Debt Validation Sample Letter

Date
To: (Name of the Collections Agency)
Address: (Address of the Collection Agency)
Account # 1234!"#"
$rom: (%our Name)
Address: (%our Address)
Deli&ery Confirmation #: '''' '''' '''' ''''
Dear Collection Agency(
)ursuant to the $C*A + the $DC)A , no- e.ercise my la-ful right to /uestion the &alidity of this de0t your
agency claims has come due1
$air Credit *e2orting Act 3 !'4 Disclosures to consumers: (c) (2) (5):
A consumer re2orting agency is not re/uired to remo&e accurate derogatory information from a consumer6s
file( unless the information is outdated under section !' or cannot 0e &erified1
$air Credit *e2orting Act 3 !11(a) 1 (A) )rocedure in case of dis2uted accuracy:
(a) *ein&estigations of Dis2uted ,nformation (1) *ein&estigation *e/uired
(A) ,n general1 7u08ect to su0section (f)( if the com2leteness or accuracy of any item of information
contained in a consumer6s file at a consumer re2orting agency is dis2uted 0y the consumer and the
consumer notifies the agency directly( or indirectly through a reseller( of such dis2ute( the agency shall( free
of charge( conduct a reasona0le rein&estigation to determine -hether the dis2uted information is
inaccurate and record the current status of the dis2uted information( or delete the item from the file in
accordance -ith 2aragra2h ()( 0efore the end of the 3'9day 2eriod 0eginning on the date on -hich the
agency recei&es the notice of the dis2ute from the consumer or reseller1
$air De0t Collection )ractices Act 3 7ection #'41 :alidation of de0ts:
(0) ,f the consumer notifies the de0t collector in -riting -ithin the thirty9day 2eriod descri0ed in su0section
(a) that the de0t( or any 2ortion thereof( is dis2uted( or that the consumer re/uests the name and address
of the original creditor( the de0t collector shall cease collection of the de0t( or any dis2uted 2ortion thereof(
until the de0t collector o0tains &erification of the de0t or any co2y of a 8udgment( or the name and address
of the original creditor( and a co2y of such &erification or 8udgment( or name and address of the original
creditor( is mailed to the consumer 0y the de0t collector1
According to the $air Credit *e2orting Act( 7ection !'4 (a)(1)(A)( your com2any is re/uired 0y federal la-
to &erify 9 through the 2hysical &erification of the original signed certified consumer contract 9 of any and all
accounts you re/uest to 0e 2osted and or re2orted on a credit re2ort1
, demand to see a co2y of the :erifia0le( :alidated )roof (an original Consumer Contract -ith a -et9in;
7ignature on it( co2ies of co2ies are not :alidation and 0y <a- are not considered 2roof)( that you ha&e on
file for the account listed a0o&e1
=nder the $C*A( un&erified( in&alid accounts must 0e remo&ed1
,f you are una0le to 2ro&ide the me -ith a co2y of the &erifia0le>&alidated 2roof that you ha&e on file -ithin
3' calendar days from recei2t of this notice( for the account listed a0o&e then you must at once remo&e the
account from (%our Name) credit re2orts1 , demand the account 0e &erified or remo&ed immediately?
