The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: kisserofsinners on August 29, 2012, 04:21:31 PM
-
OMG need to kill rising...
So last year i got my credit report and found something that didn't belong there. It was only in Transunion. Everywhere else, i'm all good.
Teh drama:
They don't give you the actual account number at Transunion, the last 4 digits are stared out. Transunion refuses to give me the complete number.
With out the account number the collection agency can't find me anywhere so i can't even pay it even if it was mine.
It's unlikely that it's mine as it occurs in a state i've never been to.
It's a medical expense supposedly charged while i was insured, reassuring my lack of responsibility.
It's only $241. I'd fucking pay it if they could find the account and it would solve the problem.
Transunion has their call center in Indian and you know...When they don't have medical bills and can't get credit, they could not give a fuck less about my issues and are literally useless to me for getting info.
I initiated a battle between the collection agency and the reporting agency and they both fingered the other as the culprit.
It took me 6 mo to get it removed finally.
Check my report today and look what fucker just popped back on there. Same $241, same incomplete account number, same bullshit time line.
Of course i figure this out 20 min after the collection agency closed their office. I know i still have my notes from last year at home and will be following up.
My question is, What is my recourse after this? Has anyone else experienced this?
Will also accept commiseration for my pity party. :)
Thanks
-
Wow, that sounds like a huge headache!!!
That would really both me also, hope you can find a way to get it fixed for good. I've never had anything like this, but hopefully someone here will have good advice. I assume you will try google also, I'm sure there is a whole bunch of people who have went through things like this.
-
Could be worse - my friend got a notice from a collection agency that he owed something like $5000 related to an unpaid balance with accrued interest from a credit card that he had many many years prior (about 7) with a bank that went through numerous mergers/sales. This is a fellow who always paid his balances and insisted that it was not correct.
He asked for proof and they couldn't provide it, as he went through the process he found that legally the burden was on him to prove that it was incorrect. Well who saves statements from 7 years ago...so he contacted a few attorneys to fight it.
All of the quotes/advice was about the same - the attorney would cost him about $2500 to fight it and it was at best 50/50 that he would prevail and if he lost he would be on the hook for the $5000 and the $2500 cost for the attorney.
So he agreed to pay over two years and they agreed to remove it from his credit report - talk about extortion.
-
I had a hospital bill show up on my credit report from a city where I have never been about 7 or 8 years ago. The company that owns the hospital also owns their own collection agency. After explaining that I had never been in that city a hundred times, I demanded proof that I owed the bill. They sent me a computer printout with my SSN and the amount. That ain't proof. Show me a document with my signature on it. It was a battle for several years. It would get removed and then pop up. I refinanced my house in 2009, and I had to write a "letter of explanation" for the lender's file.
Finally, the statute of limitations expired. It popped up again one month later, at which point I threatened to sue them, certified mail, with copies to all the credit reporting agencies. It disappeared the next month and has not reappeared.
As I understand it, medical billing errors are the biggest problem in credit reports. I understand that credit scorers have reduced the weight given to unpaid medical accounts, especially when there is only one. Given the total lack of accountability of these collectors, that makes sense.
-
I can't even pay it because the collection agency doesn't have *any* file on me. Not by name, SSN, address, nadda...
Oh the memories.... Now i recall.
So the agent i tried to get some info from at the collection place (they were actually really nice since i made it clear upfront that i just wanted to pay and get it over with.) I also contacted the lab that did the work and they can't find me either. They have no accounts in San Francisco *at all* and only a few in the state of CA which i've never had any medical incident outside of on my life.
Also, looked up my medical records and have no record of services anywhere near their time frame.
Facebook has revealed Fair Credit Reporting Act and googling that i have yet to find a way to file a complaint.
Whatevs... I got it fixed before and i will fix it again. It's just crazy. I'm genuinely worried it will never go away. I'm supposed to be buying a house in a year...
Arg, thanks for listening to me rant. :) *kicks rocks*
-
I had a hospital bill show up on my credit report from a city where I have never been about 7 or 8 years ago. The company that owns the hospital also owns their own collection agency. After explaining that I had never been in that city a hundred times, I demanded proof that I owed the bill. They sent me a computer printout with my SSN and the amount. That ain't proof. Show me a document with my signature on it. It was a battle for several years. It would get removed and then pop up. I refinanced my house in 2009, and I had to write a "letter of explanation" for the lender's file.
Finally, the statute of limitations expired. It popped up again one month later, at which point I threatened to sue them, certified mail, with copies to all the credit reporting agencies. It disappeared the next month and has not reappeared.
As I understand it, medical billing errors are the biggest problem in credit reports. I understand that credit scorers have reduced the weight given to unpaid medical accounts, especially when there is only one. Given the total lack of accountability of these collectors, that makes sense.
Useful points. Thank you for taking the time. ...Will review when i get home to my files. It is small and i am a little anal about "justice" I still have a good credit score in spite of it. ...calming. slowing coming down off my justice rant. :)
-
**update**
Comfort in tacos, booze, and sleep...
I have my notes from last year. It is the same creditor, different collection agency, same amount. Maybe with the new collection agency there is another file number system. I called them during my lunch break. The last digets stared out on the credit report don't seem to mean anything.
