Paying for a delete?

Submitted by sjoy on Thu, 09/18/2008 - 15:01

Hi, I just found this website and I am trying to read everything I can. I have received 2 settlement offers for credit cards that have been charged off. I read that paying for a delete is better so can I call the numbers they gave and ask for the pay for delete instead or do I have to send a letter ? Thanks in advance for your help

You should always get a pay for delete in writing. Do not pay the debt until you do. Most people find that after they pay the debt and didn't get it put into writing that the debt collector sometimes does not hold uo to their end of the deal. Once they get the money they have no reason to work with you.

Thu, 09/18/2008 - 23:42 Permalink

No doubt, they may and probably will go back on their word once they get their money, definately get the deal in writing so that you can send it into the credit report agencies once you have your paid in full letter to go along with it. Present these two documents to the credit reporting agencies, don't just assume that the collection agency will do it, it is your credit report, you have to do the work.

Mon, 09/22/2008 - 02:02 Permalink

Hi Sjoy
As far as I know, charge off listing can only be removed by the original creditor only if he has not sold off the debt to any collection agency. But once a debt is sold off to a CA, the charge off listing cannot be removed even if you pay off the debt in full and it will stay there in your report of seven years. However, you can ask your creditor to change the status of the listing from "paid charge off" to "paid as agreed" after you pay off the debt. But you should make all negotiations in writing before you pay off the debt.

Mon, 09/22/2008 - 07:37 Permalink

Yes, Anthony is right. Even if you pay off your charge off listing, your credit score will not improve with the "paid charge off" listing. The negative impact of charge off will be partially reduced in your credit score only if it is listed as "paid as agreed". Since the motive of the CA is to recover the debt from you, they will change the listing to "paid charge off" if you can negotiate properly. However, you should make all correspondance with the CA in writing. It is always advisable to pay off the charge off account even if your credit score does not improve because if you do not pay it off, the CA can sue you to the court and bring judgment against you to recover the debt.

Mon, 09/22/2008 - 10:33 Permalink

depending on the statute of limitations and it looks like this one is still with in those limits.

Wed, 09/24/2008 - 01:58 Permalink

Hi Sjoy
Instead of calling the collection agency, I would suggest you to send them a debt validation letter by certified mail to check whether the collection agency who has send you the settlement offer is authorized to collect your debt. If it is the original creditor, then you can negotiate with him for a pay for deletion agreement, so that as soon as you pay off the debt, the negative listing goes out of your credit report. However, a collection agency cannot remove a charge off listing, and so if it is a collection agency, negotiate with him for change the status of the listing as "paid as agreed" instead of "paid charge off" in the credit report. But get it in writing from the original creditor or the collection agency before you pay off the debt.

Wed, 09/24/2008 - 05:56 Permalink

All communication MUST be in writing and sent CMRRR. A lways keep paper trail, you never know when it comes handy. Never sighn your name, just print it.

Wed, 09/24/2008 - 14:54 Permalink

I can understand how keeping a paper trail is important. What does signing or printing your name have to do with it? Not doubting you...just wondering.

Wed, 09/24/2008 - 16:25 Permalink

I don't get that either, many times they will have you do both so that they can understand the name.

Wed, 10/08/2008 - 02:41 Permalink

wow where has everyone gone on this site. Use to be able to come and have some good conversations and now there are only a few posts here and there.

Mon, 10/13/2008 - 00:56 Permalink

I have been very busy, we put in lines to our garage this weekend, hand dug a 70 foot ditch and covered it in. My body aches all over. I am also baby sitting two dogs. They are very attached to my kid now, they have slept with her since friday night. One made her lose her balance and she fell down the steps and lost a front tooth. Poor kid, she was upset but okay now. It was a baby tooth. I took her and got her ears pierced and we both got hair cuts so all is well.

Mon, 10/13/2008 - 01:08 Permalink

Sounds like you have a great relationship with your daughter. Teach her well and as she grows let her understanding of to be a good person is crucial. Teach her before its too late all that you learned here too.

Tue, 10/14/2008 - 21:45 Permalink

I would have to totally agree with Anthony!!! Always get everything in writting before releasing any funds. Also you will get the collection deleted but not the original credit account. You must make sure you request the original creditor to change it or try to get the whole account deleted. To learn on how to do this go to "www.AttractiveCreditSecrets.com"

Thu, 10/16/2008 - 03:33 Permalink

great advice there pro.

fireyone,
She is a trip and knows more about money at five than some adults that I know.

Mon, 10/27/2008 - 02:52 Permalink

Yes, a debt which has already been sold off to the collection agency cannot be entirely removed from the credit report. You can get the CA listing deleted after making a pay for deletion agreement with the CA, but in that case the original creditor listing will stay in your credit report for seven years. Both the OC and the CA listings can be removed from your credit report only if the OC has not sold off the debt to the collection agency.

Mon, 10/27/2008 - 07:09 Permalink

In my case carol, they have made it through several collectors before I could come up with the money to pay them off, so one collection agency could not delete what another one had put on there.

