How to proceed . . .

[Anonymous]

I had a listing on my TU report for a collection agency for a gas bill at an old apartment.  I started by sending a PFD to the company.  They responded with a dunning notice.  I replied with a DV.  They replied with a statement of my balance.  I replied with another PFD offer and requested more detailed validation if they would not accept my PFD.  I have not heard back from them yet, but I just noticed today that this listing is no longer on my credit report.

I want to act quickly before they sell it to another agency and they report, or whatever.  What might anyone suggest I do? Should I call and try to see if the OC will take payment?  Should I just wait and see if another CA sends me a dunning notice or the one I was contating replies?  Not sure where to go from here, but I would just hate for this to pop up on my report again from another company.  Thanks everyone.

[RobertEG]

If prevention of a new collection is your main goal, then yes, I would contact the OC and make a payment offer.

Does the OC still own the debt?  If not, they wont be able to take any payment.

Does the OC report a $0 balance in your CR?  If so, that is an indication that they would no longer own the debt.

Give them a call.

[Anonymous]

---

@RobertEG wrote:

If prevention of a new collection is your main goal, then yes, I would contact the OC and make a payment offer.

Does the OC still own the debt?  If not, they wont be able to take any payment.

Does the OC report a $0 balance in your CR?  If so, that is an indication that they would no longer own the debt.

Give them a call.

---

I am not sure if the OC still owns the debt or not.  I have never been contacted by the OC.  They are just a gas company and they are not on my credit report at all.

You think my best bet then for now is to call them, and if they still own the debt pay it with them?

[MarineVietVet]

---

@RobertEG wrote:

If prevention of a new collection is your main goal, then yes, I would contact the OC and make a payment offer.

Does the OC still own the debt?  If not, they wont be able to take any payment.

Does the OC report a $0 balance in your CR?  If so, that is an indication that they would no longer own the debt.

Give them a call.

---

I agree. I would begin with a call to the OC.

[RobertEG]

Yup

[Anonymous]

I was wrong, it is an electric company, not that it matters.  Anyway, they are not open on the weekend.  I will be calling them first thing tomorrow morning.

[LS2982]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I had a listing on my TU report for a collection agency for a gas bill at an old apartment.  I started by sending a PFD to the company.  They responded with a dunning notice.  I replied with a DV.  They replied with a statement of my balance.  I replied with another PFD offer and requested more detailed validation if they would not accept my PFD.  I have not heard back from them yet, but I just noticed today that this listing is no longer on my credit report.

I want to act quickly before they sell it to another agency and they report, or whatever.  What might anyone suggest I do? Should I call and try to see if the OC will take payment?  Should I just wait and see if another CA sends me a dunning notice or the one I was contating replies?  Not sure where to go from here, but I would just hate for this to pop up on my report again from another company.  Thanks everyone.

---

IMO, i'd leave it alone and repeat the process if another CA comes after you!

But I agree with the others about giving the OC a call to try to avoid it.

[Anonymous]

Called the OC this morning and paid in full.  I didn't even ask about collection, but without prompting the woman told me they would report it as paid to the CA within 30 days.  I just hope that doesn't prompt the CA to re-report to the CRA.  Now this is paid, so I'm definitely happy about that.  I am just hoping a lot that this doesn't show up again on my credit report.  It was my most recent collection and surely the most damaging because of that.