Rebuilding Your Credit

[ivyalmighty]

I did call ACS today. Spoke to Charles, a supervisor. He gave me the pt's name on the account in question, I told him it was not me. I told him I have already called the hospital and confirmed that I have NO outstanding accounts with the hospital. He said, the hospital might have purged their records because this account is from 2003. That makes me unhappy, that a CA would be the only one holding on to my medical records, and not the hospital in question??? How is that safe??

He was looking at the info relating to this bill on his screen.. INCLUDING my two requests for validation, which are noted on this account.. yet, they have never responded to me directly regarding my request for validation. And he didn't offer to send anything on the phone in response to my three earlier DV requests (three including the one sent to CRA & cc'd to ACS), either.

He said in order for this account to be deleted, he needs me to send in my signature so his credit manager can compare it to what is on this file??? I am highly skeptical... I told him, at the time this account was made, I wasn't even married and I exactly have anything hanging around from 5 years ago that would show my maiden name.. hello! The only thing I have is my passport, which I got when I was 14 and is expired by 6 years... Now I'm thinking I shouldn't have even told him that.. but anyway, who's to say they won't decide they "like" this signature enough to match whatver is in their records??? Which, I have no way of comparing what they have to how i write, because they WON'T send me the DV!! And why won't they send me the validation as requested? He ALSO wants a copy of my SS card, which is in my maiden name, not my married name. He said that didn't matter. Why the hell would they need this? I just don't like that at all.

The name on this account is the same as the name on the other account that they have already deleted because it does not belong to me . . . why was the name, DOB, and SSN not matching enough to remove one account, but not another? He wouldn't answer that, either.

He already told me that when Ex contacts them, they will verify because they have updated this account to list my status as "CO-SIGNER" (they did this when I disputed in March, with NO PROOF that I co-signed) thus getting rid of any responsibility they have to proof that it is actually my name and my DOB/SSN that received these medical services. That's messed up.

Advice from mods, please. I'm not sure how to proceed.

[FixinMyCredit]

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ivyalmighty wrote:

I did call ACS today. Spoke to Charles, a supervisor. He gave me the pt's name on the account in question, I told him it was not me. I told him I have already called the hospital and confirmed that I have NO outstanding accounts with the hospital. He said, the hospital might have purged their records because this account is from 2003. That makes me unhappy, that a CA would be the only one holding on to my medical records, and not the hospital in question??? How is that safe??

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I've got something similar going on with a CA, also hospital related. Every time I've ever called the hospital they've told me, NOPE, no outstanding balances showing for you. Everything is paid. Finally after about the 4th person, they have an archive system and this "lucky" person had access to it. CA has access to it too. This debt is from 2004. It was turned over to a different CA in 2005 and I paid them. No one can find the payment. And since then when I was repeatedly told everything was paid, I must have trashed the paperwork because I can't find my money order receipt anywhere. My word against theirs. It stinks!

Good luck getting this straightened out!

[ivyalmighty]

Fixin' --

But with this hospital, they had bills for me going back to 2002, which they gladly sent me copies of! I find it hard to believe that they wouldn't have access to just one single bill. There were twelve accounts, total from this hospital system. They have *all* of them. And ALL of them report as paid.

If it DID get lost in the sauce, and the hospital has absolutely no record of it, then who's to say the CA didn't just flat make this bill up??? Grrr... I'm not very happy.

Anyone else have input?

[Tovya]

DON'T give ACS ANYTHING! Trust me, I had the same thing happen to me (with them) and it was a nightmare. They are notorious information fishers that generally build their collections "file" on the information they receive from the supposed "debtor". I actually was told by one of their people, "blow me" when I asked for verification of the debt. Eventually I had to turn it over to my attorney in order for it to get taken care of.

