@funnyleonidas: Here’s why: 1️⃣ They’ll gladly take your money… but that doesn’t mean they’ll remove the collection from your credit report. And if it’s still reporting… your score doesn’t change. 2️⃣ You have consumer rights under the FDCPA. You can request validation of the debt. If they can’t properly verify it… they can’t legally collect on it. 3️⃣ If the account is past the statute of limitations (SOL), they can’t sue you to collect. Examples: • New York: ~3 years • California: ~4 years • Texas: ~4 years • Arizona: ~6 years If your #1 goal is to increase your credit score, your first move isn’t paying… It’s disputing and removing the negative items. Paying is the last step — not the first. Comment “3D” if you want me to show you how to dispute and delete derogatories the right way. #creditrepair #debtcollection #fdcpa #credittips