Library Fine passed to a Collection Agency: How bad is it? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Sage · 05-02-2005, 09:08 AM

This morning I got a call from a collection agency, about a library fine that had passed into the collections stage. The fine was only $30, and I mailed them a check today. My question is, how bad is this? I haven't ever had anything like this before, no late payments, nothing like that, so is this going to "show up on my credit history" and if so, how bad will it look? On my history, is it shown that it was for a trivial amount and I paid after the first phone call about it, or will it just show up as "holy crap she had something that went into the collections stage"?

Cynthetiq · 05-02-2005, 11:03 AM

I've not heard of anything hitting the equifax like that, but I'm sure someone here who's dealing with it day to day can shed better light on it.

At least they didn't tie it to your driver's licence as they do in some states now which I think is ridiculous.

ophelia783 · 05-02-2005, 11:12 AM

Hey,
My fiance (majik_6) is a debt-collector, and apparantly there are different levels of charging off. If I remember correctly, once it goes into collections, it shows up on your credit, but there are different ways for it to affect your credit.

You did pay it right away, though, so you should be okay, but I'll ask him to post here and give you a better answer than I can.

lindseylatch · 05-02-2005, 11:23 AM

oh, man, the library crackin' down!
I'm surrised Blockbuster hasn't come after my parents...

*Nikki* · 05-02-2005, 07:27 PM

Yeah I heard that about the Library doing that on the news today. I have a book I got there like 10 plus years ago. Hmmm. I just found it the other day when I was packing. As far as I know they don't know it's missing???

Sage · 05-02-2005, 07:44 PM

hee hee hee

The thing is, I actually have a pretty decent excuse as to why I didn't pay it. It's from a long time ago, and I only found out about it at the library about three weeks ago, and they said I had to talk to a certian person to get it cleared up. Well, the two times I went by there just to see this lady to pay it, she wasn't there. Then with school wrapping up, I forgot about it till the phone call.

Thanks guys, you've made me feel a lot better!

majik_6 · 05-02-2005, 08:09 PM

As ophelia783 mentioned, I'm a third-part debt collector specializing in delinquent credit cards. I know that in my office, the accounts we recieve are anywhere from 30-180 days behind. Anything before the 180 day mark can be cleared up without showing up as a "charge off" or uncollectable debt on the credit report. Anything that's turned over, however shows up as slow-pay or slow-credit.

As far as how bad it looks, I know that even a badcheck will show up on a long-form credit report. Generally, a small balance that was paid before the account could go to a recovery agency is not TOO damaging against your credit report. However, anything on there can be detrimental. For example, I have a medical bill from when I was 17 or 18 and still living at home that should have been paid by my mom's insurance (I wasn't really making jack-shit at work at the time, and the tests alone were over 400.00 US).

Long story short, I thought the bill had been paid, and my mom claims to this day that she paid it, but I know that I almost didn't get my current apartment jsut because when the ran the credit check, the medical bill showed up as having been turned over to collections (and then paid).

If you're really worried about it, I believe that you're entitled to a free copy of your credit report every so often (once a year?). Contact one of the three major credit beauraus to see how to obtain that.

Good luck!

Redlemon · 05-03-2005, 06:20 AM

"Overdues", by Shel Silverstein

What do I do? What do I do?
This library book is 42 years overdue.
I admit that it's mine, but I can't pay the fine -
should I turn it in or hide it again?
What do I do? What do I do?

tupacbiff1 · 05-03-2005, 09:55 AM

here is a hint to everybody ever contacted by a CA....NEVER PAY THEM A DIME until they can prove unequivacally the debt is yours.

A couple of easy steps
1. when they call inform them that you can only be contacted via mail. this way if they continue to contact oyu that is harassment and you have them on a violation which you can use a bargining chip.
2. Send a debt verification- a letter making them prove its yours
3. Only pay if they agree to delete it from your credit report. No delete=no pay
4. for $30 bucks they arent going to sue you so no incentive to pay.

Just some quick tips there are alot more tips and deeper more involved thigns you can do. Basically CA try to bully oyu into paying. once they see you are a hard target tehy either sue or move on.

raeanna74 · 05-04-2005, 07:58 AM

Well when we went for a home loan and had our credit reports looked up there wasn't much on there like that. We've had a couple things happen like your situation and they don't seem to show up until a few times after the collection agency has contacted us. Plus we'd paid some things and it showed that as well. As for getting the home loan, the ONLY things that were a problem were anything that we hadn't paid. It didn't matter if it showed up on the credit report so long as it showed it was paid. We had all our bank accounts, credit cards, and car loans show up on the credit report but it also showed that we'd paid the car loans and things. No body cares if it's on your credit report unless it shows a large number of credit cards, or even one charge off that's never been paid.

