If you don't pay a collection company will it come off after 7 years?

Please look up fair credit reporting act. The collection agency can not start the 7 years all over again. BTW its 7 years from the date of your last payment or when the account became delinquent.

The date of last activity is the date that the account went delinquent with the original creditor, usually when it is 120 days past due. The time does not start over when it goes to a collection agency. And it does drop off your credit report after 7 years. You may or may not have to contact the credit bureau to have it removed at that time.

The date would be correct, if you go default any creditor will give you time, then they sell the debt off to a collection agency. the agency will then themselves try to get you to pay, once the time allowed passes they begin with that date. And it is correct fo them to put the negative on your credit report that's what they do. Saying you won't pay just because they put it there puts you in the wrong, however if you are serious about not paying, it will go off your report in that time from that day of them putting it there. If you make one payment at any time over the years while it's there, the date starts all over.

It is 7 years from the report date, but you should definately talk to them if you were in debt for AT&T in 2004 that's an extra 2 years on your name. I would'nt pay them either way for the simple fact it scarred your name for 7 yrs regardless if you pay or not. I'm having a similar problem so I've learned a few things about these damn creditors. Well good luck!:)

They go by the date the collection company took over the debt. I twill stay on your credit report for 10 years (not 7).

If you send them even $10/month they are obligated to state on credit report you are making payments, it may not be what they want, but as long as you pay something, they are obligated to state that.

When the collection company gets it, it's like a brand new bill. Yes, it comes off after seven years but you have to write each collection agency independently (experian, equifax, and trans union) to remove the item. If AT&T has it listed, they have to remove it in seven years from the day the debt occured with them. After seven years, again, you may have to write, they should remove it.

FIRST OFF--- harleyryder42 HAS NOT GIVEN YOU ANY TYPE OF CORRECT INFO. EVERY THING HE STATED IS INCORRECT.

A COLLECTION AGENCY IS NOT REQUIRED TO TAKE PAYMENTS, CHECK THE ATTORNEY GENERALS WEB SITE. AND SECOND, IT IS 7 YEARS FROM THE DATE OF DEFAULT FROM THE ORIGINAL CREDITOR BEFORE THEY ARE TO REMOVE IT.

ALSO, I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT AT&T ENCOURAGES THEIR COLLECTORS TO FILE SUIT AGINST DEBTORS, SO I WOULD DO EVERY THING YOU CAN TO MAKE SOME TYPE OF ARRANGEMENTS TO RE-PAY THE DEBT SO YOU CAN AVOID THE COSTS OF A LAW SUIT AND ALSO AVOID JUDGMENT AGAINST YOU AS A JUDGMENT CAN BE GOOD FOR OVER 30 YEARS DEPENDING ON YOUR STATE LAWS ON RENEWELL OF JUDGMENTS.

GOOD LUCK!