NO!! Absolutely DON'T do that! NEVER call a CA (Collection Agency). They will lie 100% of the time. SERIOUSLY, go to that creditboards.com link and please read thru FAQs and such there (it's a lot of info but you'll be glad you did)
No I was talking about calling the original creditor, not the CA..I would try to settle the debt with the original creditor
You need to research your Statute of Limitations for the types of accounts you have (typically 4-5 years). If they're past that, then send them DV letters (Debt Validation). 99.999% of the time they'll fail to provide proper DV and will often commit violations of the FDCPA and FCRA. Once that latter happens, it's simply a matter of time before you get the accounts deleted.
So if I find out the SOL has passed and send the DV how to I get the account deleted? Do they deleted them or do I have to file other paperwork? Also how do I find out which type of account it is? sorry I realize that may be a stupid question but I'm not looking at the credit report right this moment
There should be toll-free numbers listed either at annualcreditreport.com or the bureaus' sites themselves where you can request a hard copy to be mailed.
Yes, you should use credit cards wisely and properly.
ALSO, forget any advice to follow Dave Ramsey. He's a fool that would rather have people have no credit history whatsoever. Great for anyone that wants or is able to pay cash for a house, a car, etc. but for vast majority of us, that ain't the case. It's fine to follow the basic advice in paying down active credit card debt (higher interest rate cards first) but that's just common sense.
Your FICO score can affect what interest rate you'll pay, what your car insurance rate will be, etc.
Plus, if someone gets a hold of your debit card #, that's your real money that's at stake, not some credit card company's.
The key is having a spread of credit cards, eventually with higher limits and keep only a couple carrying a small balance (between 1-7%) while the rest are either used only rarely (to keep them active) or paid in full each month. That helps to optimize your FICO score.
And, again, as for collection agencies, NEVER call them on your own. Send them a limited Cease and Desist letter via certified mail return receipt (you'll find samples at creditboards). If they do happen to call you after they receive that letter, they are violating the FDCPA and you stand a very good chance at getting the account deleted off your report. Gotta keep a paper trail of every letter and green return receipt card you get back from mailing those letters.
I don't have to worry about CA's calling me or contacting me right now, a lot of them do not have my current information so
The advice at CB is worth more than its weight in gold. It helped me increase my FICO scores around 100pts on 2 of the bureaus just since April of last year. Once my newer debt (bought a house last year and, of course, needed stuff to put in it

) is paid down in a couple months, my credit won't be able to get much better. You can get to that point, too. But it will take time and effort but it's worth it!