This may not show up. If it does, you paid it and can show them the cancelled check later if it doesn't show that it was paid.

Library fines - I've gotten a quite a few. Lost one video tape then brought it back much later. People loose things all the time. The library may just be trying to bring their accounts up to date. Maybe they've got an audit coming up or something.

tupacbiff1 · 05-04-2005, 08:27 PM

raeanna- a paid collection is a huge negative hit on your credit score. A lower credit score means you are getting lower rates thus paying more.

NEVER pay a collection agent unless they are willing to do a pay for deleting their tradeline on your credit report.

Credit scores are vital to getting good terms. A paid collection is just as bad an unpaid collection.

When will people learn?

raeanna74 · 05-05-2005, 04:58 AM

Really? Well I had more than one loan officer recognise some paid accounts as being very good. We had a crises (hubby in a coma) a few years back and our for the lapse in our payment history coincided with it. The loan officers said that the fact that we set things right as soon as we were able told them we were good risks. We actually had a few offers for loans and the reason we didn't accept the first one we got was because we needed one with no real down payment. We didn't have any trouble with paid collections on our report. In fact we were told our credit scores were average which was good considering how much trouble we had once had.

tupacbiff1 · 05-06-2005, 09:00 AM

rae- you missed the point entirely.

Paid accounts being good? Not if they went into collection not in colleciton is another story. The point is if it is a collection account and you force them to do a pay for delete then the item never appears on your credit report. Thus you have a higher score (see not average) because you have no negative history. Im not saying oyu wont get a loan but oyu will get much better terms with a higher credit score.

Ive said my peace and im done. If you really think a paid collection account is better then no negative account so be it.

05-02-2005, 09:08 AM	#1 (permalink)
Sage hoarding all the big girl panties since 2005 Location: North side	Library Fine passed to a Collection Agency: How bad is it? This morning I got a call from a collection agency, about a library fine that had passed into the collections stage. The fine was only $30, and I mailed them a check today. My question is, how bad is this? I haven't ever had anything like this before, no late payments, nothing like that, so is this going to "show up on my credit history" and if so, how bad will it look? On my history, is it shown that it was for a trivial amount and I paid after the first phone call about it, or will it just show up as "holy crap she had something that went into the collections stage"? __________________ Sage knows our mythic history, King Arthur's and Sir Caradoc's She answers hard acrostics, has a pretty taste for paradox She quotes in elegiacs all the crimes of Heliogabalus In conics she can floor peculiarities parabolous -C'hi

05-02-2005, 11:03 AM	#2 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	I've not heard of anything hitting the equifax like that, but I'm sure someone here who's dealing with it day to day can shed better light on it. At least they didn't tie it to your driver's licence as they do in some states now which I think is ridiculous. __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

05-02-2005, 11:12 AM	#3 (permalink)
ophelia783 Insane Location: West Virginia	Hey, My fiance (majik_6) is a debt-collector, and apparantly there are different levels of charging off. If I remember correctly, once it goes into collections, it shows up on your credit, but there are different ways for it to affect your credit. You did pay it right away, though, so you should be okay, but I'll ask him to post here and give you a better answer than I can. __________________ ~~ He with a sharp tongue slits his own throat ~~

05-02-2005, 11:23 AM	#4 (permalink)
lindseylatch Addict Location: Seattle, WA	oh, man, the library crackin' down! I'm surrised Blockbuster hasn't come after my parents... __________________ "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities" "If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him." "It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong." -Voltaire

05-02-2005, 07:44 PM	#6 (permalink)
Sage hoarding all the big girl panties since 2005 Location: North side	hee hee hee The thing is, I actually have a pretty decent excuse as to why I didn't pay it. It's from a long time ago, and I only found out about it at the library about three weeks ago, and they said I had to talk to a certian person to get it cleared up. Well, the two times I went by there just to see this lady to pay it, she wasn't there. Then with school wrapping up, I forgot about it till the phone call. Thanks guys, you've made me feel a lot better! __________________ Sage knows our mythic history, King Arthur's and Sir Caradoc's She answers hard acrostics, has a pretty taste for paradox She quotes in elegiacs all the crimes of Heliogabalus In conics she can floor peculiarities parabolous -C'hi

05-02-2005, 07:27 PM	#5 (permalink)
Nikki ~~~~~~~ Location: Charleston, SC	Yeah I heard that about the Library doing that on the news today. I have a book I got there like 10 plus years ago. Hmmm. I just found it the other day when I was packing. As far as I know they don't know it's missing???

