There are more than 7,000 debt collection agencies in the USA alone, and one of them is Harris and Harris. Having collection accounts listed on your credit report can be a source of stress. Especially when just one collection account can drop your credit score by over 100 points! Luckily, there are strategies you can follow to remove these hurtful accounts from your credit report. With this information, you’ll be able to take control of your financial situation and make sure that any negative marks on your credit report are removed quickly and efficiently.
What is Harris and Harris Collection Agency?
Harris and Harris is a debt collector that works with financial institutions to recover unpaid bills. This collection agency in particular collects unpaid medical and utility bills. The headquarters of the company is located in Chicago, Illinois. If you are seeing this company on your credit report, then they are likely trying to collect an unpaid medical or utility bill they claim you owe.
How does Harris and Harris debt collection work?
The three credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion collect information from financial institutions to provide ratings on consumers in an effort to determine their creditworthiness. The credit bureaus take into account any unpaid bills that have been sent to collection agencies. Even if you pay off your debt, the collection account can still deal a serious blow to your credit report. This is because collection accounts affect the largest factor of your credit score: Payment History.
Collection agencies often use phone calls and mails to remind you of your overdue payments. In some cases, debt collection agencies may even take legal action against debtors who refuse to pay what they are obligated.
4 Ways to Remove Harris and Harris Collection Agency from Your Credit Report
First, removing a collection account from your credit report can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. Removing just one collection account could result in as much as a 100 point score increase! Here are four strategies you can use to potentially remove this collection from your credit report.
1. Validate the Debt
According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), you have a right to an accurate credit report. To validate a debt, send this debt validation letter template to the mailing address of the collection agency. This letter forces the collection agency to provide proof that the debt is yours. If they cannot provide this proof, it must be removed from your credit report.
2. Dispute Inaccuracies with the Credit Bureaus
One in three credit reports contain an inaccuracy. If your debt validation request did not remove the collection account from your report, review the account for inaccuracies. If you find one, mail a dispute letter to each of the three credit bureaus.
This dispute letter forces the credit bureaus to start an investigation into the account. If they find the account to be inaccurate, it could be removed from your credit report.
3. Attempt a Pay To Delete with Harris & Harris
Pay to Delete is a resolution strategy in which you negotiate with the collection agency. The goal is to offer a partial or full payment of the unpaid balance in return for removing the account from your credit report. Keep in mind, not all collection agencies accept pay to deletes. Finally, make sure you obtain a signed agreement from a qualified manager at the collection agency before moving forward with payment. Otherwise, there is a chance a payment will not improve your credit score.
For free templates and video guides on How to do a Pay to Delete, click here.
4. Get Help From Cambio
Cambio is a mobile app that makes it easy to improve your credit score. Download the app today to get started on any of the resolution strategies outlined above.
Final thoughts
If you have been the victim of debt collection harassment by Harris and Harris, we hope the strategies mentioned in this article equip you with the necessary knowledge to improve your credit score and get out of debt. Need additional assistance? Reach out to us at support@cambiomoney.com or download Cambio.
