# Messaging the creditor

You can send a message from the portal. It gets attached to your account and our team sees it on the same record we use to review your case.

This is different from calling our agent. Messaging is for things you want in writing — questions, explanations, requests.

## When to send a message

* You want to explain your situation in writing.
* You have a question.
* You want to propose a plan or settlement.
* You want to ask for a copy of a specific document.
* You want a paper trail.

## How to send a message

1. Log in.
2. Click **Messages** from the dashboard.
3. The page shows messages we've sent you on this account (each card shows the subject and the body).
4. Type your reply in the **Your reply** box at the bottom.
5. Click **Send**.

You'll see your message appear on the page when it's saved.

## What's a good message

A few suggestions:

* **Keep it short.** Two or three paragraphs is plenty.
* **State your goal.** "I'd like to settle for $X" is better than "What can we do here?"
* **Stick to facts.** "I paid this on March 5" is clearer than "I'm pretty sure I paid this".
* **Be polite.** You don't have to be friendly, but it usually helps.

## Replies

We see your reply on the account record. We may follow up by email or by phone — replies aren't a live chat. There's no automated SLA on response time today; if you don't hear back within a few business days and need an answer, [contact support](/troubleshooting/contact-support.md).

## Who sees what

Everything you write through the portal is part of your account history. Our team sees it when reviewing the account. The business that placed the account also has visibility into your account record. Write accordingly.

## TODO

* Wire up creditor-direct messaging (today the portal reply ties to our internal record rather than routing straight to the creditor's inbox).
* Screenshot: messages page.
* Screenshot: reply form.

***

Last reviewed: 2026-05-12 by Customer Success.


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