topic Re: Help with a collection account on my credit in General Credit Topics

Help with a collection account on my credit

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 19:19:08 GMT

There is a collection account from allianceone. It shows only on my experian report and not on the other two. so here's the story:

I got pulled over and cited for some non-driving violations; insurance and registration stuff for the car. I go to court and get a $350 ticket. I choose to pay it off over a short 6 month installment plan. They say they will process it and send me something in the mail to start the payment plan. Well i never get anything in the mail and i forget about it. a few months later i get pulled over again and find out my license is suspended for nonpayment.

I find out the first ticket i got, the officer wrote down the wrong address for me. he left out a number in my address. 4122 instead of 41122. The DMV sends the installment plan and info to the wrong address and i never receive it. So the ticket goes to collections. once i found that out i pay it off right away.

on experian it says when it opened it's a key derogatory, but it was paid in full and the account is now closed. it happened back in aug. of '04.

i was wondering if this was disputeable. I never receive the info i should have so that i could of payed it off, and of course receive no warnings and goes to collection because of the wrong address they had for me. Any help would be awesome. thanks

Re: Help with a collection account on my credit

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 20:48:50 GMT

Dispute the heck out of it... Municipalities are tough, but I've had personal success with them.

Rob

Re: Help with a collection account on my credit

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 21:05:40 GMT

ok i figured i would try. How would i first approach it. write a letter to the collection agency, or to the dmv, or some other first step? should i first dispute through experian?

Message Edited by ryguyasu on 09-17-2007 02:05 PM

Re: Help with a collection account on my credit

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 21:59:09 GMT

May I ask what state do you live in? May I also ask how the entry is reporting on the CR - as a judgement, a public record or a collection account?

What's happening is the municipality or the state has hired a collections agency to act on their behalf to collect the ticket.

I wouldn't mess around with this. I know that the majority of states will suspend your license if you don't pay tickets. In some states, you can get arrested for not paying a ticket. Here's what I would do:

1) Call your DMV and find out if your license is still suspended. If it's not suspended, then your account is probably paid and you can send a GW letter to Alliance One. I'm guessing that if the account is showing up as "paid", then the fine was paid. Your license may still be suspended, though.

2) If your license is suspended, then find out what you need to do to lift the suspention. You may just have to pay a "restoration fee", or you may need to call the municipality where you received the ticket. If it's because the ticket is still unpaid, find out where you need to go to pay the ticket, whether it's the municipal office or the police station, then go to the office where you need to go to pay the ticket and pay the ticket ASAP.

Re: Help with a collection account on my credit

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 22:14:19 GMT

sorry, must have misunderstood this a little bit. the whole suspension thing has been dealt with. this ticket was in 04'. i paid it off in 04', everything is fine with the dmv. i'm just trying to deal with the credit aspect of all of this. here is all the information i know and can see from it.

ACCT Type: collection department/agency/attorney

ACCT status: closed

Date opened: 4/1/2004

terms: 1 month

payment status: paid, was a collection account, insurance claim or government claim or was terminated for default.

Legend shows a key derogatory in jun 04, no data provided in jul 04, and ok/current in aug 04'. this is all coming from my experian credit report.

i have the documentation showing them having my wrong address on the copy of the original ticket i got.

Re: Help with a collection account on my credit

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 23:45:51 GMT

Ok you are dealing with a CA..........DV them CMRRR....sit and wait! If you hear from them ok...you have proof that it has been paid....they can not get Info. if it isn't there

Do not talk to them on the phone. If they call tell them not to call everything in writting!!

Also look at the date that it was first reported is it before or after you paid?

If you haven't disputed with CRA do so now at same time as DV.

Message Edited by HappyDays on 09-17-2007 04:44 PM

Message Edited by HappyDays on 09-17-2007 04:45 PM

Re: Help with a collection account on my credit

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 23:57:40 GMT

Hey, appreciate all the resonses and help, but i'm new to the forums and the whole credit world. what does CMRRR, CRA, and DV mean?

I know that the account went to collections, and then i paid for it. only reason i paid and found out about it was because i got pulled over and got a ticket for driving with a suspended license.

Re: Help with a collection account on my credit

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 00:03:54 GMT

read the post above...I add to it

this is Ga. LAW you can record phone conversations.

Ga. Code Ann. § 16-11-62: Secretly recording or overhearing a conversation held in a private place, whether carried out orally or by wire or electronic means, is criminally punishable as a felony under statutory provisions regarding invasions of privacy. However, the law expressly provides that it does not prohibit a person who is a party to a conversation from recording and does not prohibit recording if one party to the conversation has given prior consent. Ga. Code Ann. § 16-11-66.

Re: Help with a collection account on my credit

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 00:24:52 GMT

i'm in az. not sure about phone laws. but can you redo your post in normal talk please

Re: Help with a collection account on my credit

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 01:32:25 GMT

oops sorry I thought you were in GA....OK you can record in AZ........

Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 13-3005: Interception of a wire or electronic communication by an individual who is not a party, without the consent of someone who is a party to the communication, is a felony. The electronic communications referred to in the statute include wireless and cellular calls. The overhearing of a conversation by an individual who is not present, without the consent of a party to that conversation, is also a felony. Both violations are classified as "class 5" felonies, which are the second least serious felonies in Arizona

If the calls continue I would go to radio shack & get everything that is needed!!! It can be used in court!!

this is a link to abbreviations

http://ficoforums.myfico.com/fico/board/message?board.id=generalcredit&message.id=3866

they really don't take long to learn

CA = Collection Agency = you are dealing with

CMRRR = Certified Mail Return Receipt Requested how you need to send to CA

DV = Debt Validation you will mail this & wait...they have 30 days to answer.

CRA = Credit Report Agency (aka TransUnion, Equifax, Experian)

Do you need a DV letter to copy??????

Message Edited by HappyDays on 09-17-2007 06:32 PM

Message Edited by HappyDays on 09-17-2007 06:32 PM

Re: Help with a collection account on my credit

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 03:12:32 GMT

ok i see, so first send them a dv with a cmrrr.

Yes i would love a copy of a dv letter to start with.

so a debt validation requires them to respond to me verifying that it is a valid debt and belongs on my credit?

Re: Help with a collection account on my credit

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 06:18:01 GMT

so i tried to look into dv's a little more. i saw that a dv must be sent within 30 days of first notification. again this happened and has been PIF and closed for over three years now. Is there still any point in doing it.

Also another question. This CA is only shown on the experian report, but i didn't get it through myfico. i got it through experian.com. is that a fako? is there any point in disputing through their sight or must i do it through myfico?

Re: Help with a collection account on my credit

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 17:12:16 GMT

or should i be looking more to a gw letter?

Re: Help with a collection account on my credit

PayYouNever — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 17:37:44 GMT

You will want to write a GW to the DMV or the CA, because they can make a change to your CR. I haven't had any success with GW's yet (although I only sent my first one's out in the past 30 days), but many people on the forum swear by them.

I'm in a similar situation, although I haven't been to court to pay the fine yet. Good thing to know that I need to make sure the address information is correct on the DMV records, which I need to update once I pay the reinstatement fee to get my license off suspension.

Re: Help with a collection account on my credit

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 19:39:48 GMT

DV letter make all changes where needed

August 26, 2007

Jones Collection Agency

222 1st Street

Noplace, FL33333

Re: Account #: 5555555

Dear Sir or Madam:

This letter hereby notifies you that the validity of this debt is in dispute. In an attempt to validate this debt, I am requesting evidence of this debt, specifically the alleged contract or other instrument bearing my signature, as well as proof of your authority in this matter. Absent such substantiation, under federal and state law you must correct any erroneous reporting to any and all credit reporting agencies

In accordance with Section 809 of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act and corresponding case law, please provide me, in writing, the following information:

A copy of the alleged original contract or other instrument bearing my signature
Complete account history, including, all statements, records of all activity, payments, collection attempts, and any charges added for collection activity; In short, any and all documentation pertaining to this account
Evidence of your authorization under 15 USC 1692(e) and 15 USC 1692(f) in this alleged matter
Evidence that your company is registered as a consumer collection agency in the State Of _________

Additionally, until full validation is provided, all representatives of your company, or any affiliated company, must immediately cease & desist all attempts to collect the aforementioned debt. Failure of your company to comply with this request will be a violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and will directly result in a complaint filed with the Federal Trade Commission and the State Of __________Attorney General's office. Please be advised, should this request be violated, I will pursue all criminal and civil claims, including any and all punitive damages, allowable by federal and state law against your company.

Failure to respond, in writing, and in a timely manner, will serve as a waiver to any and all of your claims in this matter and that this matter is permanently closed. Please provide the requested information or correct your records and immediately request the removal of this invalid debt from all sources to which you may have reported.

For the purposes of 15 USC 1692 et seq., this Notice has the same effect as a dispute to the validity of the alleged debt and a dispute to the validity of your claims. This Notice is an attempt to correct your records, and any information received from you will be retained should further action become necessary. This is a request for information only, and is not a statement, election, or waiver of status.

I look forward to your timely response.

Best regards,

Jane Doe

DO NOT SIGN.......TYPE NAME

Re: Help with a collection account on my credit

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 19:44:03 GMT

Usually the courthouse does not report....there are people paid to go to all courthouse & gather info...it goes into a database with some company & they are the ones to report!

DV the CA & see what happends...

dispute with CRA that is reporting it. IF it comes back verified....send MOV to the CRA...they have 15 days to answer. CMRRR

Re: Help with a collection account on my credit

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 20:08:03 GMT

ok awesome. i disputed it online, and will send out the dv tomorrow. only part i didn't catch: what does MOV mean. it wasn't in the list of abbreviations.

Re: Help with a collection account on my credit

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 23:24:23 GMT

MOV

http://ficoforums.myfico.com/fico/board/message?board.id=generalcredit&message.id=6237

freq. requested threads............find it at top of thread it is full of info!!!!

Re: Help with a collection account on my credit

Anonymous — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 04:21:26 GMT

k thanks for all ur help