Yes. A company that buys a debt can report it to the credit bureaus, but it must follow the same accuracy rules as any furnisher, report the original delinquency date, and, if it is a debt collector, first contact you as Regulation F requires.
Debt buyers purchase charged-off accounts from original creditors, often for a fraction of the balance, and then try to collect. Companies such as LVNV Funding, Midland Credit Management, Portfolio Recovery Associates, Jefferson Capital, and Cavalry are frequently seen on credit reports.
What a debt buyer must get right
When a debt buyer reports to Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion, it is a furnisher under the FCRA. That means it:
- May not report information it knows or has reasonable cause to believe is inaccurate
- Must correct information it learns is inaccurate or incomplete
- Must note that information is disputed when you dispute it directly with the buyer
- Must report the month and year of the original delinquency, which controls when the debt must come off your report
- Must investigate when a credit bureau forwards your dispute
The FDCPA usually applies too
A debt buyer whose principal business is collecting debts, or that regularly collects debts owed to others, is generally a “debt collector” under the FDCPA. In that case it may not communicate credit information it knows or should know is false, including failing to report that a disputed debt is disputed (15 U.S.C. § 1692e(8)). Under Regulation F, a collector generally must contact you before reporting the debt.
Common debt buyer reporting problems
- A balance higher than what the original creditor charged off, without a legal basis
- A later “date of first delinquency” than the original creditor’s, which extends reporting time
- The same debt reported by two buyers after it was resold
- A debt reported after you paid, settled, or had it discharged in bankruptcy
What to do
Compare the debt buyer’s entry against the original creditor’s tradeline: the balance, the original creditor name, and the delinquency date. Request validation from the buyer and dispute errors in writing with each bureau.
If a debt buyer keeps reporting inaccurate information after you dispute, a free case review can help, with no fee unless we win.
Related
- LVNV Funding lawsuit guide
- Midland Credit Management lawsuit guide
- Portfolio Recovery Associates lawsuit guide
- Jefferson Capital lawsuit guide
Sources
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681s-2 (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681c(c) (Cornell LII)
- 15 U.S.C. § 1692a(6) (Cornell LII): definition of debt collector
- 12 CFR § 1006.30 (eCFR)
Updated November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.