Damaging Debt Collection Inquiries

I am really beside myself.  I have been attempting to repair my credit for almost three years now.  Your website has been so helpful in helping me do this.  Thank you so much. 

My problem is this.  I only have two bad issues remaining on my credit report.  I’m just going to let them go because they will drop off in December 2009 and January 2010 anyway.  At this point its not worth the trouble.  My problem is this.  There is an old Ford Credit debt from over ten year ago I defaulted on.  Apparently they sold the debt to a collection agency recently.  Because of the age of the debt the collection agency cannot report it on my credit reports.  However I find out that this collection agency did a hard pull inquiry in March of this year and again in May of this year.  As you know because they are hard pull inquiries it damages my credit score. 

Is this what I’m going to be faced with the rest of my life from debt collectors?  I’ve noticed that several people complaining to you on this website about old “should have been forgotten” debts coming back to haunt them.  Is this whats going to happen with me?  I need help here.  Please tell me what to do. 

Again thanks for a really great website.  May God Bless you.

Terri

———

Hi Terri,

There is no case law that I am aware of regarding credit inquires past the seven year reporting period; however, you do write well and I would suggest a strongly worded letter be sent by certified mail regarding these hard pulls.  Now, like I mentioned, there’s no case law that I am aware of that speaks to that specific issue, but a recent ruling in Pintos v. Pacific Creditors Ass’n, 2009 U.S. App. LEXIS 9104 (9th Cir., Apr. 30, 2009) related to credit inquiries favored the consumer and limited the power of debt collectors to add inquiries to a consumer’s report.  So, there is no case law regarding credit inquiries past the seven year reporting period….yet.

Thanks for the questions and hope this helps.

Paul

This author is not an attorney and this information should not be considered legal advice.  Please consult an attorney for legal advice.