Horrified and Harrassed
I move from Texas to Michigan. Before moving, I notified ATT to send me a box to send back their U-Verse equipment. They did nothing. I continued to remind ATT to send the box. Eventually on March 30, 2008, the box was sent. Next day, I package the equipment and sent it back to ATT through UPS (in the box they sent me).
They received the package on 4/10/2008 (per tracking detail). On 4/14/2008 I wrote ATT to inform them that I have sent back the box. Then, I felt all was concluded and I had peace. On the 4th of May, 2008, I receive a letter from CBA that I was owing ATT and that the debt has been assigned to them. They gave me 30 days to respond. I responded same date sending them copies of previous correspondences between ATT and I. Again, I thought all has been taken care of. I went to bed happy again.
On 6/25/2008 I read my credit report from the 3 reporting agencies only to discover that Collection Bureau of America (CBA) has splashed my name across all of them as a debtor. Same day I called CBA on phone. They requested that I fax copies of all documents. I faxed them all correspondences including the USP tracking detail that shows that ATT has taken delivery of the equipment.
I have made several calls to CBA. I had disputed the debt online with Experian and Equifax. The 2 of them returned their verdict: that the negative and fraudulent report will remain in their records.
I am frustrated. I owe nothing. I have had an impleccable credit history. Now CBA has messed up all that. ATT does not respond to requests. Neither is CBA interested in fixing it. I have all the evidence. I am being vanquished and mistreated.
Can somebody tell me if I have any other right in this matter. A friend says I can go to court. I have no money to pay an attorney. Is there nothing in US law and constitution that would restore my right to have an accurate report of my credit. I am helpless. I need help.
Thanks for reading.
Couldn't you send the proof to the CRA's that refuse to remove i
Couldn't you send the proof to the CRA's that refuse to remove it ? I'm not really sure but if you hang in there someone who has more knowledge in this area will be along shortly. :)
here's the fact of the matter--federal law requires them to prov
here's the fact of the matter--federal law requires them to prove their claims, it doesnt force you to prove their claims wrong. Use the law the way it was intended--immediately send this debt collector a certified DV letter. Be sure to send it certified mail, RRR. That way, when they receive it, you will have proof that it was received. Then, wait a few weeks, and dispute the entry with all the credit bureaus that report it. Then, if they still verify the debt as valid, it will be a violation of two federal laws--FCRA and fdcpa. Just so you know the gravity of this situation, you will then be able to sue them for these violations. Not only will that force them to remove the entries if you win your case, but they will then also owe you money--up to $1000 total for FDCPA violations and up to $1000 PER VIOLATION for FCRA violations. For FCRA, keep in mind that the same mistake made on each separate credit bureau file counts as an individual violation. If they do the same thing wrong on all three of your reports, then its three violations. If they make two mistakes on all of them, thats six, and so on....I think you can see where this is going.
But by all means, keep all the documentation you have now of all the communication that has taken place as well--if this ends up in front of a judge, you want to be able to show the efforts you have made in good faith to resolve this, and also to show their complete lack of willingness to correct what should have been clearly made known to be a genuine mistake.