Negative Accounts – Can They Reappear On Your Report After Removal?

Negative AccountsErroneous entries on your credit report can drag your score down. And, that is why federal law requires that debts be either validated or removed when they are challenged. But, can the debt come back to haunt you after you’ve gotten it removed? The answer is that it depends on why and how the account was deleted in the first place.

The one reason a debt can come back.

If a creditor fails to validate a debt within 30 days, it is removed. But, in certain electronic dispute processes, there is an exemption that can allow an account to be put back on your report without notice. In these cases, if the lender researches and finds that the account information is accurate, the account can be put back on your credit report. However, there are processes that can protect you from having this happen.

Debts that must stay deleted.

Accounts that are deleted through a dispute that specifically requests permanent removal protect you against those accounts coming back. In processing over 14,000 removals, Key Credit Repair has not yet seen a single item re-instated.

But, what about a collection agency that suddenly contacts you about a debt that you know has been rightfully removed? Don’t let them bully you into paying a debt that you don’t owe, especially if it was removed for any of the following reasons:

The debt is too old. Most records fall off your credit report after seven years. If something comes off your credit report because of age, do not respond to creditors trying to collect the debt. It cannot be added back without new action because it has passed the deadline for removal.

It isn’t yours. If the debt was erroneously put on your credit report, it cannot be readded. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, it is against the law for collection agencies to report debt that they know is inaccurate.

It’s a duplicate. Sometimes, a debt will show up more than once on your credit report. Once you have shown that the debt is a duplicate, the entry should be removed and should not be added back.

When you are in the process of repairing your credit, check your credit report regularly to ensure that it is up to date. You can get one report free per year from each of the three major credit reporting agencies, as well as free access to limited versions of your credit report through sites like CreditKarma. By knowing what can and cannot be put back on your report, you can protect your credit and your good name. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you restore your credit and enjoy the opportunities you deserve.