https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/General-Credit-Topics/Collections-from-Credence-Resource-Management/m-p/6598998#M324012 <P>I recently applied for an apartment and was told that I needed to pay off a collection to be approved. I was unaware that I had a collection so went to one of my credit card websites that supply me that information for free. The CA that reported me, only a couple of weeks earlier, was Credence Research Management for a delinquent Cox Communications account. I called the CA and they claimed to have sent me a letter in November of 2021. I did not receive this letter, and would have paid it at this time as I had recently sold my house and have paid down all my debt with plenty to spare. The idea was to be debt free. Now I have a collection on my credit report!! I have never communicated with this CA other than when I called them regarding my credit report.</P><P>&nbsp;</P><P>Since then I have called Cox and believe that it is a valid debt from 2017 for not returning a modem. My question essentially is this: Can a collection agency report without a valid attempt to collect? I have no problem paying what I owe but a collection on my credit report after FINALLY being able to get my finances in place is so disheartening. Not to mention that I can't rent the apartment until this is paid.</P> Mon, 03 Oct 2022 20:18:27 GMT smilemore 2022-10-03T20:18:27Z https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/General-Credit-Topics/Collections-from-Credence-Resource-Management/m-p/6598998#M324012 <P>I recently applied for an apartment and was told that I needed to pay off a collection to be approved. I was unaware that I had a collection so went to one of my credit card websites that supply me that information for free. The CA that reported me, only a couple of weeks earlier, was Credence Research Management for a delinquent Cox Communications account. I called the CA and they claimed to have sent me a letter in November of 2021. I did not receive this letter, and would have paid it at this time as I had recently sold my house and have paid down all my debt with plenty to spare. The idea was to be debt free. Now I have a collection on my credit report!! I have never communicated with this CA other than when I called them regarding my credit report.</P><P>&nbsp;</P><P>Since then I have called Cox and believe that it is a valid debt from 2017 for not returning a modem. My question essentially is this: Can a collection agency report without a valid attempt to collect? I have no problem paying what I owe but a collection on my credit report after FINALLY being able to get my finances in place is so disheartening. Not to mention that I can't rent the apartment until this is paid.</P> Mon, 03 Oct 2022 20:18:27 GMT https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/General-Credit-Topics/Collections-from-Credence-Resource-Management/m-p/6598998#M324012 smilemore 2022-10-03T20:18:27Z https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/General-Credit-Topics/Collections-from-Credence-Resource-Management/m-p/6599000#M324014 <P><EM><STRONG>"&nbsp;My question essentially is this: Can a collection agency report without a valid attempt to collect?"</STRONG></EM></P><P>&nbsp;</P><P><SPAN>Yes.&nbsp; There is no requirement then send you any dunning letter at all prior to reporting the debt to the bureaus.&nbsp; My guess is that both Cox and the CA sent the letters to your prior address not your forwarding address.&nbsp; Contact Cox and ask them to recall it so that the account can be disputed as paid to OC and the CA deletes.&nbsp; In the meantime you will have a paid receipt to show the apartment complex to get the lease approved.</SPAN></P> Mon, 03 Oct 2022 20:24:16 GMT https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/General-Credit-Topics/Collections-from-Credence-Resource-Management/m-p/6599000#M324014 Cowboys4Life 2022-10-03T20:24:16Z