I have never heard from a Collection Agency regarding a Debt on my Credit Report...Can I still have them...?

Question

Validate this debt, because I have proof that I should not be responsible. This is what it looks like on my credit report:

CONSERVE
Date Reported: 10/2005
Date Assigned: 08/2003
Creditor Classification:
Creditor Name: MARYMOUNT MANHATTAN COLL TUIT
Accounts Number: 83XXXX
Account Owner: Individual Account
Original Amount Owned: $11,642
Date of 1 st Delinquency: 09/2002
Balance Date: 10/2005
Balance Owned: $11,642
Last Payment Date: n/a
Status Date: 10/2005
Status: D - Unpaid
Comments: N/A

Answer 1

I think you have the right idea. However, just to clarify...Collection agencies "validate" and Original Collectors "verify".



If you have proof that you should not be responsible for this alleged debt then definitely ask for validation from this collector. In the meantime, do not call marymount as you will not have proof of statement...send a certified mailed letter to marymount regarding the status of the account. With the original collector you may want to submit copies of your proof.



However, with the collection agency, do not submit any of your proof to them. You cannot trust that information will "jump" from one document to another. Under the law the burden of proof is on them.



Send the request for validation by certified mail return receipt requested. If they do not return proof to you in 30 days from receipt then send a second round. This time when you get the green card back, immediately initiate a dispute with the credit reporting agency on the grounds that the collection agency has failed to validate this debt and therefore there is no debt.



The credit reporting agency cannot verify a debt that cannot be validated. Send copies of your validation letters and certified mail receipts with your dispute as evidence.



IF the collection agency does happen to verify the debt without validating it to you they will have broken the law and you are entitled to pursue damages under the FDCPA/FCRA laws.

Answer 2

Yes regardless to whether or not they send you a bill it is reported to the agency and 9 x out of 10 it is a collection accont. Also know this find out when it was opened, try to do as much research on your own send a disputed letter to the co before the credit agency and ask for an itemized bill, by law the original creditors must contact you in regarding the matters above. Find out if it is more than 7 years old they should not be reporting it anyway.

Answer 3

Yes, write to Marymount.



In the meantime, request a copy of your credit report from one of the three major agencies. If the Marymount debt is listed on your credit report, send a copy of your Marymount letter to each of the agencies so they will have your denial of responsibility included in your credit report. The credit agencies are required to contact Marymount for an explanation, which will also be included in your credit report.



Note that you are entitled to a free annual report from each of the three agencies. Since they basically all have the same information, by requesting a free report every four months, alternating between agencies, you can easily stay on top of your credit status at no expense to you. This can all be done online.

Answer 4

Try to get in touch with a live person at the collection agency and ask them for written documentation regarding when the debt was incurred, who incurred it, and what action has been taken prior to this. They should be able to provide all these items. If they can't, they have no legal leg to stand on and must write-off the debt with no adverse credit reporting. If they do provide the information and it is fraudulent, tell them so and many times they will write it off, again with no adverse credit reporting. If it is fraudulent but they refuse to drop it, contact a lawyer.

Answer 5

Yes, you always have the right to dispute what is on your credit report, because a delinquint debt will affect your credit rating and credit score whether or not it has entered collections. Chances are that it never will enter collections if the lender knows that the money isn't owed to them, they just never corrected the information with the credit bureaus.

Answer 6

Send the credit bureau the proof that you have, they will investigate and clear that item from your credit report within sixty days if it turns out to be right. Ask for a dispute resolution form and fill it in with the info you have.

Answer 7

You need to contact Marymount Manhattan College.

Answer 8

YES!! In fact, you should go to them directly. The collection agency doesn't know any of the details.

Answer 9

Just contest it. There's info on how to do that on the credit report.

Answer 10

you need to go to free credit report.com and dispute this item and give them the reason. and write the credit reporting agency and keep disputing it.