Collection Agency Listed Same Debt Twice

[george1986]

Hello:

Back in 2005 I wrote a bad check and it was reported the credit bureaus. It was listed on my credit report as a balance of $37.00 opened on 11/2005 and it also said Chargeoff or Collection.

I recently received a notification from my credit monitoring service stating a new derogatory comment was made on my report. It was for the same collection agency, same balance and same account number as the one posted in 2005 but it said "new collection" with a date of 6/12/2011.

Is this legal? What can I do to resolve the issue without it hurting me for the next 7 years?

Thank you!

[Hal Jordan]

You just need to contact the Credit bureaus and ask for deletion of the new one based on the fact it's a duplicate. Date reported is different than date of first delinquency..

I would highly recommend calling. My personal experience is they immediately delete duplicates while on the phone with you (if it's an obvious duplicate and same account number with same agency and same amount is more than enough proof it's a duplicate).

[Ameera]

sorry to butt in, I have the same problem...or I think I might....I have the same account reporting once as a negative account and then again as a closed account. Can I get equifax to remove one of these TLs?

thanks

[Lian]

If the debt collector deleted their prior reporting, for whatever reason other than the resolution of a dispute as to its accuracy, there is no prohibition against them reporting again, as long as their collection is now in force.

They could, for example, have previously had their collection authority revoked by the OC, and it has now been reinstated. Or they could have previously decided not to pursue collection, but have now changed their mind.

In any event, the DOFD on the OC account remains the same, so the new collection will have the same CR deletion date of 7 years plus 180-days from the DOFD as did their original reporting.

I see no grounds for deletion of their current reporting, as long as it is accurate, based on any prior reporting as long as no dispute mandated the earlier removal.

As for "double reporting," a collection is separate from an OC account. The OC can report the debt and its balance, and a debt collector can report the same under their collection. The reporting by the debt collector does not mean they own the debt, only that they have authority to pursue its collection.

If the debt collector has purchased the debt, that would require the OC to update their debt balance to $0, but would not require any CR deletion.

[Hal Jordan]

But that's not what he's saying. He is saying the SAME COLLECTION AGENCY has the SAME DEBT (even same account number listed twice and the same amount owed and the same original OC). This is double reporting and is one of the few things the credit bureaus will instantly remove if you just point it out to them.

So OP, give the bureau's a call. I'll bet dollars to doughnuts they'll remove one of them..

Originally Posted by Lian

If the debt collector deleted their prior reporting, for whatever reason other than the resolution of a dispute as to its accuracy, there is no prohibition against them reporting again, as long as their collection is now in force.

They could, for example, have previously had their collection authority revoked by the OC, and it has now been reinstated. Or they could have previously decided not to pursue collection, but have now changed their mind.

In any event, the DOFD on the OC account remains the same, so the new collection will have the same CR deletion date of 7 years plus 180-days from the DOFD as did their original reporting.

I see no grounds for deletion of their current reporting, as long as it is accurate, based on any prior reporting as long as no dispute mandated the earlier removal.

As for "double reporting," a collection is separate from an OC account. The OC can report the debt and its balance, and a debt collector can report the same under their collection. The reporting by the debt collector does not mean they own the debt, only that they have authority to pursue its collection.

If the debt collector has purchased the debt, that would require the OC to update their debt balance to $0, but would not require any CR deletion.