05-02-2005, 08:09 PM	#7 (permalink)
majik_6 narcissist Location: looking in a mirror	As ophelia783 mentioned, I'm a third-part debt collector specializing in delinquent credit cards. I know that in my office, the accounts we recieve are anywhere from 30-180 days behind. Anything before the 180 day mark can be cleared up without showing up as a "charge off" or uncollectable debt on the credit report. Anything that's turned over, however shows up as slow-pay or slow-credit. As far as how bad it looks, I know that even a badcheck will show up on a long-form credit report. Generally, a small balance that was paid before the account could go to a recovery agency is not TOO damaging against your credit report. However, anything on there can be detrimental. For example, I have a medical bill from when I was 17 or 18 and still living at home that should have been paid by my mom's insurance (I wasn't really making jack-shit at work at the time, and the tests alone were over 400.00 US). Long story short, I thought the bill had been paid, and my mom claims to this day that she paid it, but I know that I almost didn't get my current apartment jsut because when the ran the credit check, the medical bill showed up as having been turned over to collections (and then paid). If you're really worried about it, I believe that you're entitled to a free copy of your credit report every so often (once a year?). Contact one of the three major credit beauraus to see how to obtain that. Good luck! __________________ it's all about self-indulgence

05-03-2005, 06:20 AM	#8 (permalink)
Redlemon Devoted Donor Location: New England	"Overdues", by Shel Silverstein What do I do? What do I do? This library book is 42 years overdue. I admit that it's mine, but I can't pay the fine - should I turn it in or hide it again? What do I do? What do I do? __________________ I can't read your signature. Sorry.

05-03-2005, 09:55 AM	#9 (permalink)
tupacbiff1 Addict	here is a hint to everybody ever contacted by a CA....NEVER PAY THEM A DIME until they can prove unequivacally the debt is yours. A couple of easy steps 1. when they call inform them that you can only be contacted via mail. this way if they continue to contact oyu that is harassment and you have them on a violation which you can use a bargining chip. 2. Send a debt verification- a letter making them prove its yours 3. Only pay if they agree to delete it from your credit report. No delete=no pay 4. for $30 bucks they arent going to sue you so no incentive to pay. Just some quick tips there are alot more tips and deeper more involved thigns you can do. Basically CA try to bully oyu into paying. once they see you are a hard target tehy either sue or move on.

05-04-2005, 07:58 AM	#10 (permalink)
raeanna74 I'm not a blonde! I'm knot! I'm knot! I'm knot! Location: Upper Michigan	Well when we went for a home loan and had our credit reports looked up there wasn't much on there like that. We've had a couple things happen like your situation and they don't seem to show up until a few times after the collection agency has contacted us. Plus we'd paid some things and it showed that as well. As for getting the home loan, the ONLY things that were a problem were anything that we hadn't paid. It didn't matter if it showed up on the credit report so long as it showed it was paid. We had all our bank accounts, credit cards, and car loans show up on the credit report but it also showed that we'd paid the car loans and things. No body cares if it's on your credit report unless it shows a large number of credit cards, or even one charge off that's never been paid. This may not show up. If it does, you paid it and can show them the cancelled check later if it doesn't show that it was paid. Library fines - I've gotten a quite a few. Lost one video tape then brought it back much later. People loose things all the time. The library may just be trying to bring their accounts up to date. Maybe they've got an audit coming up or something. __________________ "Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama My Karma just ran over your Dogma.

05-04-2005, 08:27 PM	#11 (permalink)
tupacbiff1 Addict	raeanna- a paid collection is a huge negative hit on your credit score. A lower credit score means you are getting lower rates thus paying more. NEVER pay a collection agent unless they are willing to do a pay for deleting their tradeline on your credit report. Credit scores are vital to getting good terms. A paid collection is just as bad an unpaid collection. When will people learn?

05-05-2005, 04:58 AM	#12 (permalink)
raeanna74 I'm not a blonde! I'm knot! I'm knot! I'm knot! Location: Upper Michigan	Really? Well I had more than one loan officer recognise some paid accounts as being very good. We had a crises (hubby in a coma) a few years back and our for the lapse in our payment history coincided with it. The loan officers said that the fact that we set things right as soon as we were able told them we were good risks. We actually had a few offers for loans and the reason we didn't accept the first one we got was because we needed one with no real down payment. We didn't have any trouble with paid collections on our report. In fact we were told our credit scores were average which was good considering how much trouble we had once had. __________________ "Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama My Karma just ran over your Dogma.

05-06-2005, 09:00 AM	#13 (permalink)
tupacbiff1 Addict	rae- you missed the point entirely. Paid accounts being good? Not if they went into collection not in colleciton is another story. The point is if it is a collection account and you force them to do a pay for delete then the item never appears on your credit report. Thus you have a higher score (see not average) because you have no negative history. Im not saying oyu wont get a loan but oyu will get much better terms with a higher credit score. Ive said my peace and im done. If you really think a paid collection account is better then no negative account so be it.