Same Account Bought by 2 Different Collection Agencies and They Report on 2 Different Bureaus.

by CrystalB27
(Florida)

I have an old Sprint PCS account from 2009. Two different collection agencies purchased this account and are both reporting it. One agency is reporting to Trans Union and the other is reporting to Experian. Isn't this fraud? What can I do to get this deleted or resolved?

Reply from DebtCollectionAnswers.com:

Crystal -

This is not an uncommon situation? What have you done to try to resolve it? We would suggest you first try contacting Sprint and explaining to them that you have two different collection agencies trying to collect the same debt. Insist that they help you figure out which one should be collecting. If you can't get anywhere with them, then your next step would be to contact both collection agencies and ask them to verify the debt.

You can read more about your rights with regard to debt collectors by reading the first chapter of Debt Collection Answers online for free.

This debt is not that old. In other words, it doesn't sound like it's outside the statute of limitations. (We are not attorneys and cannot provide legal advice.)

You don't state how much it is, or whether you can afford to pay it. But you may want to think about what you can do to resolve this and put it behind you. You may be able to settle it for less than you owe if you can come up with a lump sum settlement.

Be sure to keep excellent records of all your interactions with these collectors and with Sprint. You can use our Free Debt Collection Worksheet to keep track of any phone conversations you have with them. Good luck!