If you’re a fiscally responsible person, you likely try to review your credit reports from the three credit bureaus from time to time. When doing so, you may find an item listed as “Comcast Collections” or something similar.
If this happens, it is most likely because the cable company by the same name has turned an unpaid bill over to its in-house collection agency, which has subsequently made a claim for an unpaid debt.
While many collection agencies are third-party entities, in many cases when larger companies are involved, the debt collection process takes place from a department within the organization.
Getting a debt collection notice on your credit report can be unsettling. Rather than letting that anxiety and worry build up, though, it’s important to consider your options.
Below is a quick rundown of the best way to approach the situation whenever Comcast Collections shows up on your credit report.
Table of Contents
Is Comcast Collections a Real Company?
With so many scams online, it’s easy to wonder if a collections agency listed on your credit report is a fraud. In the case of Comcast Collections, though, you can rest assured that you’re dealing with a legitimate company.
Comcast Collections operates as a branch of its parent company Comcast, which is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The company offers cable services, and when customers fail to pay their bills, those bills are handed over to Comcast Collections for further collection efforts.
Comcast Collections Phone Number
If you’re trying to reach Comcast Collections by phone, you can start by dialing the billing department at (888) 936-4968.
BBB Complaints About Comcast Collections
The Better Business Bureau does not have an individual listing for Comcast’s collections department. However, it does have a very busy primary listing for the parent organization itself.
This page reports that the company has an average review of 3.64 out of 5 stars. The company has received over 22,000 complaints in the past three years, as well, with nearly 7,500 of them closed in the last year. Over 40% of Comcast’s complaints are about its billing and collections departments.
What to Do if You See Comcast Collections on Your Credit Reports
While Comcast Collections is a legitimate entity, that doesn’t mean you want to see the company on your credit report. On the contrary, if the item pops up, you want to address the issue immediately. Left to fester, a lingering collections agency claim can undermine your credit for as long as seven years before it’s officially removed.
Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to combat the negative effects on your credit.
Verify That It’s Legitimate
The first thing you should always do is confirm the collection agency’s claim is legitimate. Even if you know you owe Comcast money, it’s wise to demand that Comcast Collections verify the specific claim they’ve made is correct.
You can do this by sending a debt validation letter. This leaves it in the hands of the agency to prove that you owe the money precisely as they’ve claimed.
Along with helping you figure out the accuracy of the claim, sending a physical validation letter can also help with a couple of other things.
First, using snail mail to communicate will help confirm you’re dealing with the real collection agency, as it is the official way all collection agencies conduct business. You may get a phone call or an email, but this should always be followed up by a formal physical letter.
Second, validating the claim will help you learn more about your situation. A bonafide collection agency should always be willing to share more information to communicate and find an amicable solution to the issue.
Pay Off Your Debt
If the claim is proven to be true, the next step is to pay off the debt as soon as possible. This may be easier said than done, but it’s an essential step in fixing the situation and (hopefully) restoring your credit.
Simply put, you can’t begin the process of removing the claim from your credit report until you’ve managed to remove the debt that caused it.
Consult With a Credit Counselor
If you find that validating and paying the debt is too complicated, consider contacting a quality credit repair company or a good credit counselor.
Professionals bring a crucial level of understanding and experience to your situation. They can advise you, assist in removing claims on your report, and help you plan out how to rebuild and maintain your credit in the future.
How to Remove Comcast Collections From Your Credit Reports
Once you’ve validated the claim and paid off the debt, it’s time to remove the mark from your credit report. You want to do this proactively if you don’t want it hanging around for the next seven years.
If you found that the claim was made erroneously — either due to fraud or because the specific claim had an error — you can send a dispute letter directly to the three credit bureaus in an attempt to have it reviewed and removed.
If the claim was accurate, though, you face a bit more of an uphill battle. However, it’s still worth trying to have the claim removed. Once you’ve paid off the debt, send a good-faith letter to the lender.
Explain why you didn’t originally pay the debt and ask if, now that you’ve set things to rights, they would be willing to expunge the history of the claim from your report.
Will You Be Sued by Comcast Collections?
As a final note, it’s technically possible that you could be sued by Comcast Collections. However, we’re talking about cable bills, not luxury yachts. The chances of a giant corporation spending the time and energy required to sue an individual customer are minute at best.
Instead of worrying about the possibility, focus on fixing the situation as soon as you can to avoid the more likely long-term negative effects that come with having a collections claim on your credit report.
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