If you happen to see IC System on your credit report, it can lower your credit score and hurt your chances of securing a loan at a low-interest rate. Fortunately, there are ways of removing IC System from your credit report.
To remove IC System from your credit report, you’ll need to write a debt validation letter. If the debt is illegitimate, you can file a dispute to have the collection removed from your credit report. But if the debt is legitimate, you can pay and request the collector to eliminate the account from your credit report.
IC System is a strict agency. Apart from appearing on your credit report, they follow up with you relentlessly to ensure you pay the debt to the extent of litigation threats. This article gives you all your options in dealing with IC System.
1. Send IC System a Debt Verification Letter
Whenever you receive a message from a collector, your first line of defense is the debt verification letter. According to research, collectors contact 53% of people who are not rightful owners of a debt.
To protect you, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) gives you the right to receive proof of debt and the correct amount you owe. But, this right expires after 30 days upon receiving the message.
If you fail to send IC System the letter within 30 days, they’ll have the right to pursue the debt and contact you whether the debt is yours or not.
Although the FDCPA does not specify how long it should take for the collector to respond to your letter, it should not take more than five business days. The debt validation letter reply should include the following:
- The name and the address of the original creditor.
- Proof that the debt exists.
- The amount of the debt and the account associated with the debt.
- The age of the debt.
If IC System fails to respond to your letter as required by the FDCPA, you have the right to sue them for $1,000.
Payoffs of a Debt Verification Letter
Even if you don’t think it would do any good to send a debt verification letter because you know you owe the money, here are some reasons why you should send one anyway:
- Lack of proof or validation of the debt prevents IC System from claiming the debt, which saves you the burden of paying a debt you don’t own or a rightful debt.
- It provides you with the actual amount of the debt and saves you from the risk of being charged more.
- You understand the details of the debt well, which positions you in a better place when negotiating a settlement.
- It prevents the collector from contacting you until they verify the debt.
Writing and Sending a Debt Validation Letter
While writing a letter is simple, a validation letter might need some legal twists. Since your aim is to demand the recipient to validate or stop collecting the debt, you must cite the law to make it more authentic.
The debt validation letter should cover the following:
- IC System contact details and your contact details.
- A reference to how you received the debt message to help in debt identification.
- Your legal requests, such as proof of debt, your preferred method of communication, and calculation of the statute of limitation.
- A conclusion with a threat to sue if IC System violates FDCPA provisions.
After writing the letter, you’ll have to print it and mail it through a trackable method to the collection firm or the most immediate person, such as an attorney.
USPS Priority Mail is an excellent method because it has a tracking number and it’s fast.
When you mail the letter, you should check your credit report to ensure the collector filed it as disputed with the credit bureaus. You’ll also want to keep records of all communication to act as a reference or evidence.
2. File a Dispute With Credit Bureaus
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) data shows that one in three people receive an error in their credit report. Sometimes IC System can send you a debt belonging to someone else or one you’ve already paid, which can hurt your credit card score and lower your chances of obtaining a loan or an apartment.
But, filing a dispute letter with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion can help you clear your account from the error. Because these credit bureaus have different instructions for filing a dispute, you’ll need to request a credit report from each first.
When writing a dispute letter, the credit report should be the point of reference. Your letter should cover:
- Your details, including name and address.
- The account in question.
- Erroneous items on the credit card and why you believe they are wrong.
- Attachments to the letter such as a copy of a bank statement or utility bills to verify your address and an identification card or a driver’s license.
Once you submit the letter, the credit bureaus will investigate for 30 days and reply within five days after finishing the investigation.
If solid proof supports your dispute, the credit bureaus will remove the error from your credit report. But, it takes a few months for the update to reflect on your credit report depending on the credit bureaus’ criteria.
After the update, your credit score will improve, and you’ll have the credit privileges you had before the error.
3. Negotiate and Pay the Debt
If IC System replies with a positive validation of the debt, the next thing you want to do is make a payment to prevent your credit card score from deteriorating.
But, you may not have budgeted to pay for an unexpected debt.
In such a case, you can negotiate with IC System to pay a lower amount at a frequency that works for your earnings. Most collectors buy debts at 1-10% of the total amount, which gives them room for reducing your debt and still making a profit.
How To Negotiate Debt With IC System
You might not have ever had to negotiate with a creditor, so you’re most likely unaware of the proper way to do it. You can either hire someone to negotiate on your behalf, or you can do it yourself. The following sections outline how to do this.
Review the Statute of Limitations
The statute of limitations is how long a creditor or collector can demand payment from you. Upon expiration of this period, the collector loses legal rights to claim the amount owed. This period usually extends from three to six years, but it may last longer in some states.
Before accepting to settle a debt, you should ensure it’s still valid under the statute of validation. Partial payment of an expired debt restarts the statute of limitation, which attracts legal actions and extends the lifespan of IC System on your credit report.
