How to Remove EOS CCA from Your Credit Report
There are few things more anxiety-inducing than a debt collector contacting you. If a company called EOS CCA is on your missed calls list, it means that it's pursuing you for an old debt. Unfortunately, it’s also likely there’s an open collections account on your credit report.
A collections account can damage your credit score for up to seven years — even if you pay off the debt. To limit the impact on your credit score, you need to remove the account from your credit report as soon as possible.
Keep reading to learn more about EOS CCA and how to remove it from your credit report.
What is EOS CCA?
Also known as Collection Company of America, EOS CCA is a large collection agency that currently employs about 6,000 employees. Founded in 1991 in Massachusetts and offering general collection services, it currently has headquarters in Boston and regional centers across the U.S.
This debt collection agency may also appear as Collecto, Inc., EOS Group, EOS CCA Verizon or EOS CCA Collection, but regardless of the name, it's a legitimate company and not a scam. It collects a variety of debts for lenders, including those from banks, credit cards, telecommunication companies like CenturyLink, healthcare, student loan providers and colleges and universities.
Steps to remove EOS CCA from your credit report
Even if you pay off the debt, EOS CCA’s collection account won't disappear from your credit report and will remain for years to come unless you take other actions to get it removed. You can follow these steps to remove the collection from your credit report for good:
- Get everything in writing
- Ask for a goodwill deletion
- Request debt validation
- Negotiate a settlement
- Hire a professional
Get everything in writing
One of the first things you should do when dealing with a debt collector is request that they communicate with you strictly in writing. Debt collectors are notorious for saying one thing to you over the phone and then turning around and doing the opposite. This is because, without written proof, you can’t hold them accountable.
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) gives you the right to request that a debt collector contact you strictly via U.S. Mail. This way, you can keep a file of all its correspondence with you and refer to it if you need to. Next time someone from EOS CCA calls you, tell them that you're aware of your rights under the FDCPA and are formally requesting all communications through U.S. Mail. If they begin to argue or push back, tell them that they’re in violation of the FDCPA and hang up. Continue to do this until they stop calling and start sending you mail instead.
Ask for a goodwill deletion
If you've already paid EOS CCA for the debt, you can still get the collection removed from your credit report by requesting a goodwill deletion. A goodwill deletion is exactly what it sounds like: a debt collector agrees to stop reporting the debt to major credit bureaus out of kindness. This will typically only work after you agree to pay the debt and maintain timely payments with the original creditor. If this is a blip on your record, EOS CCA may be willing to delete it.
To request a goodwill deletion, write EOS CCA a letter explaining your reason for missing payments and why you would like the entry deleted. Many people say they want to qualify for a home or car loan, and this seems to work well. Make sure your letter is honest and polite, as you're asking EOS CCA for a favor by deleting the entry.
Request debt validation
Collection agencies such as EOS CCA often get bad information. They may have the incorrect balance, date or name on their official records. Therefore, it‘s important to request debt validation to ensure that EOS CCA has accurate information regarding your debt. You have a right under the FDCPA to request that EOS CCA verify your debt information. It's an important step in the debt collection process, but you must do it quickly. You typically only have 30 days after first contact to request debt validation. After that, the collector may ignore your request.
To request debt validation, you must send a debt validation letter along with a Section 609 A Form to EOS CCA. This is a formal request for EOS CCA to verify specific information related to your debt, such as the name and total amount.
Once EOS CCA receives your letter, it should send you several documents to prove that the debt belongs to you. Read these documents carefully and highlight any information that seems inaccurate. If you find anything that contradicts the information you have about your debt, you can submit a dispute to the three major credit bureaus. They should remove the account from your credit report, and you may get out of paying the debt altogether.
Negotiate a settlement
EOS CCA may validate the debt, which means that you're legally responsible to repay it. A common question is, "Can debt collection agencies really sue me for repayment?" The answer is yes; however, it rarely happens. If it does, your next step is to negotiate a settlement in the form of a pay-for-delete agreement.
At the end of the day, EOS CCA’s goal is to get you to pay your debt. But this doesn’t necessarily mean that it needs you to pay all of your debt. Debt collectors will sometimes purchase debts from the original creditor for pennies on the dollar, which means they only need to get a portion of the balance back to profit. This can work in your favor if you haggle with EOS CCA to delete your entry in exchange for payment.
Start by offering EOS CCA half of the total amount of the debt. It’ll probably argue this, so you’ll need to negotiate with it to come to a reasonable solution that works for both parties. Make sure that EOS CCA agrees to delete the entry rather than list it as paid. Once you come to a compromise, ask it to send you the agreement in writing. Don’t make a payment until you receive this document.
After you make a payment, wait 30 days before checking your credit report. You should notice that EOS CCA is no longer on the list. If so, continue to make payments until you have paid the agreed-upon amount. If EOS CCA still appears on your credit report, reach out and remind it about your agreement.
Hire a professional
If dealing with this entire process is too much for you to handle, you can turn to a credit repair company, such as the New Jersey-based company Credit Saint or Lexington Law. Allowing a reputable credit repair company to handle the negotiations with the debt collectors can save you the hassle of phone calls, keeping up with letters and overall stress. They can deal with these issues for you and help you get your credit score back on track.
Is EOS CCA a legitimate company?
You may wonder if EOS CCA is a legitimate company. After all, you’re bound to question the authenticity of a company that calls you out of the blue, demanding money. EOS CCA is legitimate, but this doesn’t mean that it's pleasant to work with.
It has about 1,800 complaints filed against it with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Most of these complaints are in regard to scammer behaviors, including harassing cell phone calls, inaccurate reporting and failure to validate a debt, all in violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
EOS CCA contact information
You can contact EOS CCA at:
- Mailing address: 700 Longwater Drive, Norwell, MA 02061
- Phone number: 877-395-5997
- Website: http://www.eos-cca.com
Dealing with EOS CCA
Removing a collection account from your credit report isn’t a pleasant process, but it’s worth it. By dealing with EOS CCA promptly, you can prevent a significant impact on your credit score, regain financial control and achieve your financial goals.
You can improve your credit score and this article aims to help you. There are also other popular articles that provide more tips on how to improve your credit score.
Update: This article has been updated by removing unverifiable financial information.
Disclaimer: This story was originally published on September 11, 2020, on BetterCreditBlog.org. To find the most relevant information concerning collections or credit card inquiries, please visit: https://money.com/how-to-remove-collections-from-credit-report/ or https://money.com/get-items-removed-from-credit-report/