BollockBuster

January 4, 2008 9:51 PM

How much do late fees/oustanding fines from video stores affect my credit score?

So I went to Blockbuster tonight and apparently have a ~$30 fine for a dvd I never returned (which i'm pretty sure I did). He said it was already sent to the collection agency.

How threatening is this to my credit report? Should I even bother w/ complaining (the store manager was also a MASSIVE asshole) or just accept the fee and pay it?

thanks

posted by pilibeen to Law & Government (10 answers total)

I used to go to blockbuster about every 2 or 3 months and rent a handfull of movies for a long weekend. One time I got my movies in about 30 minutes late. No big deal, right? I'll just pay the fine next time I go. Wrong. Two months later I get a letter from a collection agency wanting something in the neighborhood of $30. I fought for about a week, then they said it was going on my credit report. I decided it wasn't worth $30 or the principle to have it on my report so I forked over the money. They might have been bluffing, but I didn't want to chance it. Besides, losing me and everyone I can convince as customers for the rest of my life is going to cost them a hell of a lot more.
posted by the christopher hundreds at 10:04 PM on January 4, 2008

Pay the fine. Collections agencies do report to credit bureaus and you don't want that to happen over a measly $30.
Now go sign up for Netflix.
posted by HotPatatta at 10:30 PM on January 4, 2008

I monitor my credit pretty carefully, and can report that while I have years-old unpaid fines at Hollywood Video and Blockbuster, none have ever appeared on my credit record. Nor have I received any correspondence from collections agencies about them.
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 7:05 AM on January 5, 2008

Wow. That's like the public library reporting you to the credit bureau.

If you can get it paid with a written guarantee to never appear on your credit report, pay the collection agency - quickly. If they have already put it on your report, raise hell with Blockbuster (search Consumerist for 'corporate email bomb') with emails and calls. Your credit is one of your most important intangible assets, and if they're wrong on this one you need them to make it right.
posted by uaudio at 7:22 AM on January 5, 2008

I've never heard of this either-- I've turned plenty of videos in late, paid the fine, done. I've even held movies after the final date and received calls that I would be "charged for the sale." Turned in the film, paid the smaller late fine, done. Collection agencies? Yeesh. Go to a different Blockbuster, man.

(Goes to profile page to remove name...)
posted by nax at 7:23 AM on January 5, 2008

I went through the same business with a $50 fine from Blockbuster for a film they lost/I returned. I got one call from a collection agency, told them I wasn't going to pay, and haven't heard anything since. My guess is that at a mere $50, it's not cost-effective for the collection agency to do more than make a single phone call. This was about 2 years ago, and nothing ever appeared on my credit report.
posted by magwich at 7:26 AM on January 5, 2008

I have years-old unpaid fines at Hollywood Video and Blockbuster, none have ever appeared on my credit record.

Each Blockbuster is a franchise. The owner of each franchise may choose to pursue unpaid fines differently.
posted by HotPatatta at 8:42 AM on January 5, 2008

Eleven years ago I had $10 worth of fines at a local video store (not Blockbuster). I got a letter a few months later, and intended to pay the fine next time I was in town. Within two weeks, I got a call from a collection agency demanding $50 to settle the debt. I refused to pay them an extortion fee.

Within one week I was sued in small claims court. I consulted a lawyer who said I couldn't win since the video stores really cover their butts in the contract you sign at the beginning.

I ended up paying $200 in court fees to settle the suit, and it went on my credit report, my score took a hit which affected the mortgage rate I got a few years later.

Bottom line, pay your fines since you never know who will pursue you to the full extent.
posted by rintj at 9:06 AM on January 5, 2008

if you returned the video on time, don't pay a bullshit fine, fight it. i can't believe the resignation in some of these comments.
posted by bruce at 11:29 AM on January 5, 2008

That's like the public library reporting you to the credit bureau.

The Sacramento library did this to me. It falls off my report this year.
posted by Monday at 7:52 PM on January 5, 2008