The la- is &ery clear as to the Ci&il lia0ility and the remedy a&aila0le to me for the @negligent
noncom2liance@ (7ection !1") if you fail to com2ly -ith this $ederal <a-1
7incerely(
(%our Name)
This is a template of a validation letter -hich , sent out after recei&ing notification from a credit 0ureau
that an item , dis2uted -as @&erified@1 , ha&e had great success -ith this one1 Not only for me 0ut for my
friends -ho ha&e used this to remo&e their negati&e items as -ell1
Object1
%our Address
Date:
=7)7#
Name of Collection Agency
Address
*5: Name of Collection Agency
Account No1
Aalance:
Dear Agency(
, recei&ed your letter in res2onse to the (5/uifa.( Transunion( 5.2erian) dis2ute , initiated1
,ncluded( , ha&e enclosed co2ies of the letter you sent me1 (see attached)
The 2ur2ose of this letter is to ad&ise you that an im2ro2er in&estigation -as conducted 0y your agency1
(Name of Collection Com2any) failed to 2ro&ide me -ith a co2y of any original documentation for e.am2le(
a consumer contract a -ith my -et9in; signature on as re/uired under 7ection !'4 (a)(1)(A) + 7ection !11
(a)(1)(A) of the $air Credit *e2orting Act1
$urthermore( you ha&e failed to 2ro&ide the method of &erification as re/uired under 7ection !11 (a) (")1
)lease 0e ad&ised that under 7ection !11 ()(A) of the $C*A B you are re/uired to @1112rom2tly D5<5T5
all information -hich cannot 0e &erified1@
=nder The $C*A in 7ection !'4(c)(2)(5) it states: @A consumer re2orting agency is not re/uired to remo&e
accurate derogatory information from a consumer6s file( unless the information is outdated under section
!' or cannot 0e &erified1@
)ursuant to the $air De0t Collection )ractices Act( , re/uest &erification>&alidation of the de0t including the
follo-ing:
Co2ies of all information regarding the a0o&e9referenced de0t( including statements( re2orts(
ledgers( corres2ondence( notes( origination documents (including any and all a22lication and
usage>acti&ity signatures) and documents relating to any assignment of such account to and>or from any
third 2arties1
)lease la0el all /uantitati&e entries( such as( dates( 2ayments( credits( finance charges( 2enalty fees(
collection commissions( and attorney fees1
Also( 2lease 2ro&ide me -ith a com2lete descri2tion of your clients identity( including its full name( address(
state and local license(s) and state and federal ta. num0ers1
<ast 0ut not least( you need to 2ro&ide an original consumer contract -ith my @-et9in;@ signature on it1
Co2ies of co2ies are not a form of :alidation( and 0y <a- are not considered 2roof1 =nder the $air Credit
*e2orting Act( un&erified( in&alid accounts must 0e remo&ed1 ,f you are una0le to 2ro&ide me -ith a co2y of
the &erifia0le>&alidated 2roof that you ha&e on file( -ithin 3' calendar days from recei2t of this notice( 0y
la- you ha&e to immediately remo&e the aforementioned item in dis2ute from my credit re2ort1
,f you do not initiate an in&estigation regarding my dis2ute( as is my right under the $air Credit *e2orting
Act( , -ill ha&e to ta;e legal action to 2rotect my credit rating and myself1 As ,6m sure you are a-are( each
&iolation of the $air Credit *e2orting Act allo-s damages of C1''' should this matter end u2 in court1
)lease send the results of your findings to:
%our Address
, loo; for-ard to an e.2edient resolution of this matter(
%our Name
No matter -hat the results are of a &erification 2rocess( or e&en if you ne&er 0othered to as; the collection
agency for &erification( you have the right to tell a collection agency to stop calling you( 2eriod1
7ection #'(c) of the $air De0t Collection )ractices Act sim2ly 2ro&ides that if you instruct a collection
agency in writing to stop contacting you, it must stop everything (including letters)1
Object2
Dnce the agency recei&es your letter( the la- allo-s it to send you one more letter in case it -ants to tell
you that it is agreeing to sto2 collection efforts( or it 2lans on using legal remedies to collect the money you
o-e( such as filing a la-suit against you or re2ossessing 2ro2erty used to secure the de0t1
%our Name
%our Address
Ey tele2hone FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Today6s Date
Collection Agency Name
Address
$a. Num0er (if a&aila0le)
Attn: <egal De2artment
*e: Alleged Driginal Creditor
*eference Num0er (usually 2ro&ided on collection letter9other-ise try to o0tain an account or reference
num0er -hen they call9use last four digits of your social security num0er if necessary)
Dear 7ir>Eadam(
, ha&e re2eatedly as;ed you to sto2 calling me1 )ursuant to the $air De0t Collection )ractices Act(
each time you call me once , ha&e as;ed you to sto2( you are in &iolation of the federal la-1
,f you call me again( you may 0e res2onsi0le for statutory damages( court costs and my attorney6s fees1
Therefore( immediately remo&e my tele2hone num0er from your files1 , trust you -ill not attem2t to contact
me( or anyone , ;no-( again1
7incerely %ours(
7ignature
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
)rinted Name
c1 $ederal Trade Commission
Attorney General for your state
ci.
DATE
CREDITOR/CA/ OR CRA NAME
Re: Acct#
I am writing to dispute a fraudulent tradeline on my credit report in the amount of $. I am a victim of identity
theft, and I am requesting that the tradeline be removed from my credit report.
