topic Re: How do I know if a collection was put on me? in General Credit Topics

How do I know if a collection was put on me?

MeCasa — Mon, 15 May 2023 15:36:53 GMT

I have an account with 0 late payments and 0 collections until I got in a fight with Verizon ovr whether $76 was actually owed. I moved to T-Mobile and Verizon charged me for a number they assigned my account after I moved the original number. I was adamant that I didn't ask for a number to be assigned and took for granted that after 15 years of paying bills on time they should grant me this argument. So I blacklisted their emails and ignored the snail mail (half were spam anyway) and moved on with life.

They granted me nothing and one day I log into Chase (Credit Journey) and my score was down 100 points! and the only change said "update Verizon". I called Verizon and the gave me the name of Convergence and I flipped out. Convergence said they were hired to collect debt and filed the collection and I flipped out worse. I was ready to dispute but when I added up how much time it would take talking to 3 credit bureaus I decided it was cheaper to pay.

Then I studied my credit report .......it still said 0 collections and 0 late payments

Is there a 'semi collection' to force me to pay without hurting me or is a hammer going to fall

I want my credit back, it is not right to pay bills my entire life and me slammed over $76 that was not actually owed....in my opinion.

Mike

Re: How do I know if a collection was put on me?

Brian_Earl_Spilner — Mon, 15 May 2023 17:20:12 GMT

Your score shouldn't drop if there's no collections. Utilities don't report. So if there's a score drop, something was reported.

That being said, one thing I've learned here is fighting utilities, especially communications, is an almost futile process. They rarely back down and they don't recall the debt. I would negotiate with convergent to pay in exchange for not reporting. If they've already started reporting, try negotiating pay for delete. Unfortunately, I don't remember if convergent does either, but I'm sure someone here can confirm.

Re: How do I know if a collection was put on me?

MeCasa — Mon, 15 May 2023 19:51:15 GMT

Convergent cannot delete the collections because they don't own the debt.....Verizon does.

Re: How do I know if a collection was put on me?

MeCasa — Mon, 15 May 2023 19:55:28 GMT

They dropped my credit score a full 100 points :-(

But the lady at Convergent gave me indications that if it is settled in less than 30 days I should be OK. I wonder if Verizon has a way of affecting our credit without actually putting the collection on record?

Re: How do I know if a collection was put on me?

MeCasa — Mon, 15 May 2023 20:23:39 GMT

I called TransUnuion and they said that utilities cannot put you into collection but Convergent can. I don't know how that works but it sure sounds that utilities CAN put us in collection and report it.

Next question: How can I get it off of there?

I hate this suff :-(

Re: How do I know if a collection was put on me?

FireMedic1 — Mon, 15 May 2023 20:50:50 GMT

Welcome @MeCasa

You kinda admitted you owed it and didnt want to pay and ignored them. Verizon has an internal collections agency and if they eventually dont get paid. They turn it over. The only time cell folks place things on credit reports is in situations like this. Question is. Did you or did you not port your number? If you did port your number. You could file a complaint with the CFPB for being charged for something you didnt get. The new number.

Re: How do I know if a collection was put on me?

MeCasa — Mon, 15 May 2023 23:18:27 GMT

I called them this evening and through myself at their mercy. I told them that I thought I had earned more good will than that and I 'possibly' deserved a whooping but that was overkill. I'm 68 years old and will possibly be dead before the 7 years they were talking.

Luckily I talked to two vwer nice women and both told me the same thing (called dropped on first call).

I hit the criteria for mercy and they were going to forward me to a department called recovery that had the power to remove the dealie and let me live my life in peace. They even gave me the direct number of thr 'Recovery" people and this was only possible since I settled the debt quickly (after they filed)

I feel better but won't know for sure till tomorrow. I learned a lesson. I was pissed off because they assigned me a new number but under different circumstances I might have been pissed if they did not assign me a number to keep my account open.......I see the point and paid the debt. Even so, so many years of paying bills on time and having NO late payments should not be overshadowed by $76 owed. They never should have done this to me.

Mike

Re: How do I know if a collection was put on me?

FireMedic1 — Tue, 16 May 2023 10:08:16 GMT

@MeCasaEverything is run by computers. Good Luck in your GW.

Re: How do I know if a collection was put on me?

MeCasa — Tue, 16 May 2023 14:34:21 GMT

Made the call this morning and they said Verizon does not delete collections. I agree that the computer put me into collections but these are people now. I'm 68 and I want to borrow some money to help my Granddaughter through college. Most of my money is tied up in a rather large home and investments that are hard to break ...I'm cash poor :-(

That was a computer that put me in collection but these are human beings now and I'm not even sure I owe the money.

A supervisor is going to call me within 48 hours. I'll take any help I can before I talk to supervisor

Mike

Re: How do I know if a collection was put on me?

