Directv - Diversified Consultants Collection Account (Adverse Activity)

Question

Hello, I currently have an open outstanding past due collection against me for Directv. They sent an account to collections bearing my SSN# due to the $118.00 balance going unpaid. Basically I signed with my brother and his wife for the account - and they made sure to promply make every payment on time and even made sure to put it on autopay each month with the company for over 2 years now. He knew how important my name was and still is to me. I have never had any collections and have about 12 credit cards with my highest limit being amex @ $27K with no late payments missed ever. So - Because I made a fuss last year over this account my brothers wife went and supposively put it in her own name. Directv did tell me that if the account ever went so far as to go into collections that i was nowhere listed on the account in anyway and that i wouldnt be responsible for its balances and that it would go on her name. Unfortunately I am thinking that Directv changed all the needed info on the acount accept for the SSN# on it (mine which was the first one opened with it).  I was told many times my name was nowhere on this account by them and that it wasnt to be my responsibility. My brother and his wife did pay all bills - just now sent in the boxes alittle to late and now the account is reported as collections - charged off. It was late in Nov and in March was placed into collections. I even called Directv to setup service in June for my new place and they went so far as to set me up an install date and did come to install it. However, I couldnt get it due to my apartment rules. They did tell me at the time an account was flagged as being attached to me, I told them NO this account is not mine - and they verified that i wasnt on it - it was listed at an address i didnt live at (my brothers) and also it was in my brother's wifes name - not mine anymore. The credit agency even said the account wasnt being reported as being me - just as my SSN so Directv did change over the account. I was thinking if need be - I could go to the credit agencies and collection agencies with this info as well as the furnisher (Directv). Also if that doesnt work - i could go to court and file for a wrong erranous reporting on me - due to the account name being changed well after it was estabished. This shows that we were mislead because Directv did put in her name (not just as an authorized user) but for the primary user and for the billing address too.  Becuase of this issue and being incorrectly mislead by Directv what is my recourse to getting this off my credit. No, It didnt effect my scores to much only by around maybe 20 or so points but that to me is a big deal when i was mislead - especially considering i may be able to get it removed with the information i have. My brother and his wife are prepared to send back the boxes and make the account current again - but that wont erase whats been reported. I will possibly need to get this removed due to inaccurate information being relayed to me. I have already disputed the two credit reports I see it on. Whats my plan of attack? Thanks for all of your replies. 

Answer 1

A creditor or business is not required to provide you notice prior to their referral to a debt collector or sale of the debt.You are, by means of your account agreement and billing, assumed to know your obligations. Similarly, a debt collector is not required to provide notice to a consumer prior to reporting their collection.They are required to send a formal collection (dunning) notice only after they have initiated communication with the consumer. Do you assert that you do not owe the debt, or is your only complaint that they did not notice your prior to sale of the debt and thus reporting of the collection?