Why is experian telling me to dispute with the debt collector after mailing in a dispute letter?

I filed an online dispute with experian it came back verified. So now it won't let me dispute it online any more unlike transuion so I submitted a dispute letter and the reply was experian recommends contact the debt collector? What is this am I not able to ever ask them to verify the debt again because it came back verified once?

Why is experian telling me to dispute with the debt collector after mailing in a dispute letter?
Online disputes do not work!! There is a set procedure to dispute with the CRA's (it is a way they prefer to dispute debts). It must be done in writing as this gives them written documentation and verification of who you are.





You first have to dispute the debt with the collections agency by sending a "request for validation" letter. It must be sent certified mail/return receipt, this is for your records. If the collection agency can not validate the debt in accordance with the FDCPA guidlines within TITLE 15--COMMERCE AND TRADE, CHAPTER 41--CONSUMER CREDIT PROTECTION


SUBCHAPTER V--DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES





Sec. 1692g. Validation of debts


(b) Disputed debts





If the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period described in subsection (a) of this section that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, or that the consumer requests the name and address of the original creditor, the debt collector shall cease collection of the debt, or any disputed portion thereof, until the debt collector obtains verification of the debt or a copy of a judgment, or the name and address of the original creditor, and a copy of such verification or judgment, or name and address of the original creditor, is mailed to the consumer by the debt collector.





If you get no response, then you would send copies of the documents to the CRA reporting this debt as unvalidated, they would in turn notify the collention agency and make them validate, if they do not do so within 30 days, the CRA will remove the entry and send you notice along with a new copy of your credit report.





You can read more about disputing credit reports at this link.


http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer...





Hope this answer is of help to you


LEGAL DISCLAIMER: The answer provided here is intended for informational purposes only. It is not intended nor presumed to be legal counsel or professional legal advice
Reply:Experian is the crappiest of the three bureaus and has a reputation for this. Their idea of "verifying" a debt is to ask the creditor if what they submitted was correct and take the creditor's "yes" at face value. They don't require the creditor to actually produce any verification documentation.
Reply:Good answers above


* Never use the online dispute process. Always use a Certified letter with return receipt


* Experian is by far the worst of the big 3


* Credit bureaus put profit above the accuracy of what they report...they'd rather take the debt collectors word at face value than spend time/money in actually investigating the negative notation.






Reply:Yes.
Reply:I don't know about the rest of it, but online disputes, or any transaction that is sensitive should not be tried online. Anyone can be anyone online. With any computer savvy at all, a child could pretend to be you. Not to mention people who are willing to open ALL their personal credit file info ONLINE are a dream come true for Identity thieves. The convenience is not worth the risk of getting a bill for a Lexxus bought using YOUR credit report, or a bill for thousands of dollars of electronic equipment you never bought.





It is ALWAYS in your best interest to dispute things in writing, and by snail mail. It provides hard copy proof that you contacted them at all.





As for Experian telling you to contact the debt collector yourself, Experian is just a credit bureau, it stores your credit in a file creditors can access: they are not specifically involved in your life. A DISPUTE form sent to a credit bureau is used by you to correct any mistakes, like if it says you lived somewhere you never did, held a job you never held -- stuff like that. It's important that you look, because your info may be confused with someone else with a name like yours.








Other than that, I have a question: why would you want one particular debt verified more than once? All verification is, is saying that something DOES exist. If you are being charged for something you never ordered or bought, then chances are you are already the victim of identity theft, and you need to act quickly. Tell the credit bureaus, banks, and wherever you have money, to freeze your accounts BECAUSE you suspect this. Calll the credit card companies, and tell them as well.Send whoever needs one, a business letter stating your case, and provide any information you can. Disputing something as sensitive as your credit file online is NEVER a good idea, no matter how easy it may seem.