How can I dispute a major item on my credit?

Question

Basically there is a judgement against my credit for an apartment about 1 1/2 ago. I called the apartment complex to try to pay them, they say they can no longer handle it, they give me a number to a precinct that is a disconnected phone number. I called another precinct and they have never heard of the precinct I am looking for. I call back to the apartment complex and there is basically nothing they can do, they can't take my money any longer it has to be the precinct and they dont have another way to get in touch with them just that number that is disconnected. I do have a recent copy of my credit report because I know they should have a phone number to be able to contact who it was that placed the judgement on me and its the same exact phone number that the apt complex gave me that is still disconnected, I have been going through this mess trying to pay them for over a year now and I'm getting really frustrated. I need to get this off.

Answer 1

the problem is it has already been before the courts. You must pay it through the court that levied the judgment. If the courts cannot find the person then they will dismiss this without prejudice and remove the public record

Answer 2

You have done more than you are required to under the law, as far as finding out who you need to pay to satisfy this judgment.

I would try disputing it with the credit bureaus. You dispute it just like you would anything else on your reports.

Disputing it will either get the judgment holder's attention and give you contact information to help you, or it will get it off your credit reports.

Either case is preferable to having an unsatisfied judgment out there that you cannot pay because you don't know who has it.  

Answer 3

Chances are the debt was sold and the agency received a judgment.  Did you get any papers from the court of jurisdiction telling you the court address, date, time and docket number?

If you never received the proper service of the summons, then this would be your defense and  you could get the judgment reversed by the court.

But you need to know which court the hearing took place and the docket number.  The court papers will show who is to get paid.

If you only have a phone number on your credit report and no way to contact the creditor who won the judgment, then contact the CRA's that are showing this judgment and ask them to help you find who it is that you owe it to.  It may be a case where the agency went belly up and is now out of business.

Hope this helps.