Enclosed is a copy of my Identity Theft Report supporting my position.
(I submitted a complaint with the FTC online, printed the form)
In addition, I am enclosing a copy of sections 605B, 615(f) and 623(a)(6) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act
(FCRA), which detail your responsibilities as an information furnisher to consumer reporting agencies in
response to the Identity Theft Report I am providing. These enclosures also detail your responsibilities that
apply in the event you receive from a consumer reporting agency notice under section 605B of the FCRA
that information you provided to the result of identity theft.
Please investigate this matter and remove the fraudulent entry immediately.
Sincerely,
Your name and address
Enclosures:
Identity Theft Report
FCRA Sections 605B, 615(f), 623(a)(6)
ENCLOSURE:
FCRA 605B (15 U.S.C. 1681c-2) Block of Information Resulting from Identity Theft
(a) Block
Except as otherwise provided in this section, a consumer reporting agency shall block the reporting of any
information in the fle of a consumer that the consumer identifes as information that resulted from an
alleged identity theft, not later than 4 business days after the date of receipt by such agency of--
(1) appropriate proof of the identity of the consumer;
(2) a copy of an identity theft report;
(3) the identifcation of such information by the consumer; and
(4) a statement by the consumer that the information is not information relating to any transaction by the
consumer.
( Notifcation
A consumer reporting agency shall promptly notify the furnisher of information identifed by the consumer
under subsection (a) of this section--
(1) that the information may be a result of identity theft;
(2) that an identity theft report has been fled;
(3) that a block has been requested under this section; and
(4) of the efective dates of the block.
Authority to decline or rescind
(1) In general
A consumer reporting agency may decline to block, or may rescind any block, of information relating to a
consumer under this section, if the consumer reporting agency reasonably determines that--
(A) the information was blocked in error or a block was requested by the consumer in error;
( the information was blocked, or a block was requested by the consumer, on the basis of a material
misrepresentation of fact by the consumer relevant to the request to block; or the consumer obtained
possession of goods, services, or money as a result of the blocked transaction or transactions.
(2) Notifcation to consumer
If a block of information is declined or rescinded under this subsection, the afected consumer shall be
notifed promptly, in the same manner as consumers are notifed of the reinsertion of information under
section 1681i(a)(5)( of this title.
(3) Signifcance of block
For purposes of this subsection, if a consumer reporting agency rescinds a block, the presence of
information in the fle of a consumer prior to the blocking of such information is not evidence of whether the
consumer knew or should have known that the consumer obtained possession of any goods, services, or
money as a result of the block.
(d) Exception for resellers
(1) No reseller fle
This section shall not apply to a consumer reporting agency, if the consumer reporting agency--
(A) is a reseller; ( is not, at the time of the request of the consumer under subsection (a) of this section,
otherwise furnishing or reselling a consumer report concerning the information identifed by the consumer;
and informs the consumer, by any means, that the consumer may report the identity theft to the
Commission to obtain consumer information regarding identity theft.
(2) Reseller with fle
The sole obligation of the consumer reporting agency under this section, with regard to any request of a
consumer under this section, shall be to block the consumer report maintained by the consumer reporting
agency from any subsequent use, if--
(A) the consumer, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, identifes, to a
consumer reporting agency, information in the fle of the consumer that resulted from identity theft; and
the consumer reporting agency is a reseller of the identifed information.
(3) Notice
In carrying out its obligation under paragraph (2), the reseller shall promptly provide a notice to the
consumer of the decision to block the fle. Such notice shall contain the name, address, and telephone
number of each consumer reporting agency from which the consumer information was obtained for resale.
(e) Exception for verifcation companies
The provisions of this section do not apply to a check services company, acting as such, which issues
authorizations for the purpose of approving or processing negotiable instruments, electronic fund transfers,
or similar methods of payments, except that, beginning 4 business days after receipt of information
described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (a) of this section, a check services company shall
not report to a national consumer reporting agency described in section 1681a(p) of this title, any
information identifed in the subject identity theft report as resulting from identity theft.
(f) Access to blocked information by law enforcement agencies
No provision of this section shall be construed as requiring a consumer reporting agency to prevent a
Federal, State, or local law enforcement agency from accessing blocked information in a consumer fle to
which the agency could otherwise obtain access under this title.
