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LJ Ross (CA) or OC - Which to negotiate with?

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Wangta
New Member

LJ Ross (CA) or OC - Which to negotiate with?

I'm frustrated.  I moved last year and was incorrectly charged for 2 months (electric) when I didn't live in the premises despite having notified the power company on the date of my departure.  I didn't become aware of this due to a post office mistake forwarding the final bill - I only noticed it when a collection randomly popped up on my credit report from LJ Ross for $280ish dollars.   The record from the CRAs listed the original creditor (BGE) so I contacted them directly to inquire about the outstanding amount due - and requested (i) they remove the record with the CRA, (ii) recall the debt from the CA, and (iii) send me the final bill so I could validate the amount (it seemed high).  

 

My hunch was correct and when I received the bill, I noticed they charged me the extra 2 months - and I disputed the amount online.  I received a response the next day requesting an explanation as to why I thought the bill amount was wrong - so I sent a letter explaining my case with supporting evidence. 

 

I never received a response. 

 

I kept checking my credit report every couple months and the collection entries did NOT go away. Pissed off as (i) I had asked for the record to be removed and (ii) a bill be sent to me so I could validate the amount due - which I never received.

 

Months later, I sent another letter to BGE, again asking for the same things - deletion of collection and a FREAKING FINAL BILL!

 

Another 5 months pass with no change - until one month I notice miraculously the collection AMOUNT changed to $105 (from $280) - but the record was still there.  

 

Unbelievably pissed off - I call BGE AND send ANOTHER letter.  In speaking with them on the phone, I told them the situation - and urged them to try and see I have been TRYING to pay them and address this issue.  They were not helpful and told me they could not remove the collection record until the bill was paid.  I informed them that the initial and current reporting of the collection was likely not legal as I had never received a final bill to validate the amount due.  The agent I spoke with didn't really know what that meant, so I ended up just asking them to PLEASE send me a bill.  

 

Yesterday, I finally received the bill which explains the $105 amount.  It's correct - the $280 amount was not.  

 

This is a summary of my timeline dealing with this (Dec 2, 2014 - January 2016):

  • December 2, 2014:  Notified of collection filed with CRAs for an amount of $280.51 by LJ Ross on behalf of OC BGE (baltimore power and electric).  
  • December 3, 2014: Initial email to BGE online, questioning validity of $280.51 owed.   I had to use the online form as my account had been closed at that point.  
  • December 4, 2014: Received response from BGE requesting a dispute letter be sent to Lead Investigator with supporting evidence.  
  • Dec 10, 2014: Letter sent to Lead Investigator to dispute outstanding balance ($280.51) with supporting information. 
  • Dec 2014 – Aug 2015 (8 months): No corrected bill received. Negative marks remain on credit reports.  
  • August 14, 2015: Follow up letter sent to lead investigator, requesting (i) corrected bill required for validation of debt, and (ii) removal of negative information reported to Credit Bureaus. 
  • Aug 2015 – Dec 2016 (5 Months): No corrected bill received. 
  • Dec 2016:  Collection amount at Credit Bureaus changed to $105. 
  • January 29, 2016:  Follow up letter sent to lead investigator, requesting (i) corrected bill required for validation of debt, and (ii) removal of negative information reported to Credit Bureaus. 
  • Feb 5, 2016:  Final bill ($105) received from BGE.  

 

I'm not sure what to do at this point.  I sent debt validity letter out to LJ Ross last week, explaining they reported invalidated debt, but have never spoken with them.  I also sent a similar letter out to BGE's legal team, explaining the same situation and requesting the deletion of the collection record at the CRAs.  

 

I'm sitting here with the final bill, but am hesitant to pay it until the records are removed - I mean, what incentive do I have to pay it now??  Should I contact BGE again?  Pay BGE?  Or deal with LJ Ross since they are the ones who reported it to the CRAs on behalf of BGE?  I'm nervous that if I pay BGE, they or LJ Ross will not remove the record post payment, or it'll show up as a closed/settled collection.  

 

Any help/guidance would be appreciated.  

Message 1 of 6
5 REPLIES 5
IOBA
Senior Contributor

Re: LJ Ross (CA) or OC - Which to negotiate with?

Pay BGE first.

 

Ask BGE to pull the account from the CA.

 

Once that has been done, send a CMRR to CA asking them to remove the file from your CR since they don't have the account.

Message 2 of 6
Wangta
New Member

Re: LJ Ross (CA) or OC - Which to negotiate with?

Thanks IOBA.  How does one verify that BGE has indeed pulled the account from the CA?  

Message 3 of 6
IOBA
Senior Contributor

Re: LJ Ross (CA) or OC - Which to negotiate with?

You can ask for a letter stating that they have pulled the account from the CA.

 

They may or may not provide it.  But definitely get the name and the employee number of the person you talk to with BGE.  Or their last  name or the call center they are in.  Something that you can go back and say, "Hey I talked to Mary #34543 in the Omaha office on 12/03/2015 and she confirmed that she put in the request to call back the account from the CA."

 

Even if you don't get the letter, you can later dispute with the CA by saying you talked to Mary so-so and she had verified that the account is with BGE and not the CA.

Message 4 of 6
RobertEG
Legendary Contributor

Re: LJ Ross (CA) or OC - Which to negotiate with?

The reporting that you want deleted is the collection.

I would call tthe debt collector and directly atttempt to negotiate a pay for deletion (PFD) with them.

If they accept, you pay them, and have  a direct agreement with the party who reported the collection to delete the reporting.

That is a valid contract.

 

Negotiating with the OC is an around the barn process.  They did not report the collection, and thus cannot report its deletion.  They can request their debt collector delete, but ultmately cannot require it.  As long as the debt collector had collection authority at some point, which they did, they can rreport.

The only deletion "requirment" possible thru paying the OC is if the OC termiantes the collection authority to the debt collector PRIOR to your payment of the debt.

That will then trigger the CRA policy that a debt collector delete their collection if their collection authority is terminated prior to payment of the debt.

 

I would only take the around the barn approach of requesting the OC to terminate their collection authority prior to any payemnt of the debt if the debt collector will not agree to a direct negotiation of a PFD,

Message 5 of 6
Bmac66
Frequent Contributor

Re: LJ Ross (CA) or OC - Which to negotiate with?

I'm in the same boat with LJ Ross and BGE is the OC.  OP, did you have any success with any of this?  Can we contact the OC and pay them directly?  I'm wondering if that's in conflict with whatever agreement they have with the CA.  My guess is they agree not to do that, otherwise the CA does not get paid.  LJ Ross is saying "it's illegal" to PFD. I just want the damn thing off my CR. I'm happy to pay but not unless I know it will be deleted. Othewise, what's the point?

Message 6 of 6
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