*UPDATE - 70 Pt Bump! Merrick Bank / FBCS

[Shansx]

I have been working hard to rebuild my credit and clean up my credit report. I have also been studying everything I can find and have learned so much in these forums. I have had a few collection accounts deleted from my file, but from what Im reading, I think my charged off Merrick Bank acct may need to be the next thing I tackle due to the credit utilization % it is reporting. It reports as charged off but updates monthly. It shows my credit limit as $2000 and my current balance at $2459. Just looked on annualcreditreport.com and the account will be removed in Aug of '23. There is no collection agency reporting. I have attempted to contact Merrick the past few days and have sat on hold for over an hour each time before finally hanging up. In reading on here, I saw that Carlson Smith is typically the CA for Merrick so I reached out to them today. They told me that First Consumers Business Solutions is handling my acct. First Consumers said they could see the acct, but had not received the file yet. They took my updated contact info and said they would get the file from Merrick and be in touch...probably about a week before I hear back. 

I've read about dealings with Carlson Smith, but can't find anything in here about dealings with First Consumers. Does anyone know my chances for a pay for delete and/or a settle for less? Or what else I may need to be aware of?

[mycreditscoreisfair]

I've never heard of First Consumers, but if they're not reporting on your credit report than there will be nothing for them to delete. Hopefully, they won't start reporting when they receive the file. More than likely, if they're only collecting, then they are likely obligated to accept whatever Merrick is willing to accept. I would search for Merrick settlements on this forum to see what others have experienced.

Your best bet is to pay a settlement through First Consumers and have the balance reduced to zero. That will fix your utilization and allow the charge off to stop reporting each month.

You could eventually try to request a goodwill removal from Merrick once the account is paid but that seems like a long shot, at best.

[Anonymous]

Ironically, I called Merrick yesterday and they put me on hold for about 5 minutes.  My account has been charged off for about 6 years.  I was then told to call a number for FCBS. I immediately call and apparently when I was on with Merrick, they had just transferred my account over so I'm in the same boat.  The guy offered to know 30% off the balance immediately for a settlement but I told him 30% is what I was looking to settle for...not 70%.  I got the same thing of being told I'll have to wait for them to get the file.  They said it could take weeks even.  Upsetting since I'm looking to pay and get it resolved/settled now.

[SoonerSoldier33]

I wonder if Merrick is changing the way they do collections. Carson Smithfield has been Merrick's in house CA. My CO with Merrick was reporting monthly a balance of $2100 on a $1700 CL for a utilization of 125%. I received emails from Carson Smithfield, but no CA was ever reported. Just the original CO with Merrick. I went to Carson's website, csfsolutions.com, and navigated to the payment options page. They offered $850 to settle in full, or about 40% of my original balance. I took it, paid online one lump sum, and the CO balance was reported to $0 to the bureaus 3 days later. Very easy process, and this was just last week. Interesting that a new agency is involved now.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like you are on the right track and things are getting better for you

Keep up the good work

Thanks

Mark

[draychi]

Haven't heard of them. Carson is usually the collections for Merrick. I talked to them on the phone last week and was able to settle a 5 year old $995 CO for $298. I got them a few days before they report and it was an easy 23 point increase.

If you're at 6 years, talk them down as much as you can, pay it, then try early exclusions from the CB's maybe.

[jnbowmar]

My last unpaid CO is with Merrick also, and I had a soft inquiry from First Buisness Consumer Solutions about a week ago.

Ive contacted Carson Smithfield 3 months ago but they gave me the number for an agency  (Vervent, who sp my credit last year) that got bought out and was no longer doing collections work on merrick

So i tried to put my info my carson smithfields website to veiw any offers and it says my information cannot be found.

Emailed FBCS to get my file number to pay them instead, but they replied saying they refuse to communicate through email.

Merrick typically updates on the first, but has not updated at all for August.

Im past SOL so im not trying to call and offer to pay because it could reset the SOL and they could sue me, but as of right now, even tho I WANT to pay it, I can't.

Unless someone sends me an offer letter or a way to pay it online, I'll just wait to buy a house in 2023, has Merrick refused payment from anyone else outside the SOL?

[jnbowmar]

Just wanted to add an update to my experiance with FBCS, they did in fact mail me an offer letter with very good offer, 451 to resovle a 1505 charge off with Merrick bank.

Tried to accept online, and it said online payments couldnt be processsed.

So i Called today and accepted the offer and made payment of 451 with my bank account.

Will update if they try any funny stuff. 

[SoonerSoldier33]

Wow! That's like 30%! Nice! I'm a little jealous. Lol. Keep us updated on reporting status now that they changed CAs. Congrats!

[Anonymous]

Hello, Did you ever hear back from FCBS?  Did they receive your file and did you get to settle?  I contacted them as well for a Merrick charge off that's been reporting monthly and I want this settled on my credit reports asap.