need Advice

[Anonymous]

Hello all. Here is my situation, for the last year and half, I have been working to build my credit up. I finally got my scores just above 700. I still have one baddie on TU and EQ which is a tax lien. 

So this morning I get a call from a debt collector. First they asked if my name was such and such and then told me my last 4 digits to my ssn and I verified that was correct. I had just submitted an auto refiance so I thought thats what this call was about. The person then told me they were a debt collector for Tmobile. I was floored. 

First, this Tmobile account was from 2006. Second, I told them I had paid Tmobile off in 2010. They basicly said I was lying because Tmobile could be sued if that was the case. The man kept saying this account was mine and had my name and ssn so I had to pay. I refused telling him to take it up with Tmobile and to stop bothering me about it. Here is my problem, I had a house fire in 2012 which I lost all the paperwork that had anything to to do with me paying this off. 

Now I'm worried I'm going to get a collections on my credit report. Can they really do that after 11 years? I'm just so upset. I feel like everything I have worked for is about to crumble down. My husband and I were just starting to look into buying a house.

I live in Maryland if that will help. I just want to know if anyone has any advice on what I should do?

[medicgrrl]

Collection agencies can continue to attempt to collect even if the account can't be reported on your credit reports. If it's outside of the SOL I would tell them to hit the road.

[Anonymous]

I have been trying to search the SOL and so far I'm seeing in MD they can take me to court up to 3 years. I'm just not seeing anything about adding the debt to my report. I keep finding the typical 'How long the debt will stay on your credit report' information. 

I am seeing a creditor can renew the debt any time within 12 years....but thats if they got a judgement which I can't remember them doing. I'm not finding any information about a 3rd party buying an 11 year old account. Ugh, I guess I have to wait and see if it pops up on my report.

[RobertEG]

First, I would immediately send them a DV request, which will be timely (sent prior to or within 30 days after dunning notice) and thus impose an automatic cease collection bar on the debt collector.  It will also require an investigation and validation before they can resume any collection activities, including any reporting to a CRA.

If the debt collector ever does report to a CRA, they must obtain and report the DOFD no later than 90 days after reporting of their collection.

That date will determine whether and for how long their collection can be included in any credit report issued by the CRA.  That applies regardless of whether the debt was paid, so the issue of whether it was paid is secondary to any issue of credit report exclusion.

The CRA must exclude no later than 7 years plus 180 days from the reported DOFD, and will normally exclude at 7 years.

Thus, if the DOFD was prior to July, 2010, it will likely never show in your credit report, and if it is prior to January, 2010, it is now barred from your credit report.

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much for your help. I will get on that DV request.