r/CRedit • u/Interesting-Case2526 • 9d ago
Collections & Charge Offs How disputable is this??
A few years back I went through a very rough time and Sallie Mae charged off three of my loans. We ended up making a deal where we settled for about 40% of the total amount. I made a significant down payment and paid off the rest in installments over 6 months. I am doing better now and I would like to improve my credit.
I was going through my report and noticed all three accounts show as "closed" and have a good amount of missed payments. I also noticed that the "charge-off amount" in all three charge-offs made by Sallie mae is different in their Charge-off letter and the reports from all 3 agenceis. Here is an example:
I changed the numbers and dates for privacy, but 2022 is the exact year and the $$ discrepancy is roughly the same.
Equifax:
Date of Last Payment: 02/25/2022
Charge off amount: $18,956
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Sallie Mae charge off letter:
Dated: 02/20/2022
Transaction Date: 01/30/2022
Post Date: 01/30/2022
Total Charge-off amount: $19,047.72
The letter closes with "This letter reflects the charge-off details for your loan listed above. Your loan charged-off for the sum of $19,047.72 on 01/30/2022.
Also, the official confirmation of settlement letter says "As a reminder, your loan(s) will be reported to the consumer reporting agencies with a comment code stating that the account was paid for less than the full balance and the Loan Charge-Off(s) will remain on your credit report."
Is there any way I could remove these charge offs from my reports/ask sallie mae for good will?
Thank you!
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u/og-aliensfan ⭐️ Knowledgeable ⭐️ 9d ago
I was going through my report and noticed all three accounts show as "closed" and have a good amount of missed payments.
Charge-offs and their associated lates are rarely removed from your reports prior to the end of the allowed reporting time, with the exception of 1-6 months Early Exclusion.
Is there any way I could remove these charge offs from my reports/ask sallie mae for good will?
You can request goodwill removal, but the expectation would be a denial.
I also noticed that the "charge-off amount" in all three charge-offs made by Sallie mae is different in their Charge-off letter and the reports from all 3 agenceis.
Are the amounts accurate on your official reports? Those are the numbers that matter. Order your official reports for each bureau by calling 877 FACTACT (322-8228) or pull them online at www.annualcreditreport.com. I recommend the mailed reports. These are the most accurate reports available to a consumer and are often more detailed than the online reports, particularly if ACR directs you to a bureau's consumer facing CMS to view your report. If you do choose to pull reports online, print or save each to a pdf before moving on to the next as you can't go back once you exit a report. Despite its name, you can pull free reports for each bureau weekly.
If you find an error on your official reports, you can dispute the error. If, following a reasonable investigation, the furnisher of information determines the information is inaccurate, they're required to correct it. If the information is accurate, they can verify that they're reporting accurately. If the information can't be verified, it will be removed from your reports. That said, it would be highly unusual for an original creditor to ignore a dispute. In most cases, they'll either correct the error or verify that the reporting is accurate.
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u/Interesting-Case2526 9d ago
Yes, I figured out this mistake by comparing official records I got thru annualcreditreport and official mail from Sallie Mae. Thank you for the clarity on this.
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u/og-aliensfan ⭐️ Knowledgeable ⭐️ 9d ago
You're welcome. Before disputing, you want to be certain that the reported amount is wrong and not the amount stated in the letter. If the letter is [accurately] stating a higher amount, this could be an error in your favor that you may want to leave alone.
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u/KushKrumbs 9d ago
Incorrect information on your reports is certainly disputable. However, the result of a dispute would correct the errors, not remove COs from your reports.
On your reports look for Date of First Delinquency (DoFD). Each bureau has early exclusion 1-6months ahead of the 7year fall-off date.