I've been trying to ge rip of 2 negative collection agencies reports. How can i do it?

Juan Luis Guerra · Jul 14, 2008

For 5 years my credit (which was very good) has been afected by two collection agencies who work two differet cell phone companies. This is the problem.

1- Both negatives items belong to my ex wife, but were under my name.

2- I've hired about 2 credit fixing agencies, but the items keep coming back as "confirmed" or substantiated.

3- I thought about paying them off, but still will be part of my credit for years. Even if i pay them, it will still be reflected as a negative items. For this reason I've been trying to fight them instead.

4- My credit score was a good 750-770, but after this is currently 640-680, which is not what i want.

5- I want to buy a house in two years, but need you help to handle this situation.

thanks.

Juan Luis Guerra · Jul 15, 2008

Any help?

bostonsoccermdl · Jul 17, 2008

Juan Luis Guerra said: ↑

For 5 years my credit (which was very good) has been afected by two collection agencies who work two differet cell phone companies. This is the problem.

1- Both negatives items belong to my ex wife, but were under my name.

2- I've hired about 2 credit fixing agencies, but the items keep coming back as "confirmed" or substantiated.

3- I thought about paying them off, but still will be part of my credit for years. Even if i pay them, it will still be reflected as a negative items. For this reason I've been trying to fight them instead.

4- My credit score was a good 750-770, but after this is currently 640-680, which is not what i want.

5- I want to buy a house in two years, but need you help to handle this situation.

thanks.
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I really cant offer advice about this but goto to your #2 item..

If you have hired these agencies, so they should have some sort of answer for you.. Did they give you any closure (good or bad?)

I might be wrong here, but since you are paying them for a service, they should have to follow up and either fix your credit or deliver bad news..

So first thing, I would follow up with both of them and demand an explanation (if you havent gotten one yet.)

soccernutter · Jul 20, 2008

Juan Luis Guerra said: ↑

1- Both negatives items belong to my ex wife, but were under my name.
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I am not an expert, but in my experience, very little else matters. Look at it this way - you took on the responsibility. You could have given it to your ex-wife, your son/daughter, your mistress, your employee, your brother, your gardener, your neighbor...you get the point. But you made the agreement with the company to pay the bills.

Now, having worked in cell industry, I do know that if her full information was on the account (including SSN), then you might have a case. But otherwise, from my experience, I don't think you have much of an argument.

Juan Luis Guerra · Aug 19, 2008

soccernutter said: ↑

I am not an expert, but in my experience, very little else matters. Look at it this way - you took on the responsibility. You could have given it to your ex-wife, your son/daughter, your mistress, your employee, your brother, your gardener, your neighbor...you get the point. But you made the agreement with the company to pay the bills.

Now, having worked in cell industry, I do know that if her full information was on the account (including SSN), then you might have a case. But otherwise, from my experience, I don't think you have much of an argument.
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Thanks

Let me tell you that last week i called Verizon and explained them exactly everything you just described above. I told them that I was willing to pay the whole bill if they send a letter to the 3 mayor credit agencies. They gave me a big "NO" out of the blue. I'm going to continue fighting this by sending dispute letters. I hope I will get them remove soon.

bostonsoccermdl · Aug 19, 2008

Juan Luis Guerra said: ↑

Thanks

Let me tell you that last week i called Verizon and explained them exactly everything you just described above. I told them that I was willing to pay the whole bill if they send a letter to the 3 mayor credit agencies. They gave me a big "NO" out of the blue. I'm going to continue fighting this by sending dispute letters. I hope I will get them remove soon.
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Have you contacted each agency yet? and if so, what was the response?

saosebastiao · Aug 25, 2008

Some good old duress helps out quite a bit

Juan Luis Guerra · Aug 25, 2008

bostonsoccermdl said: ↑

Have you contacted each agency yet? and if so, what was the response?
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Yes, I just contacted via regular mail each credit agency. I will let you know the outcome as soon as i get a respond from them. Thanks for ur input.

Metrogo · Sep 3, 2008

You took a leap of faith for love and it didn't work out. While I commend you, I don't see a collection agency or cell phone company being particularly sympathetic to this love story. I say suck it up, pay an extra 50 bucks a month on your mortgage, and be proud that you're not a slave to your economic life.

Juan Luis Guerra · Sep 13, 2008

Thanks to all. I will let you know the outcome as soon as I get a respond from them. I think I should get something by the end of the month.

Felixx219 · Sep 24, 2008

First of, you DO NOT want to pay them. When you pay a collection agency off, it doesnt help your credit. It actually hurts it. Here is why. The age of a collection determines the impact that it has on your score. The older something is the less impact it has. When you pay if off, it resets the date and makes it a current collection. A collection on your credit has the same negative effect whether it is paid off or not. Having it marked paid doesnt improve your score.

Dispute letters are what you want to do. They have to respond to them in 30 days each time or by law it has to be removed. If you keep sending them, they may eventually give up. But, just because it gets removed doesnt mean they cant turn around and report it again and refresh the date of collection which takes us back to my first paragraph.

You may just have to let them stay and they will eventually fall off. Once they get to be a few years old they will have very little impact on your credit anyway.