Sad day :-(

[ladydeac]

I have been hounding EQ to update and delete an incorrect collection account that is still showing in dispute.  After countless calls, letter faxing, and even calls to the CA that said they'd submitted the deletion back in January, I logon today and see that it's gone!  YAY right?  NO....in it's place is another collection for $41!!!  My score was down 22 points.  On my EX monitoring, the FAKO dropped a full 83 points.  That tells me that the disputed collection falling off would probably have netted my EQ a pretty big jump.

Apparently there was an old book club debt back from 2009 that just decided to show up.  I'm not sure if it's because I've applied for credit (auto, cc) lately and they saw those inquiries or not.  While I wasn't aware there was a leftover balance, I am pretty sure it's mine, so I called them.

I got a very rude lady first. who snapped at me when I asked why I hadn't received a notice prior to reporting.  She claimed a letter was sent (to my old address, as I moved 6 months ago) and that the balance is 3 years old so I should have known about it when I received the statement.  Because I was so frustrated, I just ended that call.

Once my nerves calmed, I called again.  I told her that I didn't want to argue such a small amount, and I'd just rather take care of it.  I guess I foolishly negotiated a PFD over the phone.  She told me that I could call her back, make sure the payment cleared, and they would submit the request on Monday to update the credit bureaus.  The rep said they could only REQUEST to have it removed, but there was no guarantee that they would do it. (Was this just her way of covering or maybe they won't have it deleted?)

Did my nerves and frustration get the best of me, and did I mess up by just paying it before waiting to mail a PFD?  Should I go ahead and send a GW letter also, even though the rep said they would 'update'?  I told her that I needed this off, and she did say I could fax a request to have them send a letter to whatever financial institution I was dealing with stating the balance was zero (I'm assuming she thought I may be trying to do a mortgage or something).

ARrrrrrggggghhhh..... :-(  I'm so frustrated.....

[Tuscani]

I would still send the PFD letter. You really want to get this in writing so you have some recourse if the TL was to ever reappear.

PS.. Keep in mind there are some things FICO will not calculate while a TL is in dispute. Does that mean you should dispute in hopes of increasing your score? NO! This could easily backfire. Collections and public records do not apply and are never exempt while in dispute.

[ladydeac]

Thanks for the feedback!  I went ahead and paid it.  I am about to fax, as well as mail, the PFD letter just to make sure all of my bases are covered.  Praying that it will be removed.

[Tuscani]

No prob.. However, try and get something in writing BEFORE you pay next time. Since you paid already you lost the upperhand\leverage and they have no incentive or obligation to remove now.

[ladydeac]

I think I panicked!!! lol.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

If you already paid it, you can't send a PFD at this point. You'd have to send a GW.

Follow up with the lady who said they'd delete.

Next time do this through writing. One panics less when doing it that way.

[ladydeac]

Ok great.  I will GW...this worked for the other paid collection account I had so I'll keep my fingers crossed that they will keep their word.

I'd worked so hard to get to this point and only had two to go, the one that fell off this morning and another that had been PDF'd and I'm just waiting on the update to occur.  When I saw this new one I was devastated!!!

[Booner72]

OPT OUT

[ladydeac]

I did finally, after reading this board...but apparently too late.