Am I Screwed ??!! Please Help Me !!

[fsugirl]

I have been working desperatly to rebuild credit, and unbenownst (sp?) to me I had a collection account from our old home for their GARBAGE SERVICE ?!?!!! for 190.00 that just was reported ??!!!! I am livid !! Plus my scores went down 20 points because of it !!!! Am I totally screwed now ???!!! HELP !!!

[BK'd-Betty]

Is it a collection agency reporting it, or the original creditor?

I have been working desperatly to rebuild credit, and unbenownst (sp?) to me I had a collection account from our old home for their GARBAGE SERVICE ?!?!!! for 190.00 that just was reported ??!!!! I am livid !! Plus my scores went down 20 points because of it !!!! Am I totally screwed now ???!!! HELP !!!

[BK'd-Betty]

If it's a collection agency - first make them validate the debt, not verify, but validate. After you request validation, they have 30 days to prove the debt is yours and that they have a legal right to collect it. If they don't validate, then dispute with the CRA for deletion.

You could also offer to PFD (pay for delete), offer to pay in full in return for deletion.

Collection agencies and junk debt buyers often will agree to PFD since they only paid pennies on the dollar for the debt and are usually expecting the debtor to settle for less money. If you come to a PFD agreement, get it in writing - that way if they fail to delete after paying, you'll have the correspondence from them to prove to the CRA's that they agreed to take it off the report.

I had one that I did just that on a few weeks ago - it's GONE from my credit reports now.

I don't know what the rules here are for referring to another forum, but there is a fantastic credit repair forum LOADED with information on how to handle this exact situation.

You can PM me if you want and I'll give you the link. I would post it here, but I'm afraid I might be breaking some rules.

[BK'd-Betty]

I have been givin permission by one of the mods to refer to the other site.

It's: http://www.creditboards.com/forums/

This site is huge and can be overwhelming when you first go there. Just give it some time and patience, you'll learn so much.

I have raised our credit scores by about 100 points on average using the methods I've learned on that site.

They have a bankruptcy section, but it doesn't come close to providing the information provided here, so I wouldn't concentrate on using the BK section of that site for credit repair. Use "CREDIT" forum. For BK information, THIS site (bkforum.com, the one you are on right now) cannot be beat.

My guess is, most people here already know about it - I've seen some the same user names on both boards.

Good luck & Happy Holidays!!!!

[niteflytes]

Thanks for the link! I look forward to being able to start repairing my credit and this will be a great help.

niteflytes

[SinkingFast]

I've picked up a few tips at that site as well, Betty.

They do have lots of great info about the Credit side. Problem with posting there, I found, is they look down their nose at you if you have financial problems.

I found them before I found this site and posted a BK related Q. Got absolutely no help and quite a few snitty comments too.

Hey!! $h*t happens to all of us!!

But you can learn a lot about the Credit side and disputing and such there.

[BK'd-Betty]

I know what you mean SinkingFast - that site def does not have the "family" feel that this site has and when I first starting posting over there, I felt the same way.

98% of the people on that board have financial difficulty (otherwise they wouldn't be on a credit repair board LOL), but I think the majority are trying to avoid BK - and if you read some of the messages, I personally, see BK in some of their futures. Some people over there are on a quest to get as much unsecured credit as possible. It's actually quite scary! LOL

Anyway, I didn't get much help on my first few messages, but I think it's because the board is huge and very busy and I think they tend to overlook newbie's. I was persistent and now I feel right in the groove over there and get many responses to my questions. However, most of what I've learned is by reading (for hours and hours) the threads over there that already exist.

I have my BK info in my siggie over there and I haven't had anyone give me a hard time about. There are many members who are 5-9 years out of BK that post, and when reading their stories and about their recovery - it really gives you hope and shows that there is recovery from BK.

It's definitely an informational site - I don't feel the kindred spirit that I feel here. YMMV!

I've picked up a few tips at that site as well, Betty.

They do have lots of great info about the Credit side. Problem with posting there, I found, is they look down their nose at you if you have financial problems.

I found them before I found this site and posted a BK related Q. Got absolutely no help and quite a few snitty comments too.

Hey!! $h*t happens to all of us!!

But you can learn a lot about the Credit side and disputing and such there.