Who do I REALLY need to contact for a PFD?

[Al89]

I have a question about who exactly I need to direct a PFD letter to. I'm getting conflicting information from this forum and the OC about who I should contact about the debt. Here's the situation:

-The debt is from a charge-off on an overdrawn checking account from about a year and a half ago (SOL still in effect). I moved to a new state and switched credit unions, along with (almost) all of my automatic recurring payments on that bank. Turns out, I forgot about a couple recurring payments and they charged my account way into the negative for a few months before the account was charged off and I now owe the credit union $571. Having moved, they didn't have my contact information and I never heard about this debt until a couple months ago, when I was called by the ASSIGNED CA, CU Recovery.

-I don't dispute the validity of the debt. It was a mistake on my part on an account that was mine, no doubt about it.

-I called both the OC and CA to validate the debt in the off chance that they wouldn't be able to validate, but I had no luck there; everything checks out with their information.

-The debt has been assigned (not sold) to the CA, so it is my understanding from these forums that if I wanted to negotiate a pay for delete on my report, I would need to request that from the OC (Please correct me if I'm wrong!!). However, when I called the OC (the credit union) and asked who to speak to regarding charged-off deposit accounts, they told me that their agreement with the CA (CU Recovery) dictates that all debt repayment and correspondence goes through the CA. They pretty much brushed me off.

My problem: I'm fully able to pay this off, but before making any formal decisions about the debt and negotiating payment I obviously want to make sure I'm talking to the right party in hopes of getting this deleted out of goodwill.

Any advice on steps to take would be VERY appreciated, thank you in advance!!

[RobertEG]

I dont see in the post a statement as to whether either the OC or the debt collector has reported their charge-off or collection to the CRAs.

A PFD offer goes to the party whose credit reporting you are asking for deletion.

If neither has reported, you dont have a PFD situation, as there is no reporting to request deletion.

If the debt collector has reported and the OC has not, then the PFD would go to the debt collector.

Visa-versa, reporting by only the OC would result in PFD offer to them for deletion of the CO.

However, if their agreement with their debt colllector includes contract terms requiring that all payments be made through their debt collector, which is common, then PFD to the OC is not an option.  Payment would go to the debt collector, possible with your PFD offer if they have already reported, or with a pay for not reporting offer if they have not yet reported.

Addressing any reported CO by they OC would then be handled by way of good-will request to them after the debt has been paid.

[Al89]

Ahhh, I left out that big detail: the debt was reported to CRAs by the OC. And it would appear that their arrangement with the collector is as you described and I'll have to pay through the collector regardless.

Judging by your advice, I'm guessing that my plan should be:

1) Negotiate payment with the collector with stipulation to not report to the CRAs. Not familiar with this tactic but hoping I can find something on the forum.
2) Ask the OC for a goodwill removal once it is paid.

Sound right?

Thanks for your help, Robert!!