Can a check recovery service keep you in their system for 15 years?

Question

I had a check bounce when I was 17 years old. I am now 32. I covered the check amount, but refused to pay their fee...as I was advised by an attorney my mother worked for at the time. Fifteen years later their is still one business in town that uses this check service to verify their checks. It still refuses my checks. I have called this check recovery company and told them after 7 to 10 years, they should take it off their system (even bankruptcies are only allowed on your credit for 10 years). They told me they could leave it in there as long as they wanted. I don't believe this is legal, but how do I go about correcting it (send a certified letter?). I am a paralegal, but do not work in litigation. I can find laws about credit bureaus but not check recovery services. Are they subject to the same laws or can they pretty much do what they want? Need some advice. Thanks!

Answer 1

Creditors can do what they want with their own records.  The statute of limitations has passed, which protects you from a collection suit, but not their efforts to convince you to pay voluntarily.  Perhaps the business that won't take your checks could be convinced if you talked with them about the situation, but you may just need to use money orders or another method with them.  Even though the money orders cost some extra $, at least you won't be giving the $ to the check service!