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Sarah R asked in Business & FinanceCredit · 1 decade ago

Is it possible to remove a negative mark on my credit score?

Here's my problem. I opened a charge card for a department store with my husband back in 2003. We paid off our original purchase and I thought that would be the end of it. Turns out my husband kept making small purchases on the card. They were sending the statements to his old mailing address for some reason. I never saw a statement, I didn't know anything about it until they started calling to harrass me. As it would happen, he "forgot" to make payments and collection agencies went after us both! Even tho HE was the one using the card. Well, I just checked my credit report. It says that the past due ammount was "charged off as bad debt." I have no idea what that means. But, there's a negative mark on my credit now, and it will be there until 2013! Is there a way I can have this removed and just be on my husband's credit report since HE is the one at fault? Or am I screwed since the account is in both our names?

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    If you can pay the balance in question, notify the original debtor and ask if you paid the balance in full, will they remove the derogatory information from the file. If they agree, make sure you get it in writing first.

    Source(s): Retired bill collector 35 years.
  • 1 decade ago

    For all intents and purposes, it will remain on both of your reports, since it was a joint account. The charge-off notation is especially hurtful to your rating; basically, the bank that underwrites the credit card has written the debt off, and probably sold or assigned the debt to a collection agency. It is possible that the collection agency will come after you for the amount, and they can put an extra notation on your credit report.

    Now, for some good news: you could attempt to validate the debt. Basically, you tell the credit bureau(s) with the notations that you disagree with the amount, accuracy etc. of the notation, and ask for proof. If this proof is not procured (i.e the debt is not validated) within a timely manner, the notation has to be removed per law.

    You could also go the route of goodwill. You might try to appeal to the soft side of the reporting institution and ask them to delete the notation. Most likely, you'd have to pay the balance, but this works more often than people realize.

    You could also attempt to remove yourself from the account, and when that is finalized, dispute the debt as inaccurate.

    One point you need to understand is that I seem to be dealing with the original creditor (OC), and not a collection agency (CA). IMHO, it is easier dealing with CAs; not much federal law is directed to OCs.

    Visit the website below. It is the best DIY site out there, and I promise that you'll be eternally glad that you did.

  • 1 decade ago

    well i am a bill collector in a 3rd party collection agency i have seen numberous people in your exact situation. here is the thing even though you were either a joint person on the account or an authorized user it will still get reported to your bureau how ever if all you are is an authorized user you are technically not responsible for payment. the easiest thing to do would be to submit a dispute to the credit bureaus if the creditor doesn't respond to the bureau within 30 days by Fair Credit Reporting Act they will take it off your bureau as if it never happened... to be honest with you the chances that the creditor responding to the bureau is slim to none they have better things to do. now if you were the primary on the account they probably would respond but given that u were the 2nd person on there i would at least try or you could contact them and work out a settlement so that it could be updated on ur bureau

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Your screwed. Since the account was in both of your names, both of you are repsonsbile for the debt. Only two ways to get it off is to wait out the maximum years a defualted loan can appear on your credit report, which is around 7-10. Option two is the unthinkable, you and your husband pay it off.

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