Collection account procedures... question

[Anonymous]

Ive got an old gas bill that first became late 2005.  My credit report shows the collection agency (asset acceptance) and the date opened as 10/2007.  I thought the clock started when the bill first became past due, but is it possible that the CA can list the account as opened since the date they were hired, or do they HAVE to list the date it first became past due?

If possible id like to knock a couple years off the amount of time this will be on my report.  Ive already paid this in full, so I dont have much leverage in getting them to do anything.

Also, since the account is paid, what are the odds that if i dispute it, asset acceptance will even bother replying?

Thanks for the help,

Chuk 

[llecs]

The "date opened" by a CA is the date they took over the account. I would ignore that date. One date to pay attention to is DOFD which is listed on EQ. For TU and EX you'd subtract 7 yrs from the est. removal date to find DOFD. You'd have to get your reports directly from the CRAs to find this info (not from here, TC, or other third-party providers).

I would start with a GW rather than a dispute.