newbie wanting advice on a pay for delete attempt

[mike1232123]

     I have an old (unpaid) electric bill with a power company called Comed.

It was handed over to a collection agency called "torres credit" something or another.

and now, as of April (when i last got my reports) is listed under "Contract Callers Inc."

 

     As stated in the title of this post, I'm a newbie to all this, but it's my understanding that if the debt has been SOLD to a debt collector, you deal with the collection agency, but if it has been REASSIGNED, you can deal with the original creditor.

 

     my three reports show this under the name "contract callers inc."

original amount and balance the same

-from TU report-

responsibility  -  individual

account type - open account ?

original creditor - comed 26499 (utilities)

pay status - >in collection<

loan type - collection agency/attorney

 

remarks - placed for collection

 

     this was all quite easy to read, because since Transunion wanted to give me trouble in accepting that I was me, I requested (at no charge) to get my report in "large print"

 

     I believe this debt has been "sold" to the collectors, can someone tell me from what i put from my transunion report wether this was "sold or "re-assigned"?

 

    anyway, i've prepared a nice pay for delete letter, and I'm prepared to send it off to the CA, just before I do, I want to make sure I shouldn't try to deal with the OC first. Also want to make sure that the first CA that had it wont be able to (or be likely to) report it again.

 

     I don't know what the terms "charge-off" means or if this is one or not.

all i know is this is by far the worst thing on my reports and i want to get it gone.

i've heard people having sucess with pay for deletes when dealing with utility companies.

 

     also it seems pretty standard in the PFD letter to give 15 days to respond before requesting full verification, and suggest removing negative reports within ten days of reciving certified funds. do these timeframes seem right?

 

     any useful information from people with sucess in dealing with pfd's, and/or general knowledge on the subject would be very much appreciated.

 

**added a few hours later--

     I should have mentioned, the electric account went bad (disconnect) around 2009,

     this collection agency (at least the 2nd to handle it) has august 2011 as the earliest date on my reports.

[CordusAdmin]

Since this debt has been charged-off, you are going to deal with the collection agency.  And, you are going to want to have them validate the debt first.  Read this and it will give you all of the info = http://www.creditinfocenter.com/debt/pay-for-delete.shtml

 

Bottom line, if the CO can not validate the debt, they need to remove it from your CR.

[admin]

@mike1232123 - You should always try and pay the debt to the original creditor.  If they won't take it, then you are stuck paying the collection agency.  However, debt validation against a debt collector seems to be extraordinarily effective these days, especially against Midland Funding.  

[mike1232123]

so what would be the first step?

its only $249.

if i tell them to validate is it likely that they would? (sucessfully), if so, once they have would they refuse to pfd?

 

i made up a letter, basically a nice professional sounding:

i dont know anything about this debt but ill pay you 249 to remove it from cra's not limited to but including tu, exp, and equi. within 10 days and to keep your mout shut about it to everyone but the oc

agree in 15 days and ill send certified funds,

dont and ill withdraw and request full validation.

 

should i send this letter?

would i potentially be risking anything by asking them to validate first?

 

of course, i'd rather not pay, but i dont want to chance it sticking another 3 years.

 

*?*? if i get the oc to take payment, does the ca have to delete? (without the oc starting to report it?)

[admin]

@mike1232123 - the first step is to call the OC and see if they will take your money.  

[mike1232123]

then what type of payment should i offer?

credit card over the phone seems kinda shaky, like they could apply it however, (like through ca on paper) and just mark it as paid.

could this happen, or iam i jjust being paranoid?

[CordusAdmin]

@mike1232123 - you are right to be paranoid!  First, you need to get an agreement with them IN WRITING and I would send them a Money Order.   This way they do not have your bank account information nor any credit card numbers.

[admin]

then what type of payment should i offer?

credit card over the phone seems kinda shaky, like they could apply it however, (like through ca on paper) and just mark it as paid.

could this happen, or iam i jjust being paranoid?

@mike1232123 - I think it's fine to offer a credit card over the phone to the OC.  

[mike1232123]

so if the OC accepts payment, is this entry deleted from my reports?

[admin]

so if the OC accepts payment, is this entry deleted from my reports?

@mike1232123- The collection may be deleted.  If you dispute it with the credit bureaus and write a strongly worded letter to the CA.  

[mike1232123]

"may" be deleted?

why wouldn't i do i pfd to the ca so they'd be obligated to remove it?

even if they dont go for it, what's the downfall?

[admin]

"may" be deleted?

why wouldn't i do i pfd to the ca so they'd be obligated to remove it?

even if they dont go for it, what's the downfall?

@mike1232123 - I'd try paying the OC first.  If they take the payment, then the collection agency should not report to the CRAs.   If that doesn't work, then do pay for delete with the CAs.

[mike1232123]

when you say try paying the OC first, do you mean send them a pfd letter? (of course mentioning the ca's account# and credit report entries)

[admin]

when you say try paying the OC first, do you mean send them a pfd letter? (of course mentioning the ca's account# and credit report entries)

@mike1232123 - no the OC will not do pay for delete.  That's only with the CA.  However, if you can get the OC to accept payment, many times they will recall the collection.  

[mike1232123]

so what would be the downside to making a pfd offer to the ca first?

[admin]

so what would be the downside to making a pfd offer to the ca first?

@mike1232123 - If you pay the OC first, they should recall the collection.  If the collection is recalled, then it shouldn't report on your credit report.  

 

If you do a pay for delete first, there is no guarantee they will take it and sometimes the CA doesn't abide by the contract.  It's easier to get a collection off it you've paid the OC and not the CA.