ENCLOSURE:
FCRA 615(f) (15 U.S.C. 1681m(f)) Requirements on Users of Consumer Reports Prohibition on Sale or
Transfer of Debt Caused by Identity Theft
(f) Prohibition on sale or transfer of debt caused by identity theft
(1) In general
No person shall sell, transfer for consideration, or place for collection a debt that such person has been
notifed under section 1681c-2 of this title has resulted from identity theft.
(2) Applicability
The prohibitions of this subsection shall apply to all persons collecting a debt described in paragraph (1)
after the date of a notifcation under paragraph (1).
(3) Rule of construction
Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit--
(A) the repurchase of a debt in any case in which the assignee of the debt requires such repurchase
because the debt has resulted from identity theft;
( the securitization of a debt or the pledging of a portfolio of debt as collateral in connection with a
borrowing; or the transfer of debt as a result of a merger, acquisition, purchase and assumption transaction,
or transfer of substantially all of the assets of an entity.
ENCLOSURE:
FCRA 623(a)(6) (15 U.S.C. 1681s-2(a)(6)) Responsibilities of Furnishers of Information to Consumer
Reporting Agencies Duties of Furnishers upon Notice of Identity Theft-Related Information
(6) Duties of furnishers upon notice of identity theft-related information
(A) Reasonable procedures
A person that furnishes information to any consumer reporting agency shall have in place reasonable
procedures to respond to any notifcation that it receives from a consumer reporting agency under section
1681c-2 of this title relating to information resulting from identity theft, to prevent that person from
refurnishing such blocked information.
( Information alleged to result from identity theft
If a consumer submits an identity theft report to a person who furnishes information to a consumer
reporting agency at the address specifed by that person for receiving such reports stating that information
maintained by such person that purports to relate to the consumer resulted from identity theft, the person
may not furnish such information that purports to relate to the consumer to any consumer reporting agency,
unless the person subsequently knows or is informed by the consumer that the information is correct.
****If you dont have time to submit a FTC complaint, here's another letter to use.
Submit the FCRA citations (see above) as well.
(4) IDENTITY THEFT STATEMENT
Date
COLLECTION AGENCY:
ACCOUNT NO.
I am exercising my rights in accordance with (IAW) the Fair Credit Reporting Act to request removal of any
tradelines of this account on my credit report including inquiry records and collection notices being reported
to the three major credit bureaus, Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. This request is due to the fact that
the above-referenced account is fraudulent due to unauthorized access to utility services dating from
October 2003 through December 2005. Likewise, you shall consider this account to be fraudulent and a
case of identity theft. I did not put this in writing sooner in writing sooner because I was unaware of the
fraudulent activity until I contacted the original creditor, Consumers Energy, in September 2007. I also
received, in writing, a partial debt validation from your agency. In addition, I did not know what recourse
was available to me as an identity theft victim.
I hereby afrm:
(If you have any of oyour own degenses, list them here as well)
v I did not authorize anyone to use my name or personal information to seek the money, credit, loans,
goods or services described in this report.
v I did not receive any beneft, money, goods, or services as a result of the events described in this report.
v I dont know who the imposter is at this time or how this happened.
The Cantwell-Enzi amendment to the nationally approved FACTA (efective June 2, 2004) will require
compliance with this request within 30 days. Further, credit issuers must provide that documentation and
information to a police agency designated by the impersonated party. In lieu of a police report, ofcial
afdavit fled with the following agency:
Name of agency: FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
Case #_____(If you fle a FTC complaint they will send you a confrmation # on the letter.)
Please be advised that continued reporting of this account to the credit bureaus as collection items is
considered a violation of the state and federal laws in accordance with FCRA AND FACTA. Please do not
sell, distribute, trade, exchange, share, donate, giveaway and/or transfer information about this fraudulent
account with any other entity. Once resolved, I expect a letter of clearance to be issued within 10 days.
Your name & address (Do not sign)
I declare under penalty of perjury that this declaration is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
Knowingly submitting false information on this afdavit could subject me to criminal prosecution for perjury.
WITNESS:
________________________ ____________________________
(Signature) (Printed name)
_________________________ ____________________________
(Date) (Telephone)
Encl:
Cc: FILE
FTC
EQUIFAX