Whether you are disputing information regarding a derogatory account from an original creditor or an alleged account with a 3rd party debt collector, you need to be specific about what is wrong with the negative reported item on your credit report. You need to raise the issues in your dispute letters and hold them accountable to prove it.
How does it differ from original creditor to alleged third party debt collector? An original creditor most likely charged off your debt after a few months of not receiving payment. Charge off means nothing else but taking your debt off their accounting books. It does not mean that they wrote off your debt. But they do have the debt insured in case the debtor – you – does not pay. So with an original creditor, you will be disputing the amount of the balance they claim is owed after they charged it off.