So, can someone tell me where I can find out more information on what it is the three credit bureau's (meaning Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian) MUST follow in order to list someone on your credit report...

PART ONE:

My thoughts on this subject are burning in my mind... and I'm very junior in my research

To me, it seems they can pretty much put anything they want in your 'file' IF it is reported to them by a subscriber (like a collection agency).

What 'onus' does the credit bureaus HAVE before they can accept just anything from a paying subscriber...

PART TWO:

What does a credit bureau REALLY have to do when I call and tell them something on my credit report is WRONG and not MY DEBT...

All they want to do on the phone for me is say... "would you like to dispute this debt"...

In reality all they do after that is simply contact the subscriber and RE-ASK... if this is a valid DEBT...

Well, of COURSE the subscriber is going to say YES...

What PROOF do they have to have in order to list something...

What are my CHOICES in figuring out what to do next...

PART THREE:

Where can I go read MORE legal and to the point information on how things are to be listed on a credit report (what MUST come off... when it must come off... etc.)?

Once, I was talking to the Experian staff about a debt which was not MINE... she told me NOT to dispute the debt because it was SET to come off in 90-days... and she said if I disputed the debt... when the subscriber replied... that would start the 7 year CLOCK over again for an un-paid debt being listed on my credit.

So, by NOT doing anything and waiting... they item would be removed, but if I disputed the item... the update from the subscriber would start another 7 year listing all over again.

Where can I read about what laws and RULES govern all this.

To me, this credit reporting stuff is one of the MOST UNKNOWN subjects to the public there is.

Thanks in advance!

Ok, first disputing a item does not re-start any 7 year period, what sets the start of a period is a payment or acknowledgement of the debt. So if you dispute an item first it is not automatically taken off, they will notify the reporting agency and if they affirm it is a valid debt, it just remains, if they don't respond it is taken off. Or if they respond saying the debt is not valid it will be removed

Next not sure what number you are calling for the credit agencies, most will require anything to be done in writing, any request to dispute a claim.

Next they don't need or ask for any proof, they merely report what info is given to them. And if challenged again they don't look or ask for proof, they merely ask the reporting company if this is a valid debt or not that is all that happens. If you provide them proof it is paid, it will be taken off

If the debt is really a valid debt there is nothing you can do, if it is not a valid debt, you provide proof to the agency to prove it is not a valid debt

Hi Chuck...

Thanks for the reply... but, really you didn't answer much (just overall generic examples)

For example, you said:

If the debt is really a valid debt there is nothing you can do, if it is not a valid debt, you provide proof to the agency to prove it is not a valid debt

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My point is... what is official debt... just because you have an account with a collection agency... does that suddenly meet this official definition of 'debt'. I don't think so. Also, just because an account is at a collection agency... if that is debt or not... what governs them to be able to put it on someone's credit report...

Here is a over-the-top type example to show you what I am trying to get to:

#1: You happen to 'piss off your neighbor (in his eyes) for example...
#2: This neighbor then decides to 'bill' you for his 'wasted time', 'stress', and/or 'worry'
#3: You get this type of 'bogus' invoice from him in the mail for example asking for 10k.
Of course you TOSS this crap away because it is just something he created in Word out of spite from being mad... (again this is just an extreme example)... don't read into this word for word...
#4: Since you do not reply to this 'bull crap' INVOICE, your neighbor hires a collection agency to 'collect' the 'debt'.
#5: You don't pay the collection agency either, but they put it on your credit report.

So, as you can see... it is VERY POSSIBLE for some type of 'debt' to make it to a collection agency... and they 'put' it on your credit because you don't pay.

You call the credit bureaus to 'dispute' this debt, but ALL THEY DO IS VERIFY with the collection agency that this is a valid debt (again only in the eyes of the collection agency).

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To further illustrate what I am trying to get across (again, so I know where I can start my research on collections and credit reporting agencies... is... one time I had an official debt... this debt went to a collection agency... the collection called me... they said I needed to pay them (on behalf of their client). I said, what if I don't pay? They said they would keep calling me until I did. I said, "what about my credit". They said, 'with this type of debt... the could NOT put it on my credit because of the license agreement I had with their client at the time (a major credit card company). I was amazed at this.

I paid the account off over time, and that was that.

So, this got me thinking...

#1: What makes one debt different from another type of debt (from the eyes of a collection agency)

#2: What could one do to figure out what type of debt they have (one that can be reported on their credit VS. one that cannot)...

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Next, I am currently faced with a collection account which is 100% not my debt. This is for a towing bill for a car I had sold 1 year prior to the tow. The DMV never took the car out of my name, and the new owner/car lot who sold the car... never put the car in the new owner's name. When the car broke down, and towed... it was still in my name (vehicle registration).

This boggle took years to straighten out...

During the boggle, the collection agency PUT THIS collection on my CREDIT...

My question here is...

#1: Where is my signed agreement to pay for this tow?
#2: Where in the world did the collection agency get my SSN?
NOTE: I know it is SUPER SUPER easy for collection agencies to find out people's SSN, but the LAW says they MUST obtain it in an official manor... meaning they simply cannot find my SSN "off the Internet" and then USE that as their base of my account (so they have a SSN when reporting this to the credit agenices).

This boggle above really CHAPS me...

Isn't there some protection which says a collection agency MUST have some legal means by which they can obtain someone's SSN?

Hello Saw:

Google; the 'Fair Credit Reporting Act', and the 'Fair Debt Collection Practices Act'. The first is the only federal law governing the credit bureaus. The second is the only federal law governing collection agencies.

excon

Credit bureaus do not verify info submitted by subscribers.

If a person disputes an entry, the CB goes back to the subscriber to verify it. If the subscriber doesn't provide verification within 30 days the entry is removed.