If your old debt has been sold to a debt collector, you know how stressful the issue can be. Debt collectors can be quite aggressive when trying to collect what's owed on your unpaid credit card or loan debt and it's not uncommon to receive numerous phone calls, emails and other types of correspondence during the process. But if you've received calls or notices about a credit card debt that should have expired years ago, you might be dealing with a practice called "re-aging," where debt collectors essentially reset the clock on old debts to make them appear newer than they actually are.

This deceptive tactic has become increasingly common as debt buyers scoop up portfolios of old, often uncollectible debts for pennies on the dollar. By making these debts appear fresh, debt collectors can pursue payment more aggressively and potentially even take legal action that would otherwise be barred by statutes of limitations. The practice not only violates federal law but can also devastate your credit score and financial well-being, even if you aren't technically responsible for repaying the outdated debt.

That's why knowing how to spot and fight debt re-aging could save you thousands of dollars and protect your credit history. But how exactly can you do that? Well, the good news is that spotting these issues may be easier than you think.

.

How to know if debt collectors are re-aging your accounts

The first red flag to watch for is any debt that suddenly reappears on your credit report after having disappeared for months or years. Under the , most negative information, including collection accounts, must be removed from your credit report after seven years. 

That seven-year period starts from the date you first missed a payment and never caught up, which is known as the "date of first delinquency." It does not start at the date the account was sold or at the date a collector last tried to call you. But in some cases, a debt collector may manipulate that date, either by mistake or on purpose, to make the debt seem newer. After all, if they change the delinquency date to something more recent, it keeps the account on your credit for longer than it legally should be.

Why would they do that? The answer is simple: It boosts their chances of getting paid. A fresher-looking account can appear more urgent and damaging, which can pressure people into paying, even if they're no longer legally obligated to. It also makes the debt collector's portfolio more attractive when selling debts to other agencies.

So, to avoid being stuck with a debt that you don't owe any longer, you'll need to check your reports for re-aging, which can be done by following these steps:

• Get your credit reports: Start by pulling your credit reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, which can be done (often for free) on AnnualCreditReport.com.
• Look for the date of first delinquency: The date of first delinquency is the most important detail to look for. You need to identify when the account originally became past due, not when the debt collector got involved or the last activity date.
• Do the math: If it's been more than seven years since the original delinquency, that account should no longer be showing. If it is, or if the delinquency date looks suspiciously recent, you may have a re-aged account.
• Watch for duplicate listings: The same debt sometimes appears multiple times with different dates or collector names. That's a red flag, especially if the new listing pushes the clock back.

.

What to do if a debt has been re-aged

If you find that a debt on your credit report has been re-aged, here's what to do to fix the issue:

File a dispute with the credit bureaus

If you think a debt is being re-aged, your first move should be to dispute it directly with the credit bureaus. You can do this online through their websites. Include any documentation you have, whether that's old statements, letters from the original creditor or other proof of the real timeline. The bureaus are required to investigate your dispute within 30 days. If the debt collector can't prove the date is accurate, the item must be corrected or removed entirely.

Report the debt collector

You can also file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) if you find re-aged debts on your credit report. The CFPB is the agency that keeps tabs on illegal practices by debt collectors, including re-aging, and they may be able to help resolve the issue.

Understand your rights

Re-aging isn't just unethical. It's also a violation of the FCRA and possibly the ). These laws protect you from deceptive and unfair collection tactics. If you can prove a violation, you may even be able to sue the debt collector for damages.

Don't accidentally restart the statute of limitations 

If you make a payment or acknowledge the debt in writing, you could restart the statute of limitations for being sued on the debt, but not the reporting period for your credit report. These timelines are different. Re-aging affects your credit report timeline, not your legal liability. But either way, you don't want to give a debt collector more leverage than they're legally entitled to.

The bottom line

Old debt doesn't have to haunt your credit report forever. If a collection account is showing up years after it should've disappeared, something may be wrong — and it could be an illegal case of re-aging. So, take time to check your credit reports, look closely at the dates and don't hesitate to push back if something doesn't make sense. You have a legal right to accurate credit reporting, and you don't have to tolerate tactics designed to keep bad debt alive past its expiration date.