You can write such a letter asking the creditor or debt collector to delete a negative item from your credit history in exchange for paying off the associated debt.
Credit attorney here. Goodwill letters are extremely unlikely to remove a paid charge off. What can remove it is a dispute, where you point out various inconsistencies, perhaps followed by a request for arbitration, and going into further detail on the various discrepancies. This strategy has worked thousands of times.
Call or write to the collection agency asking to have the account deleted as a gesture of goodwill. The collection agency doesn't have to comply, but there's no harm in asking. You may have better luck getting a goodwill deletion if you have a history of on-time payments to the original creditor.
2) What is the 609 loophole? The “609 loophole” is a misconception. Section 609 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) allows consumers to request their credit file information. It does not guarantee the removal of negative items but requires credit bureaus to verify the accuracy of disputed information.
Goodwill letters are most effective when the late payment was an isolated incident caused by unforeseen circumstances, such as a financial hardship or medical emergency. Lenders do not have to respond to a goodwill letter, and many large lenders and credit card issuers have policies against doing so.
What you can do is contact your original creditor. You can ask them—very politely—what it would take to have the charge-off removed. At the very least, they'll likely ask you to pay back a portion of what you owe. In this situation, some creditors may offer a “Pay for Delete” agreement.
Goodwill Letter Samples To Help You Draft Your Letter
I'm writing because I noticed your company reported a late payment in [Date of late payment] on my credit reports. I am requesting a goodwill adjustment to remove this late payment from my TransUnion, Experian and Equifax credit reports.
Since pay for delete technically skirts a legal line, debt collectors will rarely agree to it directly. If they do, they typically won't put it in writing. The reason is that if the credit bureaus were to find out that they were removing accounts that were legitimately incurred, it would violate the FCRA.
A 609 letter is a tool that helps you request information about items on your credit report and address errors. It's named after Section 609 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which allows consumers to access all data used to calculate their credit score.
Can you make a goodwill or courtesy adjustment and remove it from my credit report? The information we report is required to be complete and accurate. Because of this, we don't make goodwill or courtesy adjustments.
Alternatives to pay-for-delete
This is a request to a creditor asking them to remove your negative mark since the debt has been paid. Again, this is up to your creditor. A goodwill letter has a higher probability of working if you have an otherwise pristine history of paying loans on time.
Limitations of a 609 letter
You could receive the information on your account and recognize something is inaccurate, but the credit bureau may not know that. A 609, or a traditional dispute letter, will not remove negative items like late payments, bankruptcy or loan defaults from your credit report.
Call that person and ask. Explain that you're taking steps to repay your debts, clean up your credit, and be more responsible. Emphasize that a clean credit report will help you achieve your goals. Be honest, but paint the bleakest possible picture of your finances.
Briefly explain the situation that caused the error. Explain the steps you took to correct the issue and ensure it wouldn't happen again. Mention how it's negatively affecting you, like if it's hindering your ability to qualify for a mortgage. Ask for a “goodwill adjustment” to have it removed.
Yes, charge-offs should be removed from your credit reports after seven years. However, the negative impact on your credit score may gradually decrease over this period. After seven years, the mark should automatically fall off your credit reports, but it's still a good idea to confirm it's actually gone.
Common violations of the FCRA include:
Creditors give reporting agencies inaccurate financial information about you. Reporting agencies mixing up one person's information with another's because of similar (or same) name or social security number. Agencies fail to follow guidelines for handling disputes.
Dear [Creditor/Collection Agency Name]
I'm writing you regarding your recent letter about account number [0123456789]. I'm willing to settle my debt with you in the amount listed below provided you accept the following terms: Your acceptance of this payment shall release me from further responsibility for the debt.
You may be able to remove the charge-off by disputing it or negotiating a settlement with your creditor or a debt collector; credit repair companies can help with this process. You can also steadily rebuild your credit score by paying other bills on time.
4) 623 credit dispute letter
A business uses a 623 credit dispute letter when all other attempts to remove dispute information have failed.
A pay for delete letter is a negotiation tool intended to get a negative item removed from your credit report. It entails asking a creditor to remove the negative information in exchange for paying the balance.
611 credit dispute letter: This is how you'll ask the credit bureau to show how they verified information you are disputing. Section 611 is invoked when a credit bureau responds to your dispute and says it has verified the information.