Brian_Earl_Spilner — Tue, 16 May 2023 14:54:24 GMT

@MeCasa wrote:
Convergent cannot delete the collections because they don't own the debt.....Verizon does.

You're misunderstanding....Convergent can report to the bureaus. They also can choose to not report, or delete the reporting. Verizon owning the debt has no impact on that except for one instance. Verizon recalling the debt would remove their authority to report to the bureaus and all traces would have to be removed.

Re: How do I know if a collection was put on me?

Brian_Earl_Spilner — Tue, 16 May 2023 15:09:11 GMT

@MeCasa wrote:
I called TransUnuion and they said that utilities cannot put you into collection but Convergent can. I don't know how that works but it sure sounds that utilities CAN put us in collection and report it.

Next question: How can I get it off of there?

I hate this suff :-(

You didn't thoroughly read what I posted.

Utilities don't report to the credit bureaus.

Utilities can hire collection agencies.

Collection agencies can report to the credit bureaus.

Verizon won't report the derogatory, the collection agency they hired will.

I see you already spoke to convergent and Verizon, but you weren't clear about what happened. Sounds like convergent said since paid within 30 days, they won't report. which is what you want if thats the case.

Based on the conversation you had with Verizon, you didn't ask them to recall the debt, or they didn't do it. They have no control over what convergent reports which is why they said they don't delete collections. They can only take away the collection agency's authority which will remove their reporting. That only works if Verizon recalls the debt BEFORE you pay it. If you pay Verizon directly and they haven't recalled the debt, the account will be closed and they'll notify convergent who will report the paid collection.

Re: How do I know if a collection was put on me?

MeCasa — Tue, 16 May 2023 15:07:46 GMT

You are right ...I do not understand. I've never been a big borrower and was able to borrow what little I needed without problems so I never got involved. I see online that there are company's like Lexington Law that take care of debt problems...are they an option

I'm a smart guy, but I'm too old and too tired to strat learning the complexities of this unfair system which is why I never paid attention. I feel helpless playing a game that I don't even know the rules

Mike

Re: How do I know if a collection was put on me?

MeCasa — Tue, 16 May 2023 15:11:14 GMT

Give me a day to digest what you already said. You are a smart guy with gajillion posts and I need to completely understand what you are saying.

Thanks for the help. :-)

Re: How do I know if a collection was put on me?

Brian_Earl_Spilner — Tue, 16 May 2023 15:13:28 GMT

@MeCasa wrote:
Give me a day to digest what you already said. You are a smart guy with gajillion posts and I need to completely understand what you are saying.

Thanks for the help. :-)

We can figure it out. Did you pay the debt? If so, who did you pay?

Re: How do I know if a collection was put on me?

MeCasa — Tue, 16 May 2023 15:28:52 GMT

Yes, I paid $82 to Convergent. Verizon said they wouldn't talk to me till it was paid. Whether I owed it or not is debatable but the fact that it's their playing field is not debatable....it seemed like the smart move

Mike

Re: How do I know if a collection was put on me?

Brian_Earl_Spilner — Tue, 16 May 2023 15:33:38 GMT

@MeCasa wrote:
Yes, I paid $82 to Convergent. Verizon said they wouldn't talk to me till it was paid. Whether I owed it or not is debatable but the fact that it's their playing field is not debatable....it seemed like the smart move

Mike

Ok, then you need to speak to convergent to verify they won't be reporting or to request they remove the collection if they are. Verizon has nothing to do with it anymore. They can't tell convergent how to report it.

Re: How do I know if a collection was put on me?

MeCasa — Tue, 16 May 2023 15:44:26 GMT

Report what, the collection has been documented and the only thing they'll report now is that it's paid. They swear to me that they cannot delete the collection.

Re: How do I know if a collection was put on me?

MeCasa — Tue, 16 May 2023 16:17:30 GMT

I missed your #11 post. The truth is I'm just learning how the forum works...I'm not a forum kinda guy :-)

#11 post. But I do understand most of that

You said: That only works if Verizon recalls the debt BEFORE you pay it.

Not the case

You said: If you pay Verizon directly and they haven't recalled the debt.

too late

Next ?

Re: How do I know if a collection was put on me?

MeCasa — Tue, 16 May 2023 16:34:27 GMT

Verizon called, read me a bunch of legalistic mumbo jumbo that said they were within "fair reporting guidelines" blah blah blah, this wasn't a robot but a live person trained to be a robot with no interest if they are right or wrong

Do I have any options left?

Re: How do I know if a collection was put on me?

MeCasa — Wed, 17 May 2023 10:35:22 GMT

Thank you fot your help Brian. I was overstressing a serious credit drop but they already moved me back up to 705, it's not where I was but it's good enough to borrow the money that I need. It would crush me to let the kids down.