I made a big mistake!!

[shllby1]

I am trying to clean up my DH's credit which has about 13 unpaid and negatvies on his report.His FICO scores are mid 500's. I am a newbie so I am in the process of reading about sending out the DV letters. I, like an idiot, called a CA the other day that I seen on his report it was a bill for T-mobile which I had no idea what is was. I argued with the girl on the phone because his report says "date opened 2006" and she is saying it was open in 2002. Well I asked her for validation and she tells me to call the another CA. I did not even get the number I just told her I would mail a DV letter out and hung up. Is that what I should do right now? I am kind of intimidated by these people, they are mean and very pushy. Also that same day I gave out my checking account number with post dated checks to another collecter, then immediatly had to go close our account and get a new one for fear of them taking more then I agree. I made 2 big mistakes last week. I could not believe how pushy they were. I only agreed to do the checks for a pay to delete which they said they cannot do. Ughh......Am I right in taking the first step to send out letters? Should I send them to the 2 places I talked to this past week first? Thanks alot.

[PolarBearnCO]

Also that same day I gave out my checking account number with post dated checks to another collecter, then immediatly had to go close our account and get a new one for fear of them taking more then I agree.

Talk with your bank!!

#1. Find out if your bank has fees for someone trying to collect funds from a closed account. My gf's mom accidentally pulled out an old checkbook recently and wrote a $40 check. It ended up costing her embarrassment, lower credit through ChexSystems, and about $150. Make sure the bank knows why you closed. Maybe they'll work with you when the post-dated checks attempt to clear.

#2. Also look into bad check laws. If you gave a CA post-dated checks to a now-invalid account, that may be considered a bad check. Worst case, you could go to jail for that. Best case, the CA could immediately take you to court for that immediately and put judgements against ya, causing more damage. I don't know the laws here. I've never written a bad check. But, as a mailman in a ghetto neighborhood, I deliver a lot of "Bad Check 18th District" mail.

[PolarBearnCO]

Oh, and don't worry. We all make these mistakes. About 6 months ago, I paid 5 non-medical collections over the phone totally about $700. One offered to delete upon payment over the phone, and did. One offered a 20% off settlement over the phone and honored it. So, now I four TLs that'll be stuck on my record for years to come. If only I had checked this site first. May have been easy to turn a few more of them into PFDs.

[shllby1]

Oh, and don't worry. We all make these mistakes. About 6 months ago, I paid 5 non-medical collections over the phone totally about $700. One offered to delete upon payment over the phone, and did. One offered a 20% off settlement over the phone and honored it. So, now I four TLs that'll be stuck on my record for years to come. If only I had checked this site first. May have been easy to turn a few more of them into PFDs.

I am glad I am not the only one to make a boo boo, lol....Did you do any DV letters?

[tropicaljo]

Oh boy! PolarBearnCO is sooo right about us all having made mistakes along the way! But you mostly just need to back up and punt, if ya know what I mean. You should definitely follow his advice about your banking boo-boo. And just so ya know, unless a creditor has a formal and legal judgment against you, they can get in big trouble for taking more out of your account than the check is written for, however, sending them a check gives them your bank routing and account numbers for when they do decide to try to get a judgment.

Also, do not talk to CA's on the phone. Read around here and you'll see that advice repeatedly. CA's are almost always mean and disrespectful and will bully you into doing or saying something that is not in your best interest. I think you probably got that lesson thru this experience. Don't let them tell you they can't delete or stop reporting information if you pay the debt. There is abundant precident to show that they can.

I can't tell you how many DV letters I sent out when I was working on mine and DH's reports, but if you follow the strategy that is recommended here at this site, you will get wonderful results. I can't explain in words the sense of empowerment I felt every time a negative was deleted as a result of MY efforts. Some creditors caved pretty quick, but others were stubborn and I had to really work (research) at finding a way to get them to stop reporting incorrect information. I eventually became so familiar with the FDCPA and the FCRA that I was able to make a couple of CA's pay me significant sums to not prosecute them for violations.

So send out your DV's. Make them prove that you owe the "alleged" debts.

Good luck and keep us posted!

[shllby1]

Oh boy! PolarBearnCO is sooo right about us all having made mistakes along the way! But you mostly just need to back up and punt, if ya know what I mean. You should definitely follow his advice about your banking boo-boo. And just so ya know, unless a creditor has a formal and legal judgment against you, they can get in big trouble for taking more out of your account than the check is written for, however, sending them a check gives them your bank routing and account numbers for when they do decide to try to get a judgment.

Also, do not talk to CA's on the phone. Read around here and you'll see that advice repeatedly. CA's are almost always mean and disrespectful and will bully you into doing or saying something that is not in your best interest. I think you probably got that lesson thru this experience. Don't let them tell you they can't delete or stop reporting information if you pay the debt. There is abundant precident to show that they can.

I can't tell you how many DV letters I sent out when I was working on mine and DH's reports, but if you follow the strategy that is recommended here at this site, you will get wonderful results. I can't explain in words the sense of empowerment I felt every time a negative was deleted as a result of MY efforts. Some creditors caved pretty quick, but others were stubborn and I had to really work (research) at finding a way to get them to stop reporting incorrect information. I eventually became so familiar with the FDCPA and the FCRA that I was able to make a couple of CA's pay me significant sums to not prosecute them for violations.

