Closed unpaid collection

[Anonymous]

I just don't understand how the status on TU is closed, and on EX status is opened. This is for an unpaid cell phone bill. Do I need to try and do anything about this? I've been wanting to pay it, but I've contacted Sprint 3 different times and they cannot find an account with an outstanding balance. Only my current Boost mobile account. I want to get proof from them that I really owe that much, i know for sure there used to be an account with Sprint under my name. ex had a phone under my name years ago(lesson learned, never open an accnt in your namefor someone else). Please help me! If Sprint sold this debt, would they no longer have record of it?

[Jnbmom]

What company is actually reporting the account sprint or a debt collector? If it's sprint I would dispute it since they have no record they can't validate. If it is a debt collector you can try PFD .

[Anonymous]

How old is the debt? What is your statute of limitations in your state? If the answers are that the debt is fairly new and Sprint or the CA can still sue you, then write to Sprint. Send it return receipt/certified mail (the green card). If Sprint cannot find an account for you then they must remove any reporting. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Enhanced recovery company is reporting this. I have read that don't do pfd's. Wouldn't hurt to try but why would I pay them if they don't have the debt? Closed means that they no longer can collect on this debt or they are about to sell it, right? Opened 10/14, so past the SOL for nc, Which is 3 yrs. I disputed this on EX last week after talking to sprint the first time i checked andthey couldn't find an account associated with me, it came back processed. Nothing changed. Same day my TU report updated reported the erc collection as closed.

[Anonymous]

That's what I don't get, i disputed and it came back verified! That's why I called sprint twice more. Got transferred to their "collections dept" and they couldn't find anything either. I've debated sending a DV letter to collection agency . Think I should?

[RobertEG]

A DV must be sent within 30-days after receipt of dunning notice in order to be timely.

If untimely, it can simply be ignored.

As for the substance, creditors will often mothball older accounts, particularly after they have sold the delinquent debt.

Phone reps may not take the time or have the ability to directly retrieve information, and thus may blow you off.

The significant issue is why the debt collector updated with one CRA to show that their collection was closed.

Closed usually means that either the debt has been paid, or they have sold the debt to another.

However, some debt collectors have been known to termporarily update to closed during a period when they suspend collection activities, such as after receipt of a timely DV request.

The status as open or closed is a factual matter, and thus should be consistent with all CRAs.  If you wish to force consistency with each CRA, you can file a dispute of the accuracy, to which they will be required to update one or the other.

If their stated reason for reporting closure is that they have sold the debt, then CRA policy instructs them to also delete their collection if sold and the debt remains unpaid.

As of now, the reason for reporting closed remains unclear...... 

[Anonymous]

Thank you Robert, that's what I'm doubtful about sending DV to collection agency, as they aren't required to respond back to me. I never received any dunning notice either. I want it either to be closed or open, they can't do both. Is there a way to find out if they have sold it other than calling ERC? You're telling me to dispute again for inaccuracies right? It is very unclear why that particular cra is now updated to closed. This is one that is reported monthly to EX &TU, you would think that if they were really closing it and selling it to someone else, they would have updated when i disputed with EX as closed too? both CRA's updated each status on 03/09/18. Thanks again, I'm just very unsure of how I should approach this.

[Anonymous]

The collection was deleted today from TU, but still shows up on EX as open. If they sold it, wouldn’t it be reported as closed already? Or would it all of the sudden be deleted too? It reported to Tu as closed on March 9th. Looking back on the history, they opened the collection on 10/14, reported every month until 2015. Then stopped reporting until 2016. There was a whole year of not reporting. Why would they stop and start again? That doesn’t seem normal. I never contacted them or disputed until last month. I’m trying to apply for mortgage soon so I was just going to pay it to be done with it but now I’m not so sure.

[RobertEG]

Monthly reporting of an "update" is only required under the statute if some prior reporting has changed, and thus is no longer accurate.

An example would be if the consumer made a partial payment.  FCRA 623(a)(2) then mandates the updated reporting of that balance in order to maintain the current accuracy of their reporting.  If no prior info has changed, then there is no requirment to update, and they could choose not to report for a period of time.  

They could then resume monthly reporting at a time of their choosing,  such as if they wised  to indicate that they were resuming active collection attempts at wished to indicate that by reporting their collection as Open.

It is normal to stop and start monthly reporting.

Any issue of why they did so, or whether then could report closed during periods where they are not actively seeking collection, is a side issue that would not require deletion of their collection as no longer having legit collection authority.

It might be interesting to know why they may have suspended collection, but knowing the reason will not mandate removal.

[Anonymous]

Alright thanks for the reply. I’ve read nothing but shady things about them so I wanted to be sure they owned it. There is no reason I believe they should delete, as it’s unpaid, although I never received that last bill after cancellation once my contract was up. I bet your right in the previous post, it’s so old Sprint can’t see the account. I’ve called again and this rep said I could go to a corporate Sprint store and might be successful in finding the account. It’s just weird because they haven’t tried to contact me at all regarding this. These ca’s don’t normally report closed if not actively collecting, they just just wouldn’t report. Is that what your saying? I apologize, im pretty new to this. I’ve not received one thing from this company, ever. the only way to find out what the heck Is going on is to call them right? I think I’m just going to leave it alone for now, other than going by a sprint store to see if they can help. Ty.