Mysterious Collection Account Removal

[Anonymous]

Hello all,

Long time lurker, first time poster.   I'm in the process of rebuilding my credit with the goal of getting a mortgage, and a much lower interest car loan. 

I'm actually working with a credit counselor at the mortgage company I intend to use, and part of his process was what he called a "summary" letter to three of my collection accounts.  (TSI/55, Rent Recovery Solutions, and Enhanced Recovery)  All these letters contain is a more formal version of "hey, saw you on my report, can you let me know what I owe ya?"   No PFD request and not even a DV either.   The only one I've heard from so far is the Rent recovery. The other two have received the letters (CMRRR) 

So my "issue" is that TSI/55 has deleted their accounts on my report. It was several different accounts with small amounts totalling about 700$ and the largest single account was $300. These are ALL medical collections from the same OC that I know are legit.  So my optimist side is all excited, but my pessimist side is terrified that they're "up to something" 

The Enhanced Recovery account also disappeared, which is less surprising because it was for an AT&T account that I wasnt sure was mine. 

Does this seem fishy to any of you all?  I have read some horror stories about TSI, Transworld, whatever you want to call them. Just seems odd that they'd delete legit debts without being asked to.

Thanks for listening to my ramblings.

[Anonymous]

I don't know for sure because I am new to the credit game but I'd bet that they sold yyr collections to another agency. Call them and ask. You could set up a payment arrangement to prevent it from being added to your reports again. Just my two cents.

[RobertEG]

A debt collector obtains, and thus can loose, collection authority either as an assigned agent of the owner, or as the owner themselves.

If a debt collector does not own the debt and is only assigned authority to collect on behalf of another, the owner may terminate the assignment and either resume collection on their own or assign to another debt collector.  Some creditors will routinely terminate and reassign to another debt collector if results are not achieved within a set peirod.

If the debt collector owns the debt and sells it to another, then they no longer have collection authority.

In either event, the CRA credit reporting manual clearly instructs debt collectors to delete their reported colleciton if their collection authority is terminated an the debt remains unpaid.  The CRAs have that policy, which is not a requirment under the FCRA or FDCPA, in order to preclude the simultaneous inclusion of multiple collections in a consumer's credit report.

[Anonymous]

So do you think the letter I sent triggered this?  or was it just a colossal coincidence?  The original creditor is a local hospital, and all but one are actually from my ex-wife when we were married. You think maybe the hospital might start contacting me?  Im just so confused and excited and terrified all at the same time, lol.

[RobertEG]

...only way to know for sure is to call them and ask.

Most likely not something that you are chaffing to do.

[Anonymous]

I've already given them a current address, not sure I wanna give them my number just yet. I'll wait till my next CK update monday and see if they re appear under a different name.