Although most debts that you fail to pay will eventually end up on your credit report, there are a variety of reasons that some unpaid debts don’t appear on your credit report. However, just because a debt isn’t listed on your credit report doesn’t mean it isn’t legitimate.
Debts that May Not Appear on Your Credit Report
Below are a few reasons that some debts don’t appear on your credit report.
The period for reporting debts has passed: Most debts remain on your credit report for seven years. After seven years, these debts fall off your report. In some cases, though, debt collectors can still attempt to collect debts that have dropped off your credit report.
The debt collector hasn’t reported the debt: Debt collectors don’t always report debts right away. Therefore, if you owe a debt that isn’t listed on your credit report, it’s possible that the debt collector hasn’t yet reported it. Some debt collectors give debtors a few months to pay a debt before reporting it to the credit bureaus.
The debt is on a different credit report: There are three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. A debt will sometimes only appear on one or two of these reports. Therefore, when searching for a debt, you should check all three reports.
The debt collector doesn’t report to the credit bureaus: Another reason that a debt may not appear on your credit report is that the debt collector doesn’t subscribe to any of the credit bureau services. Debt collectors aren’t required to report outstanding debts, so some choose not to do so.
The debt doesn’t belong to you: Some phony debt collectors scam consumers out of money by convincing them to pay for debts that either don’t exist or don’t belong to them. Obviously, these types of debts won’t appear on your credit report.
The Consequences of Poor Credit
A poor credit score can hurt you in many ways. For example, a poor credit score can result in high interest rates, denied loans, high insurance rates, and ineligibility for certain career opportunities. Therefore, if you are being hounded by debt collectors or have been sued by a debt collection agency, you must take immediate action. The best thing you can do when your credit is in jeopardy is contact a California debt collection lawsuit defense attorney for assistance.
Contact a California Debt Collection Lawsuit Defense Attorney
If you’re facing a debt collection lawsuit in California, you should contact a debt collection lawsuit defense attorney immediately. At the Fullman Firm, our experienced debt collection defense attorneys have almost 50 years of combined debt collection lawsuit defense experience. When you choose us to fight your debt collection lawsuit, we will do everything in our power to ensure your case is a success. Please contact us today to schedule a free consultation with one of our talented attorneys.
