Reported to Chex; letter ignored by collection agency

[matzerath]

I was reported to ChexSystems during an unemployment spell for an overdrawn bank account in late 2011. I'm ready and willing to pay the amount to get past this, but I wanted to get a validation from the collection agency proving they have the right to collect (I'm about 99% sure they do). I sent a fairly lengthly letter to the CA that pretty much boils down to:

 

1) I pay and then they delete (I know it probably won't work, but worth a shot)

 

2) They validate that they have a right to collect the debt, which I want them to do regardless of whether I get the pay-for-delete

 

I sent the letter by certified mail with return receipt on March 1, 2013. I never heard back from them, though they did send a settlement offer, I think before they ever even got my letter, which I ignored. Worst case scenario, at this point I'd rather be marked paid than settled, and I expected to hear a counteroffer from them at the very least.

 

Most importantly, to get to my question, as I understand credit reporting law, they do have to validate the debt within 30 days, which they did not do. Does this give me grounds to dispute the record with Chex? It has been over six weeks now. I'm fine with paying them, but I'm also fine with washing my hands of the whole matter.

 

Thank you

[BRBiz]

Yes dispute it with Chex... Not sure if there will be a big difference between paid in full or settled in terms of getting a new account. Some places will still deny you a account when you have items listed on Chex even when marked paid. What is the reason listed for account closure?

[matzerath]

I was reported for non-sufficient funds activity.