If you have paid a collection account in full or are attempting to pay the collection account in full you have a couple options to getting that removed from your credit report. Both require a lot of organization and patience on your part.
Negotiate to have the paid collection removed from your credit report You must communicate with the collection agency in writing and by certified mail through the U.S. Postal Service. Write them a letter and offer to pay the debt. In exchange for payment ask the collection agency to remove the delinquency from your credit report. Be polite. Be professional. If your request is denied, write back and ask for the name and address of a supervisor. Don’t give up until you have the result you want. If you pay the collection account without a written promise to delete the item, you will have very little chance getting them to do it afterwards. The collection agency will have no incentive to help you repair your credit report because they’ve already received what they were after. – Payment!
After you have the written terms and you have paid your collection account you must contact all three major credit bureaus and again, through certified mail send them copies of all documentation you have regarding the account. Attach a letter requesting they remove the collection account from your credit report. Oh, but you aren’t finished yet! For next several months you need to monitor your credit reports closely to verify that the collections account has been erased.
If you’ve made the mistake of paying a collection account without negotiating to have it removed from your credit report once paid, you can take the matter directly to the three credit bureaus. Write each of them: Equifax, Experian and Trans Union and dispute the entry. Tell the credit bureaus the collection account was to be deleted. The burden is on the credit bureaus to verify the information is accurate. Oftentimes, collection agencies keep poor records and even purge them. – Particularly on paid accounts. There is a chance the collection agency will not provide the credit bureaus with the information they require to keep the item on your credit report.
If you are confused, intimidated or you just don’t think you’re organized enough to see this matter through we suggest you contact the Lexington Law Office. They are credit repair professionals and they are very successful at what they do for their customers.