Collections agency asking for an odd amount of information to delete an unknown debt?

[Anonymous]

So I just pulled my credit score, and apparently I have an "unpaid account in collections" of xx$ (less than 100$)  to Integrity Solutions Services, that brought my credit score down 80 points. Thinking it was a medical bill, I contacted the company and (somewhat naively) furnished them with my full name and social security number.

They could not find an outstanding account for me using either pieces of information. I also furnished them with the house numbers for my previous street addresses, and they said that there was no match in any of their databases for my full name, social security number, and any of those particular house numbers. I asked them if they could delete this informaiton from the major credit reporting companies, and they said they needed a copy of my credit report faxed to them.

I am slightly nervous about furnishing them with my full address and the amount of the debt, seeing as how it doesn't seem that I owe them a collection... Has anyone had experience with solving this kind of issue? What informaiton should I furnish them? 

[Repo-ed]

Moving to credit rebuilding

[RobertEG]

FDCPA 808(a) specifies that it is a violation for a debt collector to attempt collection of any amount that is either not specifically authorized in the account agreement that created the debt (your ortginal account agreement with the OC) or is not otherwise specifically permitted by law.

That is your basis for challenging an atttempt to collect any amount.

That section of the FDCPA is also the basis that the courts have relied upon in holding that a consumer may, as part of a DV request, include a request for itemization of an asserted debt, as the courts have held that the consumer cannot adequately evaluate the legtiimacy of a debt, in whole or in part, without that information.

Unfortunately, if it has been more than 30 days since the debt collector send dunning notice, you cannot impose any cease collection bar at this time by sending a DV, as ti would be untimely.  Thus, the DV process wont impose any restirictions on them that might result in their providing a request for itemization of the debt.

I would still, however, begin by sending them a request for debt validation that includes a request for itemization of the debt.  They may voluntarily choose to comply, and at the least, your request will be on record as a step you have taken to determine what amounts they are attempting to collection.

If you also have your own account information that shows, after reviewing of your original account agreement with the OC, what was specfiically authorized in the way of any continued interest or fees, you could send them a direct dispute of their asserted amount, based on your account records and account agreement showing the amount they have reported to the CRA is inaccurate.  A direct dispute will impose a 30 day period for their response, and would need only include the identifying information that they included in their reporting to the CRA of their collection.  I would not be reluctant to include the amount of the asserted debt, as it does not imply that you agree.

I would suggest puruing both, as they are separate processes, with one compelling a response, and the other not.

[Anonymous]

So i alreayd reached out to the collections agency, and they have no record of me in their system - They said that, based on the name, address, and social security number I proved, they currently do not have an open account for any amount of money. Essentially they are sayingt hat they have never heard of me and tha tI do not owe them money. They are refusing to send me a written correspondance to this effect because there is no open account with my name, social, or address on it - apparently prviacy laws prevent them from contacting someone who does nto owe them money. 

Additionally, I was never contacted by the collections agency directly, (either by phone call or written correspondance) in regards to any outstanding account with them (again, because they say they dont have an open account attached to my information).

Because this account doesn't actually exist, I can't contact any original creditor or pay off the debt - I would happily throw the money at the collections agency for deletion of the debt from my credit reports, but, according ot them, the debt does not exist. 

This being said, will this affect the manner in which I request a debt validation? Is there an alternate channel to go thorugh situations like this? It seems like it was a misreported debt that accidentally got attached to my account or something.

[RobertEG]

If that is the situation, I would send then a direct dispute over the accuracy of their reporting, providing as supporting documentation their statements to you that you owe them no debt.

Under FCRA 623(a)(2), a furnisher is required to promptly update any reporting in order to maintain its current accuracy.

Unlike a DV, to which they have no requirement to respond, they are required to resond to the direct dispute within 30 days, and either verify the accuracy of their reporting, correct it, or delete until such time as they can confirm its accuracy.  With no means to determine its accuracy, that should result in deletion.

[Shogun]

I agree, I would not give them any more information, they have more than enough information already.  You should file a direct dispute.  Below is a link to this.  Good luck!

http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Rebuilding-Your-Credit/Direct-dispute/td-p/2309095