Collection account

I wanted to set up internet + cable on my new apt for me on my roommates through time warner. i called them today and htey said that i had a collections account from 2 years ago that i never paid at my old college for digital cable. they claim that i never returned the equipment for digital cable, but im sure i did. they said that i owe them 450 dollars before they will open up a new account for me at this new address. I basically told them no im not paying them, and i called one of my rommmates later and had him set up in his name.

I am wondering if this collections account is on my credit report, but free cred reports don't become available in my state until Sept 1, 2005. This account is from May 2003, by the way, so it's quite old.

[Shajen]

I believe no matter what state you live in you are entitled to one free report a year.

Do some googling, it's out there...

[ QUOTE ]
I believe no matter what state you live in you are entitled to one free report a year.

Do some googling, it's out there...

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes I can get one free one, but it's not available in my state till Sept 1, 2005:

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/...reereports.htm

[meleader2]

i haven't returned mine yet and it's been 2 months. i wonder what they'll do? it isn't in my bill or anything...

[ QUOTE ]
i haven't returned mine yet and it's been 2 months. i wonder what they'll do? it isn't in my bill or anything...

[/ QUOTE ]

No it wouldn't be. They just refer it to an incompetent collections agency I think. I just found out about it this morning and the account is almost 2 and a half years old.

I just checked my credit report and it has this information about that collections account:

COLLECTION ACCOUNTS:
Count: 1
Balance: $400.00
Current: 0
Delinquent 0
Other 0

Account Name: XXXXXXXXXX
Account Number: XXXXXXXXXX
Acct Type: Collection Department / Agency / Attorney
Acct Status: Closed
Monthly Payment:
Date Open: 4/1/2004
Balance: $400.00
Terms: 1 Month
High Balance:
Limit:
Past Due: $400.00
Payment Status: Seriously past due date / assigned to attorney, collection agency, or credit grantor's internal collection department


Does all of this mean that I don't have to worry about them coming after me, since the account is closed?

[Maulik]

[ QUOTE ]
I just checked my credit report and it has this information about that collections account:

COLLECTION ACCOUNTS:
Count: 1
Balance: $400.00
Current: 0
Delinquent 0
Other 0

Account Name: XXXXXXXXXX
Account Number: XXXXXXXXXX
Acct Type: Collection Department / Agency / Attorney
Acct Status: Closed
Monthly Payment:
Date Open: 4/1/2004
Balance: $400.00
Terms: 1 Month
High Balance:
Limit:
Past Due: $400.00
Payment Status: Seriously past due date / assigned to attorney, collection agency, or credit grantor's internal collection department


Does all of this mean that I don't have to worry about them coming after me, since the account is closed?

[/ QUOTE ]

no it means they won't extend service to you.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I just checked my credit report and it has this information about that collections account:

COLLECTION ACCOUNTS:
Count: 1
Balance: $400.00
Current: 0
Delinquent 0
Other 0

Account Name: XXXXXXXXXX
Account Number: XXXXXXXXXX
Acct Type: Collection Department / Agency / Attorney
Acct Status: Closed
Monthly Payment:
Date Open: 4/1/2004
Balance: $400.00
Terms: 1 Month
High Balance:
Limit:
Past Due: $400.00
Payment Status: Seriously past due date / assigned to attorney, collection agency, or credit grantor's internal collection department


Does all of this mean that I don't have to worry about them coming after me, since the account is closed?

[/ QUOTE ]

no it means they won't extend service to you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok what if I don't care about that? Let's say that I have a girlfriend who will gladly put her name on any future Time Warner accounts that I need. Then I don't need to pay the $400, right? They won't come after me?

What I'm really wondering though is if this is hurting my credit score. Experian says that I have a credit score of 548 which they classify as "very poor", the worst category. In my short credit history, I have this collections account, and one late credit card payment(which was only because I lost the bill and forgot about it, but I paid it promptly afterward). Is the collections account hurting my credit score even though it is now closed?

[Shajen]

Yeah, it's killing your credit score.

548 is pretty bad. If I were you, I'd start up the process of fighting this. Or, I'd find a buddy with an extra cable box and ship that to them.

[TheIrishThug]

i would go with yes. a balance of 400 that hasn't been paid for over 2 yrs is def gonna suck for ur credit score. yes u can not pay it and just get other ppl to set up ur cable, but ur score is only gonna get worse if it stays unpaid.

the late payment shouldn't be that bad cause it was slightly late and then paid off. but i'd put money on this balance being the major reason for ur bad rating.