Mon, 10/27/2008 - 14:01 Permalink

So..again, would be a waste of money trying to pay the debt off. It just goes through so many 'hands', by that point. Souns like you wouldn't be accomplishing anything anyway, if you try to pay it off. Makes sense to me, anyway.

Mon, 10/27/2008 - 14:55 Permalink

IF and that is a big word SD IF it is past the SOL then just don't deal with it. They can not entirely remove it anyway so that mark is there regardless for over 7 years (7.5). Why bother paying the absurd amount they ask for only to have the bad mark remain on your credit. Paying it and getting it marked as satisfied really doesn't do much,if anything, for your score so if it is past the SOL just keep your money in your pocket. Also once you see it going to sooo many collectors and it does happen to be in the SOL then always ask for debt validation because chances are it wouldn't have been sold so many time if they had the proper validation and could sue for it.

Mon, 10/27/2008 - 22:50 Permalink

Yea..I can 'see that'. True.............I agree. Why waste money? Either way, it WOULD be a 'negative' listing.

Tue, 10/28/2008 - 16:32 Permalink

Exactly and most collection agencies will not tell you this.

Mon, 11/03/2008 - 23:58 Permalink

This stinks, If I would have known this I probably would not have paid them, they still reflect on the negative side for me, so it did me no good at all, except stopping the annoying phone calls.

Tue, 11/04/2008 - 03:58 Permalink

Hi Chargers
Pay for deletion can remove the negative listing completely from your credit report only if the debt has not been sold off by the original creditor to the collection agency. However, if it is already sold off to a CA, you can only get the listing of the CA removed from your credit report, but the OC listing, which will stay in your credit report for seven years.

Tue, 11/04/2008 - 05:56 Permalink

I agree with fireyone. If the SOL on the debt has already expired, you should not make any further payments, because even if you make the payment, you cannot get the listing out of your report completely as Carol said. Moreover, the listing will get automatically removed from your credit report after seven years from the date it got listed in your credit report and the creditor cannot in fact sue you to the court to bring judgment against you.

Tue, 11/04/2008 - 06:31 Permalink

With the way collector harass people these days some are just better off leting well enough alone and leaving the SOL to protect them. I also think by adding so much money to the original debt scares people away from repaying. Look at the situation: lets just say a $300 card turns into $300 in 5 or so years. Why would someone protected by the SOL want to repay that amount even if they made a deal at half ($1500) thats just ridiculous. I really believe they should legally have to put a cap on the amount they can run up a past due debt. No wonder they do not get much repayment.

Wed, 11/05/2008 - 00:55 Permalink

That WOULD be expensive. And, if you DID start paying on the debt, again, the fees/% rate has probably gone up SOO high, you probably couldn't get it paid off, anyway.

Wed, 11/05/2008 - 12:10 Permalink

I am not sure how those laws go SD. There is a certain point that they can no longer charge interest on an account. I have asked here several times and never get a straight answer. I think that interest can no longer be added after the original creditor sells the account off to one of these junk debt collectors. Of course I do suppose they try to slip oit in there one way or the other. I noticed my last post I missed a zero.I had meant to say when a $300 card turns into a $3000 dollar card because of all the interest and crap they add in there .

Wed, 11/05/2008 - 17:16 Permalink

Basically, I suppose you would have to just 'wait and see' WHO reported WHAT on your CR. Gosh......Could be a ZILLION CA's that have the same debt on your CR's. Doesn't seem fair, does it?

Thu, 11/06/2008 - 12:10 Permalink

No it don't, I think the minute another picks it up that they should delete the last one so that the only thing that reflects is the original creditor and one (current) collection agency. I think the whole system stinks.

Sat, 11/08/2008 - 13:03 Permalink

Hopefull we will see some changes in these types of things since I see PA is now recognizing this credit problems. They have seen the massive debt because of collecotrs adding crap on. I just wonder if this will work for us or against us.

Tue, 11/18/2008 - 00:48 Permalink

Hi Chargers
Sometimes it is seen that a number of CAs are reflected in your credit report against a single debt. This is because, when the first CA purchases the debt from the original creditor, it lists its name in the credit report against the debt. Now if the borrower asks for debt validation and the CA cannot validate the debt within 30 days of the date of receipt of your letter, it loses its right to collect the debt and he sells off the debt to another CA, who again lists its name against the debt and this process continues and so you can find multiple CAs in your credit report against a single debt.

Tue, 11/18/2008 - 05:12 Permalink

Yes, Carol is right. So you should always remove all the CA listings as soon as possible. However, you need to do this before they sell off the debt to another CA. When you send a Debt validation letter to a CA and the CA does not validate the debt within 30 days of receipt of your letter, you should immediately send a dispute letter to the credit bureaus asking them to remove the listing. The credit bureaus will get it verified and remove the listing from your credit report.

Tue, 11/18/2008 - 06:22 Permalink

Do you find that some of the credit reporting agencies move a little faster on this than the others.

What do you do as a follow up or if they decide that they are not going to remove it when it should be removed.

Tue, 11/18/2008 - 15:37 Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

Make sure you get everything in writting and allow them 30 to 60 days before deletion. Some collection agencies report to the credit bureaus monthly, some report quarterly.

