Help with collection accout...first steps...

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I was wondering if I could get some help in my prep for having a collection account taken care of.

I have a collection through CCA for a $525 debt from a college (Not student loan debt). I contacted the college mainly because I received a bill from them only to have a bill from the CA sent a week after the college's bill and they added it to my CR after owing the money 3 weeks (FL apparently has no 'set time' in which CA can place on CR).

The college stated that I have to pay the CA unless I am PIF then I can pay them directly (even though I can make payments of any amount at anytime through their own website).

What is my next move? I have the money to PIF but need to know the best method to handle this.

Any help is appreciated!!

[DrJim]

I just had this happen with a $190 eye care bill from 5 years ago that my insurance did not pay for some reason.

I called, asked them to pull the account back from the CA and bill me so I could PIF - that way there would be a paper trail.  In the end they pulled the collection back, I got a letter from the CA saying they were removing it from my CR's and the OC told me they were not requiring any payment.

Good luck!

[BungalowMo]

If you have the $$ to PIF, then pay it directly to the College.  I would send them a letter stating what you were told over the phone.  Let them know you have the full amount and are ready to PIF, but you'd appreciate something in writing that the CA will be pulled back immediately and that when they get their $$, all negative reporting by the college will be removed.

State all this in the most sugar coated way possible!!  

Bottom line...you want this all in writing before they get your $$  (preferably, you want the CA removed before you mail the check!) Once they have your money, you have no leverage.

[Anonymous]

When I called the college they said that I had to deal with the CA....unless I PIF to them. The funny thing is that I owed them $135 (which was a new, seperate charge) and I went to pay it online through the school's website and it allowed me to make a payment of any amount I wanted on the entire balance...So basically I could manually go online and pay them 50/month till it is paid off. Should I just pay the college off then do a DV to the CA? Should I make all payments except for one or two then try to nego. with the school? or should I try to get everything in writing before doing anything?

[Anonymous]

Everything in writing, always, every time.

[MarineVietVet]

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@Anonymous wrote:
When I called the college they said that I had to deal with the CA....unless I PIF to them. The funny thing is that I owed them $135 (which was a new, seperate charge) and I went to pay it online through the school's website and it allowed me to make a payment of any amount I wanted on the entire balance...So basically I could manually go online and pay them 50/month till it is paid off. Should I just pay the college off then do a DV to the CA? Should I make all payments except for one or two then try to nego. with the school? or should I try to get everything in writing before doing anything?

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As was already suggested contact the school and say you will be more than happy to PIF and ask that assurances be given to you IN WRITING that they will remove any negative information. If it's not written down it never happened and you are powerless.

Good luck to you.