Experience with Removing Collection Account: CBE Group
Statistics:
Original Creditor: ComED
Original Amount: $768
Collection Account: $768
Debt Status: Valid
Date of First Delinquency: Late 2008
Collection Status: Paid Original Creditor
Removal Technique: Debt Validation Letter
When I started this credit repair, I pulled my credit report. I noticed over 20 collection accounts, and the first one I decided to handle was going to be CBE Group. Logic was simple. I live in Illinois, and I need power if I ever succeed in purchasing a home (which, of course, I did). Specifically, removing collection account with CBE group would allow for my utilities to be turned back on!
I called ComED, and I found out that this debt was assigned but not sold. That is a good situation all things considered, because I would always rather work with the original creditor. Initially, ComED was hesitant to work with me, but after a couple additional phone call escalation, they let me pay off my debt in 6 installments.
While I was paying off the debt, I noticed that the collection company, CBE Group, was not updating the balance on my credit report. So I decided to launch a dispute with Transunion, on the off chance I could get a removal for the balance not being correct. Of course, at this point they verified the listing, without updating the balance. eOscar strikes again. This is one of the main reasons I always suggest filing a direct dispute with a collection company. The credit reporting agencies sanitize your dispute to the point it is no longer even valid compared to what you actually disputed.
I decided, since the balance was not updated, that maybe CBE Group no longer was responsible for collection on this debt, or updating the reporting on this debt.
I sent a debt validation letter to CBE Group.
Within 45 days, this account was removed. I never heard from CBE Group in response to my letter, but I assumed they attempted to validate it with ComED, and when ComeED showed the zero dollar balance they decided it wasn’t worth the effort to continue reporting. Remember, a collection company doesn’t have to remove a listing if you pay the original creditor, but they are required to report the correct balance.
I will take this win! Removing collection account with CBE Group has been completed!
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