Let's put it this way... I had a letter on the letterhead, and with the signature of the company I supposedly owed money to, admitting that they have no record that I ever had any sort of account with them, nor did I owe them a dime, and this same collection agency told me "go to hell" with my letter, and that they would never stop their collection attempts... anyway, you have been forewarned.. ;-)

[Schoolbuskid]

Are you in position to sue them, i would not send them anything especially the private info they asking for! Remember what all those letters say that they send us?

 "This is an attempt to collect a debt any information obtained will be used for the purpose".

I definitely would seeking a lawyer if possible! Good Luck! Did you get that convo recorded?

[FixinMyCredit]

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ivyalmighty wrote:

Fixin' --

But with this hospital, they had bills for me going back to 2002, which they gladly sent me copies of! I find it hard to believe that they wouldn't have access to just one single bill. There were twelve accounts, total from this hospital system. They have *all* of them. And ALL of them report as paid.

If it DID get lost in the sauce, and the hospital has absolutely no record of it, then who's to say the CA didn't just flat make this bill up??? Grrr... I'm not very happy.

Anyone else have input?

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I'd be VERY skeptical and wouldn't send them any info whatsoever! Sounds like they're up to something. Keep everything they send you.

Call the hospital and ask them if the CA, as their "business associates" under HIPAA, have access to their computer system or archives at all. Find out how the CA gets the collection accounts from the hospital...if they'll tell you.

[ivyalmighty]

Schoolbus-

I don't think I'm *really* in a position to sue them.. the debt & CA are in NC and I now live in CA. I think I would probably have to bring suit in the state the debt occurred in.

He also said to include the OTHER account number for the other collection that was deleted when I sent in these signatures, so they could compare both. now that really upsets me, because they ALREADY deleted this collection - FN, LN, DOB, and SSN are all vastly different than mine. That sounds to me like they're going to try to reinsert it and make me fight that one again too.

I'm really bothered by all this. Does anyone have any advice or direct experience dealing with this? They're not giving me the validation, and have stated as much. But they'll continue to report until they have a signature comparison and SSN card from me.

[Schoolbuskid]

Wow i dont know what to tell you, you have probably done everything you were supposed when they failed to DV! I'm stumped!

How long til it falls off?

[Tovya]

Well I don't know how much money you have or your economic situation, but I had my attorney (I hold him on retainer and use him for lots of things) send legal threats to the collection agency and CRA to desist and remove and they promptly did so.

If you can afford an attorney, I would recommend this route because few companies will fight a $100-3000 because it will cost them more in attorney fees.

I know this, because I had a former employee sue me (after he had stolen thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from me) and I gave him $800.00 and settled because it would have costed me 10 times as much to defend myself... it was the lesser of two evils.

In most cases it is the same with just about any company. They know that even if they win in court and get a judgment against you to recover their attorney fees, chances are since you were in collections to begin with, you'll never pay and they will end up losing twice ;-)

It's capitalism at it's best... and I'm reminded by it every month when I send off the $5000.00 in retainer fees to my attorney! :-)

Message Edited by Tovya on 05-29-2008 08:09 PM

[sidewinder]

I've never had direct experience with this.

What I would do is write the OC a very nice letter explaining that ACS is attempting to collect a debt for them and has you listed as the alleged debtor. Explain that you have spoke with OC and they have stated that you do not owe them. Send proof of this CA trying to collect.

Ask the OC to send the CA a letter stating that this is not your debt and to cc: you. If they are not willing to do this, ask for them to send you something showing that you have no outstanding balances with them or outstanding balances that they have sold to ACS.

I would see what they can provide you with and send copies of what they offer, copies of signed GC from letters sent to CA, copies of CM labels from letters sent to CA, proof of ID, and a letter to the CRA stating that this is a bogus account that is not yours. You are providing proof that the alleged original creditor has given you stating this is not your debt and that the CA is not collecting it from them.

ETA: Read FCRA regarding disputing directly with CA. It gives them 30 days to investigate and report back to you. I can't open FCRA and read it right now because it is a pdf file and I am on my old computer. would take me forever to open.

Message Edited by sidewinder on 05-29-2008 11:58 PM