Charged Off WFNNB Account on My Credit Report – Debt Validation Sent – Need Help.
I learned a charge card was opened in my name after the $62 total had accrued to $1000 and was charged off. I disputed this with the original company, WFNNB and ANN TAYLOR, but without luck. I sent a debt validation letter to Morgan & Associates because they contacted me via letter. I sent the letter USPS, return receipt early March (it was signed for) and never received a response. My credit file shows a charge off with a balance of $282, what can I do to rectify this situation?
Debt validation letter sent in March 2012, never received a response. What should I do next?
—MH
From the background you provided, it sounds as if you did not open the account with Ann Taylor and WFNNB that Morgan and Associates is trying to collect on. If you did not open the account, do you know who did? The answer to that question and your personal concerns that may relate to the answer would change the feedback I have for you considerably.
If I start my feedback with the assumption you are stuck with the account where it is right now and will not be filing reports of identity theft, I still need some more detail to give you a good response.
Is the account showing up as a charge off entry on your credit report by WFNNB, or is there an entry from Morgan and Associates the debt collector?
Whether the account is rightfully associated with you or not, accounts that go bad with missed payments long enough do get charged off for accounting purposes and this charge off will generally be reported by the creditor.
Can you tell me more about what you went through when you said above that you disputed the account with the creditor already, but had no luck?
Morgan and Associates not responding to your validation request is not uncommon. Many debt collectors who receive these types of request don’t respond to them. Many debt collectors cannot access the type of information need to back up whether they are collecting a legitimate debt, especially if Morgan and Associates is collecting for a debt buyer. At this point, unless you tell me in reply that Morgan and Assoc are also reporting something to the credit agencies, or that they have continued to try to collect from you without responding to your validation request, I would say they are out of the picture.
Dealing with the charge off entry by WFNNB would involve:
- Filing a police report and signing an affidavit regarding your being a victim of identity theft.
- Disputing the entry as not yours (if it’s not) directly with the credit reporting bureaus, and perhaps with WFNNB too.
- Depending on how you respond to the questions above, knocking down the debt for as little a settlement as possible so that the charge off entry is resolved, showing a zero balance owed, and moving on.
If you can respond to my above questions by posting answers in the comment section below, I will be able to provide some additional feedback and things to consider.
Anyone dealing with a WFNNB collection account, or with Morgan and Associates collecting a debt, is welcome to post questions and concerns in the comments below for feedback.
About Michael BoveeMichael started CRN in 2004 with a mission to provide people in need with detailed debt and credit help and education. Michael has participated as an expert panelist in federal consumer protection rule making, collaborated on state law changes governing debt consolidation, has worked as an expert witness in court matters related to the debt relief industry. He is available to speak with you about your financial struggle and helps people resolve their debt problems daily.
Melanie and I connected through email. I am posting my last email to her in the event the information can help others searching for details about a similar concern:
“The following websites are for law offices that have consumer protection experience. You will see that they offer bankruptcy as a focus of their practice. Don’t get turned off by that. They have experience protecting consumers with debt collection issues too.
https://www.mjbankruptcy.com/ – has a couple office locations in Cincinnati.
https://www.plummerbankruptcy.com/Contact.shtml – has one office location in Cincinnati.
Typically this type of firm offers a free consultation about your issues.
I encourage you to have all of your ducks in a row when speaking with them. One of the best ways to do this is to have notes in front of you with the chronology of events and the players involved. Dates, times, conversations, letters sent/received etc.
It would be great if you came back to this page with updates of what you learn and any progress you make. Other’s searching for options that are in similar circumstances will learn from you.
Best,
Michael”
Thanks for the additional detail.
Given the account is not yours and you have made reasonable efforts to resolve the issue, and the fact that you have and may continue to be damaged by all of this, I want to encourage you to sit down with an attorney and walk through all that has transpired.
Most attorneys are not familiar with the type of consumer laws and potential concerns you would have with your issues. Locating an experienced consumer attorney can be done at http://www.naca.net using your zip code or city as a search criteria.
If you don’t mind responding with the name of the nearest city of size, I will look up some attorneys and respond with contact info.
From the background you provided, it sounds as if you did not open the account with Ann Taylor and WFNNB that Morgan and Associates is trying to collect on.
If you did not open the account, do you know who did? No, I did not and do not know who did. I do know my name was spelled incorrectly
The answer to that question and your personal concerns that may relate to the answer would change the feedback I have for you considerably. If I start my feedback with the assumption you are stuck with the account where it is right now and will not be filing reports of identity theft, I still need some more detail to give you a good response.
Is the account showing up as a charge off entry on your credit report by WFNNB, or is there an entry from Morgan and Associates the debt collector? Charge off
Whether the account is rightfully associated with you or not, accounts that go bad with missed payments long enough do get charged off for accounting purposes and this charge off will generally be reported by the creditor.
Can you tell me more about what you went through when you said above that you disputed the account with the creditor already, but had no luck? I received a letter in January 2012 informing me of non-payment and how the account was going to collections. I called them to state this was the first I ever heard of an account and to make sure it was closed. I completed the affidavit to contest the card as my own. When I hadn’t heard anything by March, I called again to find out the status. I was told they did not receive my affidavit, so I once again sent a copy. I received a letter from Morgan and Associates on 6/4/12, threatening legal action. Rather than contact them, I contacted the original creditor who said that because I was contesting the validity of the card it bypassed collections, thus not informing me. I was unable to get any more information from them. I wrote a debt validation letter and cease and desist letter to Morgan and Associates. However, they still continued to call me (and still do).
Ann Taylor and WFNNB still claim they never received my affidavit. I have not heard anything else from either company and do not know what else to do.
Morgan and Associates not responding to your validation request is not uncommon. Many debt collectors who receive these types of request don’t respond to them. Many debt collectors cannot access the type of information need to back up whether they are collecting a legitimate debt, especially if Morgan and Associates is collecting for a debt buyer. At this point, unless you tell me in reply that Morgan and Assoc are also reporting something to the credit agencies, or that they have continued to try to collect from you without responding to your validation request, I would say they are out of the picture.
Is it possible Morgan and Associates now sold the account? I received a generic voice mail instructing me to call an 800 telephone number. When I googled the number it is listed to ACB Recovery.
Dealing with the charge off entry by WFNNB would involve:
• Filing a police report and signing an affidavit regarding your being a victim of identity theft. I was told there is no evidence a crime was committed (I asked for a report, copies of the surveillance, and copies of the original application)
• Disputing the entry as not yours (if it’s not) directly with the credit reporting bureaus, and perhaps with WFNNB too. I am unsure how to do this, (i.e., what is needed, and how to phrase the dispute)
• Depending on how you respond to the questions above, knocking down the debt for as little a settlement as possible so that the charge off entry is resolved, showing a zero balance owed, and moving on.
If you can respond to my above questions by posting answers in the comment section below, I will be able to provide some additional feedback and things to consider.
I am applying to jobs and feel that the way it is reported now to the credit bureaus is extremely detrimental. I rent an apartment and I saved and purchased a new car in full (I did not know I should have financed it and paid it off one month later), thus I have nothing in my credit report other than revolving debt.