If you’ve noticed a collections account on your credit report from Hunter Warfield, it can be alarming and frustrating. A single collection account can drop your credit score by up to 100 points! Clearly, removing these hurtful collection accounts is a priority. Luckily, you have rights and options to remove erroneous or unverified accounts from your credit reports. Here are 3 steps to remove Hunter Warfield collections on your credit
1. Validate the Hunter Warfield Collection Account
According to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you can request written verification of any debt Hunter Warfield is reporting on your credit reports. Send a debt validation letter request via certified mail to Hunter Warfield requesting details on the alleged debt including the original creditor, amount of the debt, and validation that the debt is in fact yours. This request must be sent 30 days after you received the notice of collection from Hunter Warfield. If you send this validation request and they cannot validate the debt, or do not respond within 30 days, they are required to remove the account from your credit report.
2. Dispute the Account with the Credit Bureaus
If Hunter Warfield validates the debt or does not remove an unvalidated collections account, you can dispute the account directly with the three major credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Submit a credit report dispute letter or form with each bureau requesting investigation and removal of the account. Explain that the debt cannot be verified or is being reported inaccurately. The credit bureau must investigate and remove the account if it is found to be unverifiable or reported in error. This process can take up to 30-45 days per bureau. Download our free collection dispute template to get started.
Here are some best practices when sending a dispute letter to the credit bureaus:
– Only dispute items you believe are inaccurate.
– Send your dispute via mail. This is because letter disputes are processed differently than online disputes.
– Add any copies of evidence that support your dispute. This could include receipts, police reports, etc.
3. See if Hunter Warfield Will Accept a “Pay for delete”
Finally, you can contact Hunter Warfield to negotiate a “pay for delete” agreement if verification and credit bureau disputes do not result in removal of the account. With a pay for delete, you agree to pay the debt in exchange for the collection agency removing the account from your credit reports. Get the terms of the agreement in writing from Hunter Warfield, confirming that payment will result in deletion of the account. Send the payment as agreed and then check your credit reports to ensure the Hunter Warfield account is removed once you receive the written agreement. If it is not removed, you have the written pay for delete agreement to enforce the deletion.
Download our free Pay to Delete PDF Template to get started.
Now, here are some best practices when negotiating a “Pay for delete” with a collections agency:
– Do not agree to a payment you cannot afford
– Do not admit ownership of the debt
– Make sure you get a signed agreement letter from Hunter Warfield before making any payments. Otherwise they have no legal obligation to remove the debt upon payment.
Conclusion
In summary, you have options to remove Hunter Warfield from your credit reports. First, request debt verification and if the debt cannot be verified, the account must be removed. If that does not work, dispute the account with the credit bureaus, which must investigate and remove verifiable errors. Otherwise, negotiate a pay for delete agreement to pay the debt in exchange for account removal. With persistence, you can resolve Hunter Warfield collections issues on your credit reports.