Tue, 11/18/2008 - 19:17 Permalink

oh god quarterly, can you imagine, you pay and pay and then have to wait for a deletion that was in your agreement. This is not cool, they should have to do it as soon as you make the final payment to them, they sure don't want to wait for anything.

When you pay for delete do you have to request that they do it with all three credit reporting agencies or do they automatically know that it is for all three? should one specify this so that if they only do one you can approach the other two with proof later? Just curious since they may tend to take the easy way out. Is there one reporting bank for all three credit reporting agencies or is it that you have to report to each one individually?

Sun, 11/23/2008 - 06:42 Permalink

I never even knew some of these places did these things quarterly. I imagine though it would be something hard to keep up with.. Maybe this system makes it easier to do. I liked your questions Gn. I would imagine the three bureaus would get it reported to them if you get the pay for delete or maybe just the ones the creditor reported it to. Some I do not think reports to all three.

Mon, 11/24/2008 - 01:32 Permalink

Exactly, try telling a collector that you only pay your bills quarterly, can you imagine what they would say. Tell your regular creditors that and see what they say. Quarterly is not an option anywhere, creditors report monthly and so should collectors. I would think there would be rules on this that tell them they have to report monthly like everyone else does. I have never heard of this quarterly crap.

Mon, 11/24/2008 - 02:43 Permalink

As mad as we get there are some things that are just beyond our power. The only thing is we just have to let it go. Is it fair no but can we do something..no..Have you ever gone for a pay for delete. I hear sometimes they are hard to get them to enact once the bill is paid.

Mon, 11/24/2008 - 10:11 Permalink

Well,..I'll tell ya.....................I just have learned to stop worring about things I have no control over. No one can 'repair' their credit in a day...that's for sure. Alot of the debts, on my CB are 'falling off' soon, anyway. So...I think I'll just leave them alone.

Sat, 11/29/2008 - 01:39 Permalink

Thats probaly for the best chargers..seriously. You are right about worrying yourself to death. If everything is that close to falling off then just let good old time take care of it. Once you get into a better situation you and these marks fall off then you can maybe get a half decent interest rate on a card and start to rebuild your credit. Just a thought.

Mon, 12/08/2008 - 23:29 Permalink

All unpaid collection accounts MUST be reported as OPEN, and they MUST be reported no less than monthly!!!!!!!!!!

If they are reporting quarterly, they are not reporting "TIMELY" information, and as such, the info is subject to removal.

TRUST ME ON THIS ONE, FOLKS!!!

Tue, 12/09/2008 - 17:03 Permalink

I'm not sayng the CA's aren't reporting i a 'timely' manner..I'm just saying if 'you' have a ZILLION CA's, on your CR doesn't your Credit score go DOWN everytime a CA repors on it, or the SAME account?

Tue, 12/09/2008 - 18:28 Permalink

The TRUE AGE of the account ~ as determined by the date of first delinquency with the original creditor~ is what impacts score... Nothing else...

Tue, 12/09/2008 - 19:16 Permalink

FOREYONE....................yea, that's what I'm gonna do. Just let things 'fall-off' and 'start over' from there. I may get a Secured Card to start re-building my credit. Ya gotta start somewhere. DOC.......thanks for the clarification.............I appriciate it.

Wed, 12/10/2008 - 06:45 Permalink

I am learning so much from everyone (brain burn) but what is a SOL?

Thu, 02/26/2009 - 16:46 Permalink

Hi Taffy
Statute of Limitation is the time period by which the creditor can sue you to the court to recover an outstanding debt. It starts after 6 months from the date of your last missed payments towards the debt. The duration of the SOL varies from 3 years to 15 years depending upon the state where you have signed the loan agreement. If the SOL on the debt has expired then you are no longer required to pay off the debt.

Fri, 02/27/2009 - 06:46 Permalink

Thanks Justin!!!!
So anything from 2004 and 2005 just leave alone? (Florida Res) Am send out my DV letters to all the non SOL soon. Learning a lot from all of you. This is the best site I have been on I am so glad I ran across this web site. Also ............. What letter do I send and to whom for ones who are checking my CR and I do not know who they are..........

Thanks To all your help is greatly needed and is very much appreciated
Working to get DEBT FREE
Taffy

Sun, 03/01/2009 - 13:55 Permalink

Hi Taffy
Whether the SOL has expired or not depends on the type of debt. If it is a written contract or a promissory note, then the SOL is 5 years in Florida. However, if it is a credit card debt, then the SOL is 4 years.
Now, if your last payment towards the debt has been made in 2005, then the SOL has not yet expired. But if your debt is a credit card debt and the last payment was made in 2004, the debt is past SOL and you need not make any payment towards the debt.

Mon, 03/02/2009 - 07:46 Permalink

If a creditor pulls out your credit report, it is known as hard inquiry and it affects your credit score. According to the Fair credit reporting Act, only authorized hard inquiries should remain in your credit report. If you find any unauthorized hard inquiry, you should send letters to the inquirers asking them to validate the listing or remove it from your report. In most cases the creditors remove hard inquiries because they cannot verify your authorization. You can find sample letters if you visit the link letters of credit

Mon, 03/02/2009 - 08:37 Permalink