My credit has been very good for some time, but I run into billing disputes with creditors from time to time. Usually they are resolved to my satisfaction, but in 2005, I had an unresolved billing error with Verizon. I was switching carriers (after 10+ years with Verizon), and my final bill of nearly $200 included roughly $5 in errors. These errors were roaming-related, and consistent with similar errors which they had resolved in the past. Probably because I was discontinuing service with them, they were very rude, and refused to correct the $5 in errors. Needless to say, I was furious. I knew that if I paid all but $5, that $5 would eventually be charged-off, and decided that my only recourse was to leverage the balance. They called my bluff, however, and continued to refuse to correct the error. As such, the entire balance remained unpaid. I wrote them numerous complaint letters to resolve the matter, but they never made any attempt to try and resolve it. Some time later, they charged off the account, and sent it to collections (unknown by me at the time). I formerly disputed the account with all three bureaus, but I am sure I am still getting penalized for it in my FICO anyway.
At this point, I am more concerned with my FICO than standing my ground. My FICO is the only credit concern I have with the way this account reports. My credit is stellar enough otherwise, that a $180 charge-off doesn't seem to matter to anyone. So, can you tell me exactly how this charge-off is affecting my FICO? Further, can you quantify exactly how much my FICO would improve under the following two scenarios: 1.), the account is completely removed alltogether from my bureaus 2.) the charge-off is changed to reflect paid in full.
Also, since this has been turned over to collections, Verizon will not speak to me at all about the account. With that in mind, does a collection agency have the ability to negotiate a removal of the account from the bureaus, or would Verizon themselves have to agree to that?
