Can a collection agency keep reporting the same debt?

Asked by: Ms. Nola Effertz  |  Last update: November 14, 2022
Score: 4.5/5 (34 votes)

The original creditor can't continue to report a balance due if it has sold the account to a collections agency. However, it can report a charge off

charge off
A charge-off or chargeoff is a declaration by a creditor (usually a credit card account) that an amount of debt is unlikely to be collected. This occurs when a consumer becomes severely delinquent on a debt. Traditionally, creditors make this declaration at the point of six months without payment.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Charge-off
, which remains on your credit report for seven years, even if you pay off the debt—with the original creditor or via a collections agency.

Can a collection agency keep report the same debt twice?

Though some consumers may have multiple debts owed to the same debt collector or creditor (which can be reported separately), each debt can only be reported one time. Notice that the payment history, the date opened, the high balance, and the last payment are all the same.

Can collection agency keeps updating credit report?

The short answer is yes, a collection agency can continue to update the account on your credit reports. When you dispute an item, the Date of Last Activity (DOLA) can be updated. The date of last activity can change anytime there is new activity on your account. That could be a credit dispute or a payment.

Why is the same debt be reported twice?

If you don't pay a collection account, it may wind up with a second — or third — collection agency, resulting in multiple negative items on your credit reports. Sometimes referred to as “double jeopardy,” two or three collection accounts for the same debt can affect your credit scores.

Can a collection agency report an old debt to credit bureau?

A: Yes. A collection agency can report to the credit bureaus even if you're making payments. Once your debt is transferred from the original creditor to the collection agency, the debt gets a new tradeline on your credit report that's under the control of the collection agency.

Do NOT Pay Collections Agencies | Debt Collectors EXPOSED

29 related questions found

Can a debt collector restart the clock on my old debt?

Debt collectors can restart the clock on old debt if you: Admit the debt is yours. Make a partial payment. Agree to make a payment (even if you can't) or accept a settlement.

How many times can a creditor report a charge off?

In most cases, a creditor can report a negative item for up to seven years from your first delinquency, even if the item was previously removed. So, many people find that their credit score increases significantly at first, only to fall again as the accounts reappear. It can backfire.

Can a collection agency report the same debt every month?

Collections agencies can report to all three of the credit bureaus almost as soon as they purchase the debt. They can then report monthly on the status of the debt for seven years and 180 days from the date they took the account.

Why do I have 2 collections from the same company?

It's not unusual to have more than one debt collector on credit reports for the same debt. Sometimes, a creditor will place a debt with a collector, and if that agency doesn't collect the debt within a certain amount of time, it goes back to the creditor, either to be placed with another agency or sold off entirely.

How many times can a debt be resold?

Answer: An unpaid collection account can be sold and re-purchased over and over again by junk debt buyers. Often, a junk debt buyer will purchase a collection account, attempt collection for a few months, then re-sale the account to a new junk debt buyer. This can occur repeatedly until the debt is paid.

Can a creditor keep report a charge off every month?

Original creditors can report a balance on the charge-off until the debt is sold. It is legal for a creditor to update a charge-off account monthly from the date of first delinquency which is approximately 7.5 years. However, there should be no balance reporting if the account has been sold to a collection agency.

Can I pay the original creditor instead of collection agency?

Working with the original creditor, rather than dealing with debt collectors, can be beneficial. Often, the original creditor will offer a more reasonable payment option, reduce the balance on your original loan or even stop interest from accruing on the loan balance altogether.

Can a collection agency remove a collection from report and put it back on the report?

It cannot be added back without new action because it has passed the deadline for removal. It isn't yours. If the debt was erroneously put on your credit report, it cannot be readded. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, it is against the law for collection agencies to report debt that they know is inaccurate.

Can a collection account report as open?

The collection agency account will appear separately on the report as open and outstanding debt. The open date of the new collection account will reflect the date that the account was purchased by the collection agency, but it will still be removed seven years from the original delinquency date on the initial account.

Can a collection agency reopen a closed account?

If you asked the creditor to close the account or you paid off a loan, there's nothing necessary for you to do. Contact your lender. If you don't know why the account shows as closed, the creditor might be able to tell you. If your creditor closed it, you can ask if it'll reopen the account, but it's not required to.

Can a creditor report more than once a month?

How often do credit reports update? Most creditors report to credit bureaus monthly. However, they report data at different times throughout the month, and they may report to only one or two credit bureaus instead of all three.

How can I get a collection removed without paying?

There are 3 ways to remove collections without paying: 1) Write and mail a Goodwill letter asking for forgiveness, 2) study the FCRA and FDCPA and craft dispute letters to challenge the collection, and 3) Have a collections removal expert delete it for you.

Can a creditor continue to report on a closed account?

As long as they stay on your credit report, closed accounts can continue to impact your credit score. If you'd like to remove a closed account from your credit report, you can contact the credit bureaus to remove inaccurate information, ask the creditor to remove it or just wait it out.

How long after paying off collections can you buy a house?

Collections show on your credit report, and outstanding collections will raise concerns for lenders. Charge-offs are debts that cannot be collected and are written off by the lender. Any debt overdue (120 days for loans, 180 days for credit card debt) must be written off.

Why you should never pay a charge-off?

Don't Ignore a Charge-Off

A charge-off is a serious financial problem that can hurt your ability to qualify for new credit. "Many lenders, especially mortgage lenders, won't lend to borrowers with unpaid charge-offs and will require that you pay it in full before they approve you for a loan," says Tayne.

Can you have a 700 credit score with collections?

Yes, it is possible to have a credit score of at least 700 with a collections remark on your credit report, however it is not a common situation. It depends on several contributing factors such as: differences in the scoring models being used.

What is the 609 loophole?

A 609 Dispute Letter is often billed as a credit repair secret or legal loophole that forces the credit reporting agencies to remove certain negative information from your credit reports. And if you're willing, you can spend big bucks on templates for these magical dispute letters.

What is Zombie debt?

The term "zombie debt" is used to describe debt that is very old or no longer owed. In short, it's debt that has come back from the dead to haunt you. Zombie debt is typically purchased from the original creditor (or even from another debt collection agency) for pennies on the dollar.

How do you trick a debt collector?

Calling From Unknown Numbers

The "unknown number" trick is one of the oldest debt collector tricks in the book. Collectors feel that a debtor is more likely to answer a call if they disguise or hide their number. Therefore, they will often call debtors from unknown or private numbers.

How long before a debt is uncollectible?

In California, the statute of limitations for consumer debt is four years. This means a creditor can't prevail in court after four years have passed, making the debt essentially uncollectable.