What is the best route to get collections removed.

[ESA2012]

I have collections that are paid off. I didn't negotiate a pay for delete. I tried but the agencies told me it was against their policies. I paid them off anyways. How can someone go about to getting old collections deleted with 0 balances? Any advice? Thanks.

[bahbahd]

Sometimes they won't PFD but will accept a GW letter after the fact. It is one of those thing where they say they can't do it because they aren't really supposed to by agreement with the CRAs. Write really nice GW letters being friendly, stating you paid as soon as you could, appreciate the deletion and the opportunity to continue getting back on your feet, etc...

If a few GW attempts don't work, you can try disputing any inaccuracies or missing info on the tradelines through the CRAs. Give the GW time to work first though.

[ESA2012]

Thank you very much for the advice. I will try GW route

[ESA2012]

Our records indicate your Cox account is paid in full as of June 6, 2012.  Your credit report has been updated to reflect this account as paid in full. 
 
By federal and state law, we are required to follow the regulations set forth in Section 623 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).  Unfortunately, the FCRA does not allow us to delete accurate information from your credit report, otherwise known as credit bartering.  Deleting the paid account will render your credit report as inaccurate.  We have fulfilled our responsibilities by accurately updating this account on your credit report as paid in full.  This account will remain on your credit report until August 2014.

Any way to combat this response?

[bahbahd]

Is there anything wrong with (innaccurate) with how the collection is reporting? Anything at all? Well, file a dispute over that.

[ImprovingYouth]

From reading other responses on the here I was under the impression that FCRA only stated that the creditors must report accurately, but nowhere in the FCRA does it state that they must report or that they cannot delete an account. It is simply that they do not WANT to. It would create a lot of extra work for them to go and delete every customers paid collection, so most simply wont do it at all.

[ImprovingYouth]

I think you should just keep trying, send another letter by mail and another by email. You just need to reach someone who knows what they are talking about and wont need to go ask a manager what the company position is. If you reach someone they may be willing to just do it to help you out, but I'm sure they CAN do it, they just dont want to make the effort.

[RocketChick]

+1 

     I totally agree with ImprovingYouth, in fact I have had the same experience. I sent  GW letters and emails to have a paid CO deleted recently.  I actually received 2 letters responding to the GW. The first one said the same thing blah blah "We can't delete ".Probably sent from someone who didn't have that authority in the first place. But then the next day, I received a letter from the CEO ( or someone that works directly under him)  stating that it would  be deleted and the request was set to the CRAs. They have that discretion to delete if they chose to.

[Shogun]

+1   If they say no, move up the ladder.  Maybe a VP or CFO.  Someone with authority to make it happen.

[RobertEG]

I would not take the position that those who have previously denied your GW requests "dont know what they are talking about."

While I concur that  the FCRA does not preclude a furnisher from deleting reporting, and thus it is not accurate to state as such, the bottom line is that the deletion of accurate information can, and is, considered to be contrary to the basic purpose of the credit reporting system.... to provide those doing business with a consumer the ability to obtain an accurate profile of their credit history.  Selective deletion does not foster that goal.

The CRAs go so far as to put this policy in writing, both in their credit reporting manual, and in their reporting agreements with all furnishers.

To argue over a mistatement of a non-existent FCRA prohibition misses the central issue, and is unlikely to foster good-will in their determination of whether to grant an exception to their supportable policy of no deletions based on payment of the debt. 

As stated, the best way to obtain an exception is to get the request before a management official, who by their positions establish and can thus grant exceptions to standard policy.