So send out your DV's. Make them prove that you owe the "alleged" debts.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Thanks for the info. I want to send out DV letters to all these places but most of them are anywhere from 5-1 year old. Isnt it too late to send out a dv letter?

[tropicaljo]

Actually, the older the account, the better for you. You see, as time goes by, people get sloppy. Paperwork gets misplaced, misfiled, or just outright lost. Then add the element that the debt contract is sold a time or two. Again, an opportunity for validation documents to be lost in the tranfer.

The older an account is the easier it is for you to dispute, especially if the contract has been sold a time or two. Also, these "creditors" who are representing themselves as CA's have most likely bought the contract for pennies on the dollar and they're gonna try to get you to pay the whole amount of the original debt, whether they have all the correct documentation or not. The correct term for these companies is JUNK DEBT BUYERS and they are truly the scum of the earth!

DV them and stick to your guns. If they can't provide all the elements that constitute proof then they have to stop reporting the debts. In addition, you'll want to dispute the info with the CRA's. Often, when you dispute an old debt with a CRA, the creditor will have sold the debt and no longer be able to verify the information so the CRA deletes the tradeline. Best thing I can tell you is read everything you can on this site and follow the strategy. IT WORKS!

[shllby1]

Actually, the older the account, the better for you. You see, as time goes by, people get sloppy. Paperwork gets misplaced, misfiled, or just outright lost. Then add the element that the debt contract is sold a time or two. Again, an opportunity for validation documents to be lost in the tranfer.

The older an account is the easier it is for you to dispute, especially if the contract has been sold a time or two. Also, these "creditors" who are representing themselves as CA's have most likely bought the contract for pennies on the dollar and they're gonna try to get you to pay the whole amount of the original debt, whether they have all the correct documentation or not. The correct term for these companies is JUNK DEBT BUYERS and they are truly the scum of the earth!

DV them and stick to your guns. If they can't provide all the elements that constitute proof then they have to stop reporting the debts. In addition, you'll want to dispute the info with the CRA's. Often, when you dispute an old debt with a CRA, the creditor will have sold the debt and no longer be able to verify the information so the CRA deletes the tradeline. Best thing I can tell you is read everything you can on this site and follow the strategy. IT WORKS!

I have been reading so much my head hurts,lol. I am sending out the letters to NCO first, they are the oldest. I am going to ask them for validation. Should I also email the CRA (Eq, EX, and TU) also regarding this or wait until I hear back from NCO? Thanks

[tropicaljo]

First step: Send DV letters via CMRRR. I always said that I "didn't remember making this alleged debt." Wait thirty days from the date on the signed receipt card (the green card) you'll get from the CMRRR. Most likely, especially with the older accounts, you won't get any reply. Don't panic.

Step 2: Dispute with the CRA's explaining that you have DV'd the reporting credtor and he has failed to respond. Include a copy of your green card. The CRA will investigate and if the CA confirms the info with the CRA without having responded to your DV, there's a violation. When you get your updated CR, if the creditor has not listed the debt as "in dispute" there's another violation.

I know there is alot to learn and understand, but the main thing is to not let panic & fear of the CA's get the better of you. Take things one step at a time and if you run into a wall, someone here will always help you come up with a way to get around it.

[shllby1]

First step: Send DV letters via CMRRR. I always said that I "didn't remember making this alleged debt." Wait thirty days from the date on the signed receipt card (the green card) you'll get from the CMRRR. Most likely, especially with the older accounts, you won't get any reply. Don't panic.

Step 2: Dispute with the CRA's explaining that you have DV'd the reporting credtor and he has failed to respond. Include a copy of your green card. The CRA will investigate and if the CA confirms the info with the CRA without having responded to your DV, there's a violation. When you get your updated CR, if the creditor has not listed the debt as "in dispute" there's another violation.

I know there is alot to learn and understand, but the main thing is to not let panic & fear of the CA's get the better of you. Take things one step at a time and if you run into a wall, someone here will always help you come up with a way to get around it.

Ok, so I will NOT talk with the CRA's now just the collectors. Then I will wait and if and when they dont respond I will email or write the CRA's and let them know I have not received validation. I must sound like an idiot, lol....Thank you, this is going to be a long process.

[tropicaljo]

Not as long as you think... I took our scores from "0"'s all across the board to the 600 range in a little over 9 months. You should start having results within 6-8 weeks on the older accounts. Patience is another key to success. Keeping copies of everthing is another important one. Good Luck!

[shllby1]

Not as long as you think... I took our scores from "0"'s all across the board to the 600 range in a little over 9 months. You should start having results within 6-8 weeks on the older accounts. Patience is another key to success. Keeping copies of everthing is another important one. Good Luck!

Man, that is awesome. Our score was in the 580's, well I checked it this morning through the MYFICO and its 456, what the heck. I have no idea how that happened. I know it takes patience, I am willing to take the steps here and see some progress. Its exciting but scary too.