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Consumer Litigation Associates
” fix an incorrectly reported date of delinquency and reclaim your score”
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Credit reports should tell an honest story about your past. Account re-aging rewrites that story by slapping a fresher “date of first delinquency” (DOFD) on an old debt so it looks brand-new. The practice keeps negative info alive beyond the FCRA’s seven-year limit, drags down scores, and violates federal law. Below we explain how re-aging happens, why it’s illegal, and what you can do to spot—and stop—it.

What Is “Account Re-Aging”?

• Definition. Account re-aging happens when a furnisher reports a newer DOFD than the real one, making the debt appear recent and resetting the seven-year clock. That’s a direct FCRA violation for re-aging debts under § 623(a)(5).
• Who does it? Debt buyers, collection agencies, or even original creditors during portfolio sales. CFPB examiners repeatedly cite “inaccurate DOFD transfers” as a supervision finding.
• Why it matters. A re-aged debt lingers, drags down scores, and gives collectors fresh leverage. Experian admits any change to the open date must retain the original DOFD.

How Re-Aging Happens & Why It’s Illegal

The FTC warns that furnishers must supply the true DOFD within 90 days or risk enforcement. Meanwhile, the CFPB calls re-aging an “unfair practice that can mislead consumers and violate the CFPA.”

How to Spot a Re-Aged Debt

1. Pull all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com.
2. Look for an account whose DOFD is newer than your own records—especially if the open date or last payment date was recently updated. (Think “disputing wrong date of first delinquency.”)
3. Compare any collection’s open date to the original charge-off; a new open date is OK, but the DOFD never moves.
4. If a collector suddenly appears after years of silence, check that they didn’t quietly extend the negative mark on your credit report by re-aging.

Re-Aged Debt Dispute Process

Step 1 – Dispute with the CRAs

Write to each bureau citing “illegal re-aging of old debts” and attach proof (old bills, charge-off notices). Reference FCRA rules on re-aging debts (§ 611 & § 623(a)(5)). CRAs have 30 days to reinvestigate.

Step 2 – Dispute with the Furnisher

Send a direct dispute under § 623(a)(8), demanding they fix incorrectly reported date of delinquency. Include copies of supporting docs.

Step 3 – Escalate

File a CFPB or FTC complaint if no correction. CFPB has fined collectors for DOFD misreporting.

Step 4 – Legal Action

If they still resist, talk to a consumer-protection lawyer. Courts award damages and fees for willful FCRA violations, giving you strong consumer rights for re-aged debt errors.

How to Remove Re-Aged Debt from Your Credit Report

1. Document everything – keep dated copies of letters and screen grabs.
2. Send disputes certified mail – track deadlines.
3. Follow up – CRAs must give you free updated reports after a correction.
4. Consider a credit freeze while errors persist.
5. Monitor – once fixed, make sure no one tries to re-age again.

Call to Action

Think a debt collector changed your delinquency date? Need to know how to remove re-aged debt from credit report fast? Consumer Litigation Associates can help. Call (757) 930-3660 or Click Her to Start a free case review.

• Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1681c(a), 1681i, 1681n, 1681s-2(a)(5) (2022).
• Fed. Trade Comm’n, Consumer Reports: What Information Furnishers Need to Know (Jan. 2018)

• CFPB, Supervisory Highlights: Issue 30 (July 2023) 14-15
• CFPB, Understand How the Debt Collection Rule Impacts You (Nov. 2021)
• Experian, What Is Account Re-Aging? (May 2020)
• Experian, Can a Collection Agency Change an Account’s Open Date? (Jan. 2020)
• NerdWallet, What Can Re-Age an Account, and How Does it Affect My Credit? (Aug. 2024)
• Investopedia, When a Debt Is Sold: What Happens? (Oct. 2014)

Legal Disclaimer: This blog post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee future outcomes. If you have questions about your specific situation, contact Consumer Litigation Associates for more information or assistance (757) 930-3660.