Disputing a "collections account" with Equifax

[ihavegoodcredit]

Hi,

 

I'm new to the board! I'm also new to dealing with credit bureaus and could use some help! I'm in Ontario, dealing with Equifax.

 

I have a "collections account" on my Equifax credit report from a mechanic's bill from 2.5 years ago. This "collections account" is preventing me from getting a credit increase with a bank. I never paid for the mechanic's bill because the service was unsatisfactory and in fact nothing was performed on the car (he just thought he could pull a fast one on the insurance company, when that failed, he sent me the bill). Suffice it to say that I have good reason not to have paid him!

 

At the beginning of this year, however, he turned the bill over to a collection agency. The collection agency notified Equifax that I owed them this amount, and now I have this listed under "collections accounts". The statute of limitations has now expired on the debt (2 years) and I have not been sued over it. I feel that I should be able to get Equifax to remove this from my report! I called them and their internal investigation will not work for me because they will only confirm whether the right person is being pursued by the collection's agency.

 

I don't want to pay this mechanic this bill as I really feel I am justified in doing so given what happened. But I am saddled with this "collections account" with Equifax.

 

Any ideas what I can do to get Equifax to delete this entry?

 

Thanks,

 

James