Can a debt collector ever report negative information to credit bureaus?

Yes, debt collectors in Washington can report negative information to credit bureaus. This is only done after a debt collector tries to contact you about the outstanding debt and you fail to respond or make payment arrangements. After this, the debt collector can report the debt as delinquent to the credit bureaus. This will have a negative effect on your credit score and could make it harder for you to get approved for a loan or credit card. Debt collectors are allowed to report negative information to the credit bureaus for up to seven years from the date the debt became delinquent. This means that even if you make payment arrangements with the debt collector and fully pay the debt, the negative information will remain on your credit report for seven years. However, once the seven year period has passed, the debt collector is not allowed to report the debt to the credit bureaus again. If you believe a debt collector has reported false or incorrect information to the credit bureaus, you can dispute the information with the credit bureaus and request an investigation. If the investigation finds that the information was false or incorrect, the credit bureaus must remove it from your credit report.

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