<prompt> Human: Location: VA, USA.nbsp;Please note that I have read and followed the PF wiki regarding collections.nbsp;Back story: Over the summer, I moved to a new apartment and thought I had settled my payment for a past appointment with my PCP. I had not updated my address with them my fault and was not aware of mail forwarding options at the time. Apparently the insurance came back with a remaining balance for me to pay. The doctors office tried mailing me several times after I moved, but never attempted to contact me another way via phone.nbsp;At the beginning of fall, my old roommates finally told me I had been getting mail and I discovered the small debt 200 had been sent to collections. It is now showing on my credit report and has decreased my credit score significantly to a little below 700.nbsp;Actions taken: Please note that I have followed the PF wiki. In accordance with the wiki, all mail was sent certified, return receipt requested CRRR and all phone conversations were recorded on my end I did let the debt collector know each time that I was recording.nbsp;1 I sent a debt dispute letter.nbsp;2 The debt collector provided documentation to validate the debt.nbsp;3 I sent a pay-for-delete letter.nbsp;I offered to pay in full in return for removing all information regarding the debt from all credit reporting agencies within 15 calendar days of payment.nbsp;4 I called them to read the contents of the recently mailed pay-for-delete letter in attempts to move things along.nbsp;The pleasant representative who Id spoken with several times previously regarding documentation that I failed to receive on their initial attempt to send suddenly got very nasty with me. I initially thought Id been lucky enough to find the only kind debt collector alive.nbsp;She immediately knew I had gone online to research based on the contents of my letter. She wasnt nasty at this point; she just kind of laughed and said she could probably recite my letter by heart.nbsp;She said the debt collectors policy after my payment would be to first submit the legally required update to the credit bureaus that the account is paid. After that, their policy is to submit a REQUEST to delete the information from the credit reports within 60 days. She said debt collectors could not guarantee that the information would be deleted as that was up to the credit bureaus.nbsp;She said she would not put anything in writing even that they would REQUEST, not guarantee, a deletion as she was not required to enter in to such an agreement with me.nbsp;Id also requested in the letter that they agree not to discuss the terms of this settlement with anyone other than me and the client they are collecting for. She got nasty with me about not being required to enter into an agreement again. She went over that there is a federal law stating who they are allowed to discuss this information e.g., POAs.nbsp;My questions:nbsp; It seems like I have tried everything possible and that the debt collector has the right not to put anything in writing. Is my best course of action for a medical bill, and for a debt this small, to go ahead and pay in full and hope they request the deletion as they said?nbsp; Would my recorded conversation with the representative stating that their policy is to request deletion after payment provide any recourse should they not request the deletion? I am not sure if the representative would be considered authorized to make that statement anyway or if the debt collector could say the representative misspoke.nbsp; Is it true the credit bureaus have the final say in deciding to remove the debt or do they definitely remove the debt if the debt collector requests the debt be removed?nbsp;Phew. Sorry for the book.nbsp;If TL;DR: I have a minor medical debt 200 that has been validated by debt collector. I asked for a pay-for-delete and was told on a recorded call that the debt collectors policy is to update the credit bureaus that the account is paid and then request a deletion within 60 days. However, the debt collector would not agree to put anything in writing in advance stating they would request a deletion. Is my best course of action here to pay and hope the debt collector does as they said? Will the recorded phone conversation with a representative stating that a request for deletion is their policy be of any recourse if they do not? I am not sure if the representative would be considered authorized to make that statement anyway or if the debt collector could say the representative misspoke. Is it true the credit bureaus have the final say in deciding to remove the debt or do they definitely remove the debt if the debt collector requests the debt be removed?  <response>: If its not in writing it didnt happen. 