How do collection agencies get info?

How can I get letters from collection agencies that i owe? I'm not sure which agencies they are.?

• I'm just trying to get my credit straightened out. I have a friend that's helping, but he needs these letters. I don't have any, they have either never sent one, or have stopped sending them. I am really at a loss right now because i have searched google, but this answer never comes up....help!

• Answer:

  Start by pulling your credit report to see whom you owe money to: annualcreditreport.com is the real free site to check your credit file for free once a year. https://www.annualcreditreport.com/ NOT freecreditreport.com - ============== For charged-off credit card debt: Once a credit card is charged-off/defaulted, the damage to your credit is done and there is no undoing it...even if you later pay it back in full. Charge-offs stay for 7 years on your credit report....paid or unpaid. Renewing contact with debt collectors out of the blue for old credit card debt can stir up all sorts of problems. It’s my position that a tiny increase in your credit score is not worth the risk of triggering aggressive collection activity against yourself. Your effort could be met with threatening, abusive collection calls...threats of lawsuits...and once they find out that you are willing to pay they will probably add on all sorts of fees and they’ll come after you for two or even three times the original amount of debt. There are two reasons that you may want to consider paying back a charged-off account: 1) You are applying for a new mortgage, loan or apartment and the creditor is insisting that all defaulted items be paid off 2) There is a confirmed lawsuit pending on the debt If neither of these apply, then it’s often best to take a "Don't Ask/Don't Tell" approach...just sit tight and let the charge-off fall off your credit report naturally in 7 years. The main damage of the charge-off to your credit should be over in 2-3 years. --------------------------- For non credit card debt: You may be able to negotiate the complete removal of non credit card debts like defaulted cell, medical, utility bills etc. from your credit report with a Pay for Delete agreement. This is a written agreement where you get a signed agreement from the debt collector (PRIOR to making any payment) where they offer to remove the negative items from your credit files after an agreed-to amount is paid. They will NOT want to do this....all they want is your money and their commission and they could not care less about your credit rating....Still, you have something they want (money) and that puts you in a position to negotiate on this issue. Example letter: I am willing to resolve this issue if your firm sends me a written agreement that you will remove all negative notations from my credit report after the agreed-to amount is paid to you. Upon receipt of this letter I will mail you a USPS money order for this amount.