This means that i was able to find the charge!!! I know enough of the weird details that the operator was willing to send me the file. It's not in my name, but it was filed using a former address. It must be sent there with his name. I'm certain he's never lived there: it's a communal event space and only "caretakers" have ever iived there. I've contacted the current caretaker to make sure i get the file and anything else for the same name.
After calling the creditor, its not my social (the conversation about that was hilarious with the operator telling me "that's not possible"). Also, his first name is the same as my last name. I confirmed that i've never heard of the doctor on the file and i've never visited, let alone had any medical care in Florida (A lovely state i'm sure). The operator takes some of my information and asks me to gve them a week to sort it out.
Jesus it would be great if i didn't freak out first. :) The operators were all really nice beyond it taking a few tries to get someone at the collection agency with repeated ropped calls.
Well see what happens in a week.
Peace
-
In my case, the hospital owner owns medical facilities local to me as well as the one in the place to which I have never been. With a common last name, some clerk probably clicked on the wrong name and SSN somewhere along the line. I never received any bills and the original appearance on the credit report under the collection agency's name was a complete surprise.
I also get calls on my landlines from collection agencies looking for people of whom I have never heard. I'm unflaggingly polite in explaining that this has been our number for over 20 years and I do not know whoever they are trying to reach. Generally, these companies will remove your number as long as you talk to a live person. The robo calls are quite a different matter. Overall, I'm convinced the whole collection business is sloppily run and pretty much operates on the "throw it up against the wall and see if it sticks" model.
-
Overall, I'm convinced the whole collection business is sloppily run and pretty much operates on the "throw it up against the wall and see if it sticks" model.
I agree. I'm sure they deal with a lot of scum, but I've been amazed at how unprofessional they are in their work. I don't know how they get people to even do that job, I assume the sort of people taking those jobs lend themselves to treating customers poorly. Sure does make it hard to feel sorry for the company behind the whole mess who got stiffed for the money.
-
In my case, the hospital owner owns medical facilities local to me as well as the one in the place to which I have never been. With a common last name, some clerk probably clicked on the wrong name and SSN somewhere along the line. I never received any bills and the original appearance on the credit report under the collection agency's name was a complete surprise.
I also get calls on my landlines from collection agencies looking for people of whom I have never heard. I'm unflaggingly polite in explaining that this has been our number for over 20 years and I do not know whoever they are trying to reach. Generally, these companies will remove your number as long as you talk to a live person. The robo calls are quite a different matter. Overall, I'm convinced the whole collection business is sloppily run and pretty much operates on the "throw it up against the wall and see if it sticks" model.
We got the robo calls for someone else. If you call them back, you have a choice to pick either
You called the wrong number or wrong person or
I'm calling to pay my bill
If you pick choice number one, they disconnect you
So my husband picked number two, got a live person, and then got our number off the list
-
kisser, any update? Hopefully it's sorted out!
-
Overall, I'm convinced the whole collection business is sloppily run and pretty much operates on the "throw it up against the wall and see if it sticks" model.
I agree. I'm sure they deal with a lot of scum, but I've been amazed at how unprofessional they are in their work. I don't know how they get people to even do that job, I assume the sort of people taking those jobs lend themselves to treating customers poorly. Sure does make it hard to feel sorry for the company behind the whole mess who got stiffed for the money.
Reddit to the rescue!
http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/pkpic/iama_bill_collector_for_college_debt_and/c3q7nt0 (http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/pkpic/iama_bill_collector_for_college_debt_and/c3q7nt0)
The issue of student debt is getting more and more traction with the election coming up. I read stories of people going to private liberal colleges out of state for a degree with no clear career path who end up 60k in debt after 4 years... *shivers*
-
kisser, any update? Hopefully it's sorted out!
I don't anticipate they will be moving very fast. I checked with my old house Sat for the package and it hasn't arrived yet. They said it would be 1-2 weeks. I will be caling them next week to follow up.
I'm really happy i feel like i have real informaiton. Proving it was not me without some sort of proof was clearly not enough.
I will update when i know more.
-
New updates!!!
I never received the letter from the lab that they said they'd send... *shocked*
Thankfully i take lots of notes. I had the number sitting right on top with the time and date of my last call. I'm finding t easier to just say i'm the guy and tell them later that the bill is on the wrong persons credit. ...again with the, "that's not possible" Really? well how the hell am i calling? How do i know this stuff? And really you think i'm calling you for fun or something don't you?
They also had notes about me once the operator gets over it. It's all there. The operator tells me she'll send it again.
Realizing this name business, not using mine but his, i tried the credit collector again. Ha!!! That worked. Supposedly i can send them some details with my picture ID and the file number in a fax. Did that today.
we'll see what happens...
-
For future reference, you should request a written letter from the collection agency confirming resolution, whether it's a "paid in full" letter or a "we've confirmed it's not your debt" letter and stick that in your file. Written documentation from them is key.
-
For future reference, you should request a written letter from the collection agency confirming resolution, whether it's a "paid in full" letter or a "we've confirmed it's not your debt" letter and stick that in your file. Written documentation from them is key.
I will definitely get conformation this time from as many parties as i can. I did get confirmation from transunion last year, but no one else.
Yes, yes, yes...Documentation!!! FTW!