They tried that with me, Just keep disputing month after month with them and eventually they fall off. Don't pay!!!!!! in regards with your security clearance even if you pay and they list as settled on your report, DOD still considers the account as a liability and could still choose to revoke your clearance. For security clearances if its not fraud and is listing as a past due or charge off your character comes into question, I deal with this type of problem daily since DOD decided everyone in the service has to have a clearance prior to deployments.