Credit Repair

I sent a credit validation letter to a credit agency to validate a debt for $4,367 from some apartments......?

This amount is outrageous to me. The responded with a letter that they had received my request..that my dispute has been investigated but they have yet to find sufficient evidence to validate my claim. Now they want me to provide them with documentation supporting my position or pay. All they provided me with was a summary they made of the debt they claim I owe. I am trying to repair my credit. Any advice on my next step???My understanding is that they have to validate this debt or delete....Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Public Comments

1. How much do you think you owe? The 4367 is large enough for them to take you to court and get a judgment? They may have to drop it from the report if not validated but it will not keep you out of court. Have you tried to settle the account for a fraction of that 4367?
2. It is totally up to the collections agency to fully validate the collection. Most collections have been sold for pennines on the dollar and anything they can collect, results in huge profit percentages. Do not fall for validating the collections yourself. Send a follow up debt valdiation letter then call your state attorney general. Most collections do not have the legal right to put bad credit on your report or threaten to sue you. You have already been penalized by the original creditor. Read my free credit helps letters page. http://www.oskie.com/free-credit-help-sample-form-letter-letters.htm
3. What they're saying is that THEY can't validate the claim and are in effect asking you to disprove it. BS on that. Tell them in writing that the burden is totally on them to provide written validation.
4. Dispute it through the 3 credit bureaus, instead of the collection agency. If agency can't prove debt to bureaus it comes off. You may also want to call them to see if they can verbally tell you why so high.
5. It is up to them to follow the law 15 U.S.C. § 1692g. Validation of debts. What they are telling you is they want is documented proof for your position on why you are requesting validation of this debt. Just send them another certified letter telling them your position is being supported by 15 U.S.C. § 1692g. Validation of debts and that since they can not provide original documentation (the lease or any other forms) then this debt is considered "un-validated) and that you will report them to the FTC as well as your states attorney general. Make sure to check as see if this debt is beyond your states statute of limitations. http://www.fair-debt-collection.com/sol-... I invite you to join the following Yahoo group "DontGetRippedOff" dedicated to helping those in financial trouble, Here you will find information to help you with debt collection agencies. http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/do...
6. I assume by your name "Clearwater" that you are local to me in Florida. If so, you're lucky in the sense that our state is pretty debtor friendly. Here's what I'd do. Send them another letter (certified return receipt of course) and tell them, exactly like Big Red said, that the burden of proof is on THEM not you, and that they have 15 days to either provide that proof to you or remove the listing from your credit report (if it's there). If they fail to provide proof and do not remove the listing, you could easily sue them and win.