If the debt has expired, you should request the judge to dismiss the collector’s claims, and if it’s close to the end of the period, negotiate with the collector for favorable terms.
Prepare a Settlement Proposal
Unless IC System sues you, they have no right to seize your property or garnish your wage. And because all they want is your money, they’d be more willing to negotiate if you propose a reasonable and fair proposal.
You should review the following when making a repayment proposal:
- The amount you’re willing and able to pay the collector.
- A summary of your net monthly income after deducting expenses.
- The amount you can pay from your net income without throwing yourself under the bus in other areas of your life.
Negotiate
Most collectors accept a 40-60% settlement, so your proposal should be within this range. However, the collector typically issues a higher amount above your bid. But don’t give in just yet, as they will continue to barter with you until you both find the amount that’s reasonable.
Working with an attorney or credit counselor would help explain your financial situation to the collector.
Record the Agreement for Future Reference
Before making a payment, recording your agreement is crucial because your recollection of negotiations may differ as time passes. Record the following:
- The amount you pledge to settle.
- The amount that is forgiven.
- The payment period.
- The collector’s promise upon clearing the debt.
Pay for Delete Settlement
You send a pay-for-delete letter when you want to pay the entire debt in exchange for having IC System delete their account from your credit report. The unpaid debt can be used as leverage.
Though the collector may agree with the proposal, there is no surety they’ll remove their account from your credit report. This is because deleting the collector involves interfering with the requirements of transparent credit reporting.
But if your debt is large and old, your odds of succeeding in a pay-for-delete settlement are high.
Goodwill Deletion
Even after clearing your debt with IC System, their account may linger on your credit report for up to seven years and hurt your financial image. But, you can send a goodwill letter to IC System requesting to clear their name from your credit report as an act of kindness.
In your goodwill letter, you should explain to IC System the situation that caused you to delay payment and how you’ll avoid such problems in the future. The goal should be convincing them you got into debt for real, unavoidable reasons.
But, the chances of a goodwill deletion succeeding are slim because you’re requesting the collector to alter truthful information, which is against the law.
4. Leave the Issue to a Credit Repair Company
If you don’t want IC System to clutter your mailbox with letters, you’ll want to hire a professional to deal with the collector. Plus, with the high number of complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau against IC System, it might not be easy to deal with them.
A credit repair company profoundly understands the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and relies on it to protect you from inaccurate and unfair reporting. They use the tiniest discrepancies in amounts, names, and dates to dispute your debt to the credit bureaus.
Because of the increase in credit repair scams, I’d recommend using reputable companies like Credit Saint and Lexington Law. The sooner you hire a credit repair company, the more money and time you’ll secure.
5. Let IC System Expire From Your Credit Report
If you don’t want constant communication with IC System, or if your effort to have them clear your credit report fails, you can let time take its course. IC System will remain on your credit report for seven years and fall off.
Remember, if IC System is on your credit report due to an expired debt, you should not make any payment as this would restart the statute of limitation.
Tips To Remember When Working With IC System
When working with IC System, you’ll want to keep your communications clear, concise, and respectful. After all, you want them to remove themselves from your credit report, so it’s best to take the following actions:
- Always respond to their messages. Whether the debt is rightfully yours or not, ignoring IC System sets you up for a lawsuit.
- Keep records of all communication. You should keep every letter you receive or send for future reference in case misunderstandings arise.
- Keep your financial information discrete. Never give IC System access to your credit card or bank account, as they can deduct more money than you owe them.
- Don’t communicate through the phone. Giving IC System your phone number opens a door for unending phone calls. In your initial communication, you should demand they use written means to communicate. If they violate your request, send them a cease and desist letter.
How IC System Works
IC System purchases debt from creditors and follows up on debtors or consumers to pay their dues. It collects for diverse clients, including:
- Banks
- Utility providers
- Credit card issuers
- Telecommunication companies
- Auto finance companies
Once IC System purchases your debt, they place it on your credit report and follow up with emails, letters, messages, and calls to pay. To spread risk, IC System offers you incentives to make regular payments, such as debt reduction and payment rewards.
IC System will sue you if you fail to respond to their messages.
If the debt is legitimate, the court will issue a judgment summary against you and order you to pay. The collector will garnish your wage or seize your assets if you fail to honor the obligations. Because the collector depends on third-party records, the claims may sometimes be wrong, leading to many complaints of erroneous debt reporting.
Credit IC System Contact Information
Address: P.O. Box 64378, St. Paul MN 55164-0378
Phone Number: (800) 443-4123
Website: icsystem.com
Final Thoughts
Your credit card score will take a nosedive unless you settle your case with IC System. You’ll also receive unending phone calls, harassment, and lawsuit threats if you fail to comply. For an invalid debt, you can send a letter of dispute to the credit bureaus to clear your credit report. When the debt is validly yours and unexpired, the only choice is to pay.
