How to Find Out What Accounts of Mine Are in Collections

If you owe any unpaid bills, whether it be loans, credit cards, medical debt or unpaid services or products, you most likely have some collection accounts. You may receive continuous phone calls and letters from collection agencies until you pay or settle the debt. Find out the collections you have against you now so that you can prevent harassment from these companies.

Instructions

1

Pull your credit report. Under the Free Credit Reporting Act, you can get a free copy of your credit report every 12 months from each of the credit bureaus, including Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. If you have accounts in collection, they will be listed under public information and should show the amount owed and the original creditor that turned the account over to the collection agency. Contact information for the collection agency should also be listed on the credit report.

2

Search records at your local courthouse. Collections that are not paid may be turned in for judgements, which are public records. You can visit your Registered Deeds Office or Clerk of Court to obtain information on judgements. If you find you have a judgment against you, it will tell you the creditor or collection agency that filed the judgment.

3

Review your mail. More often than not, collection agencies are going to send you correspondence. If you do not know if you have a collection account, you may receive mail from unknown senders. Open them because they could be collection letters on a debt you did not pay. Collection agencies send mail out in hopes of getting a settlement or payment on the debt.