What to do?

[FixMyCredit1992]

I currently have a collections account. OC is Directv, CA is virtuoso sourcing. Amt is $1,035.00.

The reason this account got so high is due to the fact I could not suspend my service because there was a balance on my account. Directv REQUIRES the account to be current to freeze it.

I lost my job about a year ago and was unable to pay the bill already on there, which was around $100. 

I pleaded with them multiple times to freeze my account due to job loss but they said it's "hard coded" and they cant "over-ride the system" (sounds like a BS answer but that is what it said).

Directv did not shut the account off for over 6 months, and of course added termination fees, which snow-balled into over $1,000.

Thing is, this was not an account I was irresponsible with and did not pay like some teens do with a credit card, I was absolutely unable to pay it due to job loss.

Therefore, I don't really feel like this debt is valid. Directv would NOT allow me to suspend my account, and charged me against my will. 

It would be different if I had a way to stop the billing, but it was beyond my control. I tried to pay the account off early, but by the time I saved enough to pay it off, they added another month of billing. I got to the point where I was pawning my own stuff to pay the bill, and I still could not keep up. 

I submitted a DV letter to them, which they did validate. 

I believe this account is hampering my ability to obtain credit. Again, I could pay it off, but I feel like I would be wasting my hard earned money paying off a debt that was impossible for me to accrue. 

Does anyone have any advice to offer on what to do? 

I think there should be options in service contracts where if your employment ends the contract ends too. Seems unfair to continue to charge someone when they can't afford to pay it due to unemployment, vs just "ignoring" it.

[guiness56]

You could try a direct dispute with DirectTV and outline why you think it is reporting incorrectly or why you should not owe that amount.

[FixMyCredit1992]

I know this is probably a stupid question, but would sending them a good will letter work? 

[guiness56]

I doubt they would remove it with a GW letter.  But, maybe ask for some type of forgiveness with the early termination fees, etc.  You tried to have your service suspended and they wouldn't budge, now you owe a lot more.  And it took them 6 months to disconnect it.  To me that is very poor business practices.

Write it to the CEO of DirectTV and explain everything.  Maybe the new year will start off on a good note

[FixMyCredit1992]

Oddly enough the DV letter I sent them a few months ago was sent to the CA, but came back from the OC (Directv).

The letter also asked to mail payment to Directv, and not the CA.

Why would th OC want the money when they have assigned it to a CA?

[guiness56]

That is not really that uncommon.  The CA went the extra mile to validate.

Seems like the OC was doing a pre-collection, meaning it had not offically been sent to a CA for collections but for them to attempt to get payment.  That happens a lot.  If you pay, then it will never become a full blown colleciton account and never on your CR.

If it is on your CR then it is offically a collections.

When it is assinged to a CA the OC can still take the money.  Or it is possibly an in house collector.

[TaylorDal]

Write the office of the president:

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageIFnorail.jsp?assetId=P4960016

Someone should reach out to you directly from the office fairly fast! Good luck.

[FixMyCredit1992]

Since the debt is now with the CA, would it be a waste of time to contact Directv? I thought once a debt is sold the OC washes their hands of it completely. 

[TaylorDal]

I think it's still worth a shot!