My success with Verizon (an OC)

[Anonymous]

This applies to ALL OCs.  Since I have posted or PM'd this probably 30-40 times I am making it a thread that I can refer back to

You can't DV an OC - they don't have to comply.

Dispute with the CRAs and wait for the results then send the following to your LOCAL VERIZON OFFICE (Collection area in Columbus replied with a form letter)

Company

Address

Address

Date

Re: Acct #xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

To Whom It May Concern:

I recently pulled my credit report from Experian, Equifax and TransUnion and noticed this account was listed on each of my reports as a collection I immediately disputed this information with Experian, Equifax and TransUnion and the results of the investigation came back as "verified".

Since I have disputed the account with the credit bureaus, and you have verified them, I would like to see what sort of records you have for this alleged account. Under the new FACTA laws, you are required to conduct an investigation on this account, and I am now requesting it.

In order to clear up this matter, I would like to see:

Complete account history, including, all statements, records of all activity, payments, collection attempts, and any charges added for collection activity; In short, any and all documentation pertaining to this account

 If you don't respond with the results of the investigation (as is required per the FCRA), I will assume you have no documentation and therefore you were negligent in providing the credit bureaus with accurate information. At this point, you would also be in violation of the FCRA merely for not responding within the 30-day period.

Please send all correspondence to:

Name

Address

Address

Sincerely,

DO NOT SIGN......JUST TYPE NAME

 ____________________________________________________

About 10 days after receipt (and after Columbus replied to me with a 3rd form letter) - I heard from a Dispute CSR who eventually had it removed (a week later actually).

Now realize the amount was small and I DO NOT KNOW how there was a balance (still thinking error, but no proof) becase I paid for the month already before disconnecting service.

Message Edited by Lady_Scarlet on 01-10-2008 04:26 PM

[Anonymous]

Per FCRA § 623(1)(b)(i) – This is your notification by the customer that the information reported is inaccurate.

Under section FCRA §623(2)(B) you are required to “promptly notify the consumer reporting agency of that determination and provide to the agency any corrections”

FCRA Sections-

§ 623. Responsibilities of furnishers of information to consumer reporting agencies
[15 U.S.C. § 1681s-2]

(a) Duty of Furnishers of Information to Provide Accurate Information
(1) Prohibition

(A) Reporting information with actual knowledge of errors. A person shall not furnish any information relating to a consumer to any consumer reporting agency if the person knows or has reasonable cause to believe that the information is inaccurate.

(B) Reporting information after notice and confirmation of errors. A person shall not furnish information relating to a consumer to any consumer reporting agency if

(i) the person has been notified by the consumer, at the address specified by the person for such notices, that specific information is inaccurate; and
(ii) the information is, in fact, inaccurate.

(C) No address requirement. A person who clearly and conspicuously specifies to the consumer an address for notices referred to in subparagraph (B) shall not be subject to subparagraph (A); however, nothing in subparagraph(B) shall require a person to specify such an address.

(D) Definition. For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term “reasonable cause to believe that the information is inaccurate” means having specific knowledge, other than solely allegations by the consumer, that would cause a reasonable person to have substantial doubts about the accuracy of the information.

(2) Duty to correct and update information. A person who

(A) regularly and in the ordinary course of business furnishes information to one or more consumer reporting agencies about the person's transactions or experiences with any consumer; and

(B) has furnished to a consumer reporting agency information that the person determines is not complete or accurate, shall promptly notify the consumer reporting agency of that determination and provide to the agency any corrections to that information, or any additional information, that is necessary to make the information provided by the person to the agency complete and accurate, and shall not thereafter furnish to the agency any of the information that remains not complete or accurate.

 

[Schoolbuskid]

Thats awesome it gives me hope  for my mom who has a chargedoff verizon bill! I am gonna start helping her after she closes on her new house!

Message Edited by Schoolbuskid on 03-10-2008 06:16 AM

[llecs]

Thanks for posting that. DW also has a small amount listed by Verizon from 2002 or -03. I'll send this out. Sent two letters back in the fall with no results.

Can I put ..."P.S. Lady_Scarlet sent me"?

[ngerasimatos]

How much was the balance? Verizon is trying to collect 62.00 from me and AFNI is trying to get 104.00 RIDICULOUS!

[Schoolbuskid]

Would it be wise to send this letter for a paid chargeoff with Verizon?

[Anonymous]

Mine was $66 --- adn they had been paid and I could prove it (which might be a factor in their removal).  In any case INVESTIGATION is the keyword - an OC does not have to validate.

[Anonymous]

I had a $600 paid charge off. Do you think this would work for me? I really need to get this off my credit report. It is my only CO on my report and it was in 2006. I know removing this would help my score.

Message Edited by 4kids4me on 03-12-2008 10:45 AM

[Anonymous]

If it was accurate - then no, it probably would not help to send this letter --- work up a good GW to have them remove.

My bill collection account form them was inaccurate - which is why I wanted it investigated.

[Anonymous]

Too late I posted a question regarding Verizon and then came to your thread.  I have copied the body below and hope that you might be able to provide some insight!

Originally posted:

In December of 2006, I switched from the cell phone provider Cingular to Verizon.  I was engaged at the time and my now husband suggested that I just join his Family Plan.

Within a week of opening my single account, we went to the Verizon store and switched everything from my account onto his family plan.  However, none of the switch actually happened.  The CSR said (and I know why why why did I listen to him?) that sometimes the billing department messes up and that I might see a bill, but ignore it, it will switch to my husbands plan.

This obviously did not happen.  I had a wonderful supervisor on the phone who kindly credited DH's account the balance that was "owed" on my account and I just gave them a check by phone to cover the same charges. 

It is still however reporting on my credit reports.  Is there any advice on how to have this item removed?  Would a GW work in this scenario or something else?

Thanks!