Can a CA report twice?

[Anonymous]

I had a cable company send me to collections for $100 in 2004.  It's been on my reports ever since and they won't work with me to do anything about paying it off.  Recently, in disputing a few things, I came across a SECOND trade line: a new collection for $75.  The same CA is reporting for the same creditor twice, one from 11/03 and one from 5/04.  I am suspicious because AFAIK I was never late before the 5/04 trade line.  Are they allowed to report two trade lines for the same creditor, for the same service (ie: I didn't cancel service, move and get new service) for different amounts?  Could this have anything to do with the fact that I disputed the original trade line recently?

I was thinking to call the cable company and see what I owe.  What do I need from them to correct the issue, or am I stuck?

[RobertEG]

Only one CA can be reported on the same debt in your CR.

A CA reporting is NOT a trade line, and CAs are not oriiginal credtors, ever.

The first thing I would do is to disregard all of the collection BS, and go back and take a serious look at the OC account with the cable company.

Dont concern yourself with anything the CA has told you.  Find the date that you first went delinquent with you cable account, not when it was closed, or when the CA did anything. The cable compqny is your OC.  Delinquency with them, and them alone, fixes your DOFD.

Any posting of a collection is barred under FCRA 605(c) from your CR,and thus credit scoring, after 7 1/2 years from that very specific DOFD.

Do you have account info with the OC to support a clear DOFD?

Message Edited by RobertEG on 11-30-2009 08:52 PM

[Anonymous]

I'm a bit confused.  It seems I'm not disputing the DOFD, but merely the fact that they're listing the same debt twice with different DOFDs.  Yes, I will call the cable company to see the history and when they turned it over.  

The CA has not contacted me almost ever, even when the debt was fresh.  The only interaction I've had with them is their verification of my debt to all of the bureaus (except one which "updated" some of the data, but what data I can't tell).  

[RobertEG]

I think you might be missing my point.  I dont think duplicate reporting is the main issue, I think it is ANY reporting.

Once you firmly establish the DOFD on the OC account, all the CA crap will just go away if the DOFD was more than 7 1/2 years ago.  FCRA 605(c). You can then file a dispute with the CRA under FCRA 611(a) for inaccurate credit reporting.  But you cant do this until you have proof of your DOFD.

Get, from your records (best source), or from the OC, your account history. Nail down your DOFD.  Then there are clear actions we can recommend.

[Anonymous]

OK, I will do so.  However, 2003 and 2004 would be less than 7-1/2 years ago

[Anonymous]

You can have an OC report, then a CA, then another CA, etc.  However, only 1 should report a balance due.

Example:  OC reports, then later sells to CA.  When sold, the OC updates "sold" or "transferred" with a CO and $0 balance.  The CA who bought then reports the account with a balanced owned.  If they later resell the account, they will mark as "sold" or otherwise transferred and the balance should reflect the $0 balance, but the new CA can then report it.

This is the awful domino effect that can take place where a single bad account can cause multiple damages.  Take it one step further if a CA sues you and wins a judgement.  Then you have the original OC, the series of CA's, then a public record judgement and then possibly the sale or assignement of the judgement creating yet another derog CA entry.

It can be a terrible web 

[RobertEG]

What is the DOFD?

Again, account dates have nothing to do with DOFD,.

Message Edited by RobertEG on 12-02-2009 01:56 AM