A couple of bills were sent to collection years ago. I don't have any addresses for the collectors and I don't even remember where the account originated from. It there anyway to find out who I can pay to pay them off. I don't even know why they were not paid. I was not aware that they existed until a credit search.

Your reports should have the contact info.

Make sure you read here as much as you can. A paid collection is really no better than an upaid one. I'm not saying don't pay, but at least try to go for a pay for delete.

If a negative item appears on your credit reports, dispute it with which ever CRA which is selling the information about you via your credit reports.

One of these accounts is from March of 1999. Reported to Equifax and it has no name associated with it, or an account history. I know that it came up when I applied for a mortgage, but does it really affect my credit score?

yep...it's affecting your score...just don't know how much

dispute it as "not mine"

I sent out the letter for disputing it as not mine. I finally got an address, but I had to call. I could only get a number to call. When they asked to call me back, I told them to contact me only by mail. I just sent the dispute letter for the march 99 one out and another one.

I have to send a letter to the credit bureaus now.


A question, while under dispute, will the accounts be removed from my report. I know they will be listed as disputed, but I understand that they will be still listed, right?

nope...they will NOT be deleted while disputing

I did not think that they would be taken off. I really hate fighting this stuff. They are just mean!