What Does a Collection Agency Report to the Credit Bureau?

When an account has to go into collections, even if it was an obligation not listed on a credit report such as a medical or cell phone bill, the agency usually reports the debt claim to the credit bureaus. Basic information about the debt is always reported when these notations are made in a person's credit file.

Original Creditor

The name of the original creditor, such as "ABC Cell Phone Company" is noted. If the bill is a medical obligation, it will usually say something generic about a medical debt due to privacy laws.

Name of Agency

The name of the collection agency reporting the debt is also always listed.

Amount Owed

The original amount owed toward the bill is listed, as well as any additional fees that may have resulted from the account being placed into collections.

Date of Delinquency

The original date of delinquency is noted on the credit report when a collection agency turns a notation over to the consumer reporting agencies.

Other Information

The collection agency also usually reports its address and phone number, as well as what year they got the collection account from the original creditor.