Amerikaner83

I'd honestly go the arbitration route. Midland is a debt buyer, don't settle with them , let alone for the full amount!

Bellona, No need to resurrect a three year old thread for this nonsense. You sound like you're holding a sign saying THE END IS NEAR wearing your tinfoil hat on the corner. /Locked.

Have you looked around yet? There are several good posts (including a few by yours truly) outlining the 623 process. Check the "Primer on credit repair" sticky (link in my sig), I think you'll find a good place to start there. Also, you are in Texas, so be aware you may have additional rights afforded you regarding credit and collections under Texas State law.

Also, did the dates of the charges (statement) match up with your name/address at the time you lived there? Could someone else have taken out an account in your name? "I do not remember this card" is not going to fly in Court. At this point, your "next move" should always be do what the Court says. How was your "request for more information" sent to LVNV? Did you file a copy with the Court?

Hi Backfromthedebt - Quite the history lesson you're giving - I love it!

Clydesmom is correct. Some states (Texas obviously included) have much better consumer protections than others. It always behooves someone to research their state laws to see what (if any) extra provisions apply to them. OP is in Texas, so if we were to go back in time, OP could DV anytime. HOWEVER it appears as if we're past that now...as OP has already been sued. And, based on the original post, it would reasonably appear that the information provided by them constitutes validation of the debt.

Hi! 😎

Also, a good rule of thumb with a mortgage is to actually run the numbers yourself and know what you can afford. What YOU can comfortably afford may not be in line with what the bank says you can afford. It would be a bad situation if you bought a house with a mortgage of (as example) 2K monthly just because the bank approved you for it, though you could only reasonably afford a mortgage of 1500 monthly. I speak from experience on this one. When my wife and I took out our mortgage, the bank approved us for more than we wanted. We did our budget and figured our monthly payment out, and from there, reversed it to find out the max loan we could afford. And of course, the higher your FICO the better your terms. The better your terms, the lower the interest rate = the lower your monthly payment. This is excellent advise.

If you want to GW it off, then pay Macys in full. Wait a couple months after a dispute and then write your GW letter, addressed of course to the President of the company. That's how I got Target (OC debt) and a couple CA's off mine

No they will not drop off. Are you actually BEHIND on the loans? Word of advice - don't follow your credit score like the proverbial bouncing ball...you'll just give yourself headaches and vertigo. If you make good credit choices and develop good credit habits, your score will improve as a natural result.

You know, that's not a bad idea....at least 20 percent of the house as a down payment. 51% is a bit extreme imo but...

That's the good kind of big brother to have

A whole bunch of nothing, imo. Article says "credit score" but doesn't even bother explaining until towards the end that it's in no way relevant to your FICO. Besides, it's not even in the USA. Also, it's a program that the borrowers wilingly get into...and the only "score" aspectis your internal score with whatever company it is. Lame.

Discovery goes to S and H. Everything you file goes to them, you do not contact Midland for anything.

Racecar and Shellie are giving you some GREAT advice here Evergreen division is in Monroe...it's not that far out of the way tbh...could be Lynnwood. The fair is in town now, might be worth it to take a weekday and visit the fair, and then hit the courthouse on your way over or back (it's right there on hwy 2, adjacent to the fairgrounds), get yourself familiar with the Clerk and have face-to-face chat with them. I've found (at least when i go in for traffic infraction stuff) that's a good way to get some intel. Here's another word of advice: stop talking to your friend who works at a collection agency. STOP IT. i don't give a flying you-know-what if he's your frat bother or your neighbor's sister's brother in law. Do NOT talk to him about any aspect of your case, capisce? You'll be fine...the amount is not that high, and to be honest, it looks as if they don't have much evidence anyhow. Target is original bak, then midland, then stupid and hammertime...S/H is the one suing you, yes? On Bahalf of Midland, or as themselves? Look at chain of custody of the debt...how did it get to midland...that sort of thing. As mentioned before, you didn't ever have an account with midland. Not sure if you've already done so or not, but look up cases invloving midland in WA state and see how they've gone. Most will be default judgments. Ignore those ones, since you're not gonna let them get a Default against you since your'e going to fight this.