Ever since the creation of loans and the evident convenience it has brought to many people, most have been taking advantage of this opportunity to make their lives better without going through the hassle of a financial strain. Owing somebody a debt has been normalized since, but what happens if you fail to pay them?
Of course, your creditor will have to get persistent with you, and as a last resort, they might hire a collections agency like Convergent Outsourcing to collect the debt you owe them. When your debt falls into collections, this will not only hurt your credit score but would also reflect badly in your credit report. That is one thing you should avoid if you plan to apply for a loan.
However, there are cases when these agencies start to contact you about a debt you might not be aware that you have, and that's where it gets a bit messy. Have you been receiving non-stop calls from them? Here is a quick overview of the agency and tips you can do to professionally deal with them.
Convergent Outsourcing: Who Are They?
Convergent Outsourcing is a legit, debt collection agency based in Renton, Washington. Formerly known as ER Solutions, it has been in the industry since 1950 and has employed over 1,200 employees. It is now considered one of the largest debt collectors in the US.
They mostly specialize in collecting medical debts but work with clients from industries like telecommunications, utility providers, cable companies, financial services, and government agencies too.
If someone from this agency starts to contact you, it means that they have been charged to collect a potential debt that you owe. Legally, they must open a separate collections account to pursue you and are reflected in your credit report as:
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Like most (if not all) collection agencies, Convergent Outsourcing also has a complicated provider-consumer relationship. They have received complaints such as unresponsiveness to debt validation requests, inaccurate reporting, sometimes even certain forms of harassment. You may or may not know, but there are laws that protect you from these abuses. If you owe a business debt instead of an individual one, check out this guide for state-specific business debt laws.
When this happens, you must hire a professional to handle the situation and get accustomed to the technicalities and processes of dealing with them. Credit repair companies such as Lexington Law can get you covered. Click Here to know more!
Removing Convergent Outsourcing From Your Credit Report
In many instances, removing the collections account from your credit report requires patience. This is because you usually have to wait for seven years from when your account first went delinquent (original delinquency date) before it can be removed from your report. However, if you work with experts immediately, you won't have to wait that long.
Meanwhile, here are some things you can still do when the agency starts contacting you:
1. As an important first step, NEVER IGNORE.
If you have received persistent and even aggressive calls from Convergent Outsourcing, it is never wise to ignore them. This also applies to other legitimate collection agencies out there. It might be too tempting to do, especially when you know you don't have any existing debt, but don't.
It is better to take control of the situation before it becomes worse. If you have received a collections account in error, you have to let them know immediately.
2. Always request a detailed accounting of the debt you allegedly owe.
Being contacted by a collection agency does not automatically mean that you have an unpaid bill. There is also the possibility that the information put into your account is incorrect. Therefore, requesting a written notice about the debt information is crucial.
You can request a debt validation form that includes information about the original creditor, how much money you owe, and how to dispute if the debt does not belong to you. If the validation shows that the debt is not yours, you can report to any of the three major credit bureaus.
3. Learn how to negotiate.
Negotiating skills can also be your go-to method to remove the account from your credit report. The agency sometimes allows the debt to be reduced to a reasonable amount, and you can grab this chance to settle.
On the other hand, you can also put a written request to the agency to stop contacting you, in which case, they must send verification that they will not do so anymore. This is a special consideration as part of your legal rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
4. Ask them for a goodwill deletion.
If ever you decide to pay the debt, you can ask the agency for a goodwill deletion. When you write a goodwill letter, you put in a request to the agency to have the account be put off from your credit report. This entails that you have to include the circumstances as to why you could not pay the debt.
5. Get expert help.
Believe it or not, but collection agencies can file a lawsuit against you, and when this happens, it is important to get professional help. However, you can avoid events like this if you seek consultation with a professional from the beginning.
Takeaway
If a collection agency has ever contacted you, don't panic since the federal law protects you. Hence, you must know your rights, have a background check whether the agency is legit or not to avoid being scammed, and never forget to seek professional advice.
