Advise Needed: Pay in full or settle?
I am trying to improve my credit score to get it as close to perfect credit as possible. All of my accounts are positive except for one. They are all either closed/paid in full or never late (from auto loans to credit cards). I only have one account that went to collection for the amount of approx $350, from SprintPCS. I never paid it because their bill was full of falsified charges. I fought it but eventually let it slip and it went to collection. Since this was approx 2 years ago, I think it is too late to try and fight and get it removed from the report, as I have no evidence. Am I wrong?
So what I want to do something about it ASAP and I think I only have 2 options. Pay it in full and accept all the falsified charges by Sprint PCS or settle with the collection agency for 50-60% of the balance. I tried making the collection agency an offer that if I paid it in full they would remove it completely from the credit report so that it shows I was never in collection, but they did not accept it.
What should I do? I prefer to pay Sprint PCS the least amount possible because they are robbing me, but I care about my credit more than the money. Is it better to pay it in full so that the credit report shows "paid in full" or does it not matter at all? Will one increase my score more than the other?
Thanks for any advise.
Johnny
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