topic Re: How to contact CA's? in Rebuilding Your Credit

How to contact CA's?

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:49:59 GMT

I have several collection accounts on my credit report, I know they are all valid, as I know which accounts I opened, then stopped paying on, as a young stupid 19 year old.

I am now 27, with a good job, and want to start paying some of these off. My credit report doesn't show the collection agencies who now own these accounts. How do I find out this info, and what is the best way to go about contacting and paying these off? Am I allowed to offer a settlement for less than what is owed, or how does that work?

Thanks!

Re: How to contact CA's?

Junejer — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:55:44 GMT

If they are not showing on your CRs and you want to pay them, make sure that the language in your letters state that they will delete EVERYTHING from the CRAs and that they won't try to come after you for any shortfall.

Just noticed that it has been about eight yrs. What's the DOFD/DOLA and your state's SOL?

Re: How to contact CA's?

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:02:31 GMT

So, I should contact the lender directly? Most of these are old store credit cards... Victoria's Secret, Express, etc...

I don't know the SOL, but I mean, I had these cards for about a year, then stopped paying, so they probably would have reported that around 2001/2002... it hasn't been quite 8 years.

Re: How to contact CA's?

Junejer — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:06:29 GMT

You can find out the DOFD/DOLA by looking at your full credit reports from annualcreditreport.com. This will give you all of the information needed. Sounds like you might be getting close to CRTP expiring.

Re: How to contact CA's?

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:09:39 GMT

I'm sorry... I'm new to all this. I know that SOL is Statue of Limitations, but would you mind explaining the other acronyms you are using? Thanks!

Re: How to contact CA's?

Junejer — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:15:33 GMT

That's okay. Print this out and keep it by your computer. From time to time, I still have to refer to it as well.

http://ficoforums.myfico.com/fico/board/message?board.id=rebuildingcredit&thread.id=584

Re: How to contact CA's?

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:23:14 GMT

OK... thanks!

My credit report doesn't show me either date. I only see the date the card was opened and the date it was reported to the CRA.

On most of them, they were opened in late 2000-early 2001. Like I said, I probably used them for a year, then stopped using/paying on them. That would be about 2002 I guess.

All of these store credit card acct's were reported just recently, Oct. 07, but I know they must have been on there longer... I mean, why would the creditor or CA wait 5 years to report it?

Re: How to contact CA's?

Junejer — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:43:16 GMT

Go to annualcreditreport.com and get your full reports. That information is on there. Regardless of whether they waited 5 yrs to report, that doesn't change DOFD.

Re: How to contact CA's?

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:53:12 GMT

I have a TrueCredit report, not from AnnualCreditReport.com. Those dates are not on there. I just looked it all over...

Re: How to contact CA's?

Junejer — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:05:47 GMT

abc, read my lips (or at least my typing) annualcreditreport.com. If you don't want to go there, then call the CRAs individually and ask for the information.

Re: How to contact CA's?

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:18:57 GMT

sorry.. I should have mentioned that I already got a free report about 6 months ago, but misplaced it. I cannot request another free one for 6 months. How much do these run usually?

Re: How to contact CA's?

Junejer — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:16:15 GMT

Not sure. I want to say around $10 each, but I am not sure. Whatever you do, forgo the scores that they will try to sell you for an extra $ amount...they're useless.