Please Help- First Collection and Late payment in 8 years!~

[Anonymous]

Hi Everyone,

While I was happy trying to help my husband establish his credit.  He totally did not care about mines.

Here is the story:  We changed telephone companies from Verizon to Comcast.  My husband pays our bills.  So I assumed he paid the last bill.  I don't care it our light bill or cable bill is paid on time.  I am crazy about Verizon being paid because they report on my credit report!  I make sure they are paid.

Fast forward to last month. I get a letter from a collection agency AFNI in IL.  Stating I owe $74.00 of course I go crazy on my husband.  He gets on the phone and they assure him it will not hit my credit report. He pays the bill during that phone call.

Today in the mail I get two letters from AFNI.. One stating I have a balance due fo $74.00 and another letter staing my balance due is $0. 

After getting declined for the credit line from BOA. I pulled my EQ credit report.  It appears!  Under collections, account past due and negative credit history.

I am so upset that I am in tears.  All the years of paying my bills on time and this happens.  I don't understand how he missed it.  He can only say, Oh I did not think it would go to collections so fast.  What the hell does that mean?  I am sitting with over $50K in available credit, you don't think I would have charged that to a credit card or paid in full!

Do you think I will be able to get this off my report?  Any suggestions would help.

My husband knows how serious I am about my credit.  It is no joke so I don't understand how he could let this happen.

Well thanks for listening to me.  It's so upsetting.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps you could call the creditor, Verizon and see if they will give you a courtesy goodwill adjustment in light of the fact that you have never been late, have good payment history with them. You could also send them a goodwill letter in the mail and see if that helps.

[Anonymous]

Ok Cajun, so sorry this happenen.  now that the sympathy is over, get your butt on that phone first thing in the am on Monday and beg, borrow or steal to get them to remove it. Check your T&Cs.  Hopefully all of your cards do not practice universal default but even if a few do, you may be in store for some VERY unpleasant surprises.

Let them know that it slipped your mind, that you were unaware, that you were TEMPORARILY insane.  Just see what they will do to remove it.  Express that it was paid as soon as you received notification and you would be MOST grateful for anything they could do.

[Anonymous]

---

Brammy wrote:

Ok Cajun, so sorry this happenen.  now that the sympathy is over, get your butt on that phone first thing in the am on Monday and beg, borrow or steal to get them to remove it. Check your T&Cs.  Hopefully all of your cards do not practice universal default but even if a few do, you may be in store for some VERY unpleasant surprises.

Let them know that it slipped your mind, that you were unaware, that you were TEMPORARILY insane.  Just see what they will do to remove it.  Express that it was paid as soon as you received notification and you would be MOST grateful for anything they could do.

---

Brammy is right. Don't even have that second cup of coffee before you get on the phone. Let them know that you were on top of it as soon as it came to your attention. Put them on the defensive (not harshly), but by openly facing it and letting them know how important your credit is to you. Mistakes happen to the best of people and make them believe you are one of the best. The more time you let pass the less successful you may be. At least that's been my experience. Good luck!!!

[Anonymous]

Thanks Brammy!  I tried calling the collection agency today but they were closed when the mail arrived.

I totally forget about the universal default. OMG that would be horrible.  I have such great interest rates with AMEX and Chase. 

I am still pissed with my husband but I will pay Verizon again if need be to get this off my credit report.

It is so good to have you guys to talk to.  He does not understand how important this is.

[phumanr]

Hi Ragcagun,

In the process of rebuilding, this happened to me. I had not had a late payment post 2 years bk...I relocated, and missed a hospital bill. I received the collection, and paid it immediately because of clean payments. I checked my TU and EX, and I was horrified! It showed paid collections. I immediately did a dispute to TU and EX...and they came back deleted. I am assuming the collection did not respond because they received their money...my scores went back up....whew! I hope that helps,

FYI-- you may need to take over all bill payments

Phumanr

[Anonymous]

phumanr, thank you so much. as you can image this has caused great stress for me and my hubby

i disuputed yesterday and will call the CA Monday. i hope they dont respond

i feel so sad about this

[George2037]

I recieved the same type of thing from AFNI, be carefull with them they can be a little shady. 

As for Verizon, I would contact the local Chamber of Commerce and find who's name is listed under Verizon's membership (should be online).  Write that person a letter stating you have been a customer for xx years and are disappointed that they will treat their loyal customers like that and if they don't straighten it out you will be switching to a new company in the future (even if you don't plan on it). 

I did and got the vice president of customer relations to give me a call, she researched it and told me to try and work it out with AFNI sice they now have the account.  If they won't cut a deal and remove it from my Credit Report she will get the account back from them and will work with me directly. 

There are too many option for customers for Verizon to loose a customer over such a small amount.

[Anonymous]

thanks George,

I just spoke to AFNI, the female I spoke to stated they did not report it to EQ, Verizon did!

She stated the account came to them in August, they sent a letter and my husband paid the bill.  AFNI then told me Verizon canceled the debt with them on Sept. 6th. 

AFNI then asked me who reported it on my report, it does show Verizon NOT AFNI.

Now I have to contact them to remove it.  Darn!  I have a good mind to make my husband handle this.

Hard to discuss this stuff at work.

thanks again for ya'll support.