Have to repair my credit - Please help

[san123_99]

Hi,

on aug 2003 I bought new home, I Changed addresses on all my credit cards except one. I forgot one ( That happened to be owned by citibank)

Now i use to charge my AAA bill oh that card. I did not receive that bill untill a collection call from an agency in dec 2004. They said i owe citibank some 170$ , that was 60$ AAA + remaining late fees. I just gave my checking account details to collection agency and paid the bill.

But now major shock to me was that one collection took my score down by 80 points , and that too because i forgot to change the address and i did not receive the bill.

I called transunion and told them that this was because of change of address , they opened an inquiry and concluded that as per citibank it was not because of change of address.

Can someone please give me some advice on , is there any way i can remove this collection mess from my credit report.

BTW I have checking and saving account with citibank and they say that they were unable to track my new address.

[breathing_easier]

Welcome to the CIC!

The U.S. Post Office automatically forwards mail from your old address to your new for one full year, even if you have forgotten to give a creditor your new address. I would imagine that's why CitiBank isn't buying that you didn't pay their bill because you forgot to give them your new address. Also, didn't you wonder why you weren't receiving anything from CitiBank after your move? Not trying to give you a hard time, just trying to show you the way CitiBank would think in this situation.

Okay, so you admit you messed up and now you have an ugly collection TL on your reports. Most of us here are very familiar with those ugly collection TLs and will do whatever we can to help you.

Do you know if the CA you dealt with purchased the account from CitiBank (making them a junk debt buyer) or if they are acting on behalf of CitiBank? You first need to send the CA a debt validation (DV) letter via certified mail, return receipt requested (CMRRR). Once you receive the CMRRR receipt (green card) back, you need to dispute the CitiBank TL with the CRA(s). If the CA verifies the TL with the CRA(s) without validating it with you, then that's a FDCPA violation. However, since this collection is so recent, it may not be difficult for them to validate, especially since it seems to involve just one transaction.

Another way to remove a negative TL is by sending the original creditor (OC - CitiBank) a goodwill letter. Tell them due to all of the confusion of the move, etc., you forgot about their account, are so, so sorry, etc., etc. Many here have had success with goodwill letters.

[HeartRN]

There's a sticky at the top of the collections forum about how to remove paid collections.

http://debt-consolidation-credit-repair-service.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=14811

[san123_99]

Infact I have checking and saving account as well as one more credit card with citibank. I changed my address with citibank online banking.

And they say it changed address on only bank account and one credit card and not the other one. I know it's a mess.

And US post office did forward me mail upto one year but I changed my residence in Aug 2003. This AAA charge came on to that credit card in SEP 2004. And went to collection in DEC 2004. BAD LUCK.

Can someone please give me a copy of good will letter?? Hope this works.