Any way to challenge a charge-off if payments have been made recently?

[tess_bk]

I'm being told by a collection agency that a creditor has "charged off" an account. I had just recently made a double payment after getting four payments behind. Now I'm only two payments behind and owe less than $300 (based on a statement I received from the original creditor -- which was printed after the date of the supposed "charge off").

Is there a way to challenge this status, based on the fact that I've actually made payments? (The collection agency rep told me that the records said I hadn't made a payment in six months - I knew that wasn't true but I didn't have the proof available when I was on the phone with them, so I just accepted what they were telling me. Grrr.)

Not feeling very hopeful after reading this:

http://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/2011/11/23/defining-charge-off/

[df04527]

Exactly what the link says. I believe they charge off their books at 120 days.. What you have paid, and still owe does not matter and will not change the charge off status because, technically, they charged it off their books. I believe there is an accounting rule/law that says they must do it like that but don't quote me on that ..i am not a business owner nor an accountant .

Having said that you can always TRY to dispute it with the bureau. You may get lucky. Hth

[tess_bk]

I believe they charge off their books at 120 days.

Having said that you can always TRY to dispute it with the bureau. You may get lucky. Hth

Well, that's the part that I don't understand, because the double payment that I made happened within 120 days of the previous one. At least I think it did. Hmm. Maybe that's what I got wrong.

Anyway, thanks for the information. I will document the double payment and see if I can dispute it with the credit bureau with dates. But I guess if they can decide at any point to charge off an account, that's what they're going to do. It's no skin off their nose.