 TITLE: Do I Have to Notify Experian to Remove Collections? CONTENT: Should I Dispute a Collection Account?\n--------------------------------------\nIf the debt and the collection account in question are valid and correct, there's no basis for submitting a dispute. However, if you believe information about the collection is inaccurate, you have the right to dispute it. Here are three instances when disputing a collection account might make sense:\n*   **The collection account is not yours.** If you find a collection account on your credit report for a debt you don't recognize, contact the creditor or submit a dispute with the credit reporting agency that maintains the credit report it appears on. It could be the result of an error or identity theft. Once disputed, the company that reported the collection will investigate and, if it turns out not to be yours, the entry will be removed from your credit report.\n*   **The collection is expired.** If more than seven years have passed since the debt originally became delinquent, you can submit a dispute asking to have the entry removed.\n*   **The collection is paid but it shows a balance.** If you pay off a debt that is in collections, the collection account on your credit report should show a zero balance. File a dispute if the account continues to show an unpaid balance, since paying off a debt in collections may reflect positively to lenders and on your credit score, and may be a requirement for certain lenders. END