Hi all. So, I’ve been following all of the guidance on these boards and reaching out to prior creditors to request GW deletions of lates on my report from 4+ years ago. I only have one collection account and its only on my Experian. It’s a medical bill for $411 from Financial Recoveries/Kennedy Health System. I’m not going to get into the full story, but the basic gist is that I went to an urgent care place and paid for services at that time. I didn’t realize they had sent out lab work and rushed it back while I was sitting there. The lab company (Kennedy) then sent a bill to an old address that was on my license that the urgent care place photocopied.
Once I realized it was mine and that it was on my report, I began efforts to get it removed. Over the past several years, I’ve tried to request a PFD 3 or 4 different times and been denied every time. It’s now due for deletion in a year and a half. I called Financial Recoveries again a week ago and requested a PFD. The person I spoke to told me that only the supervisor could approve it and that she never agrees to it. She actually was very nice and told me that if I didn’t get approved for the PFD, she recommended I don’t pay them given how soon it will fall off and the risk of re-aging the debt and changing the DOLA. I thanked her and contacted the billing office and executive office of Kennedy Health Systems. They said they would look into it for me. I called back 5 days later and they told me that they were still working on it and had reached out to Financial Recoveries and had spoken to two different VP’s and billing managers within Kennedy. Today I received a call from someone at Financial Recoveries. When I called them back, the person reading the notes said that I have been approved for a PFD. She said they couldn’t give me a letter or email to that effect, but that it would be deleted following payment.
My Experian is currently 696 with this being my only collection. I’m hoping my report takes a nice jump if that is deleted, but given it is 5+ years old, I don't know how much of a difference it will make. Have any of you done a PFD before? Should I trust them to delete it after I pay it? It’s way past the SOL at this point, so they can’t get the money from me unless I give it voluntarily. Thanks in advance for the help!
+1
With that much effort going in to it, most likely it is a valid PFD. If they won't send it in writing, ask if they wouldn't mind you recording the call. If they object, then I would question their motives verbally....why would you have a problem with it? Do you intend on defaulting on this agreement?
Starting Score: 472
You have been given good advice here already, if they default on a verbal agreement there are ways to get them to honor it. You can keep us apprised in this thread as to the progress you are making, good job 
Thanks everyone. I called them back tonight to pay the amount due. When the individual answering the phone said "I have to advise this is an attempt to collect a debt....This call may be monitored or recorded...", I said "Absolutely. If you don't mind, I'm going to do the same." He didn't have a problem with it. He explained that Kennedy (hospital lab) had called them and told them that if I paid the amount due for them to delete it. I paid with my credit card and he said that in 10 days they will send a notification to the credit bureaus and also send me a confirmation letter. I have the recording, as well as the hospital to fall back on if they don't delete it, but while nothing is 100%, it seems to be on the up and up. Thanks again!!
@tbp1015 wrote:Thanks everyone. I called them back tonight to pay the amount due. When the individual answering the phone said "I have to advise this is an attempt to collect a debt....This call may be monitored or recorded...", I said "Absolutely. If you don't mind, I'm going to do the same." He didn't have a problem with it. He explained that Kennedy (hospital lab) had called them and told them that if I paid the amount due for them to delete it. I paid with my credit card and he said that in 10 days they will send a notification to the credit bureaus and also send me a confirmation letter. I have the recording, as well as the hospital to fall back on if they don't delete it, but while nothing is 100%, it seems to be on the up and up. Thanks again!!
Right on, grats
It's always hard trusting them, but it's seemingly getting harder to get these CA to put it in writing. At least in my case. I've successfully gotten 4 collections removed via Verbal PFD (recorded of course) and they all kept their word so far. Good luck!! 
