Tuesday, May 27, 2008

HELP!!

It might not be smart to post stuff like this but I really need help. A few months ago, I pulled my Equifax/CSC credit report and there was a collection account on there with an Asset Acceptance LLC. I didn't know anything about the account. I called Asset Acceptance and I wasn't in their system. So, I disputed it and eventually, it dropped off. I didn't worry a lot because it was a one time occurrence. I did wonder if it was someone else's account, but I let it go.

Fast forward to Saturday. I pull my credit report because we're getting ready to apply for apartments. There are seven (7) SEVEN accounts that don't belong to me, all past due, two of them credit cards with balances of more than $5300 and more than $10000 respectively. I'm able to call two of the creditors, First Premier Bank and Capital One, right then. They can't find me by SSN or my very distinctive name. Of course, all they can tell me to do is call the credit bureau. I dispute all the stuff online through CSC, then I call Equifax to get a human being to see if they can help me because there is very obviously a problem.

They give me an automated number for CSC. So I decide not to fume too much (even though my impatience makes the wait til Tuesday excruciating).

This morning I begin calling at the ungodly hour of 10 AM (y'all know I'm a night owl!). I have an old CSC number that used to connect me to a human but it keeps disconnecting me. I call the Equifax CARE number and tell them I need to talk with a person at CSC. I make the Equifax guy hold the line while I call the CSC number he gave me. A woman answered and I said (with my country ass), "OK, I'ma call you right back." So I disconnect with the Equifax guy and call the CSC woman back. She gives me another number, again a human, so that's cool. She gives me another number, and still I'm fine. The guy at the third number of course tells me to dispute.

Now, I did that. But I kept pointing out, this is seven (7) SEVEN accounts. This isn't just a coincidence. He asks me, "Well, ma'am, when was the last time you checked your credit report?" I tell him until March, I'd had a credit monitoring program. So, once a month for the last few years. All of these seven (7) SEVEN accounts have popped up in the last couple of months. "Sir, don't you think this is strange?" I ask.

So he looks at some stuff and tells me that he doesn't see where my account could've been combined with someone else's, but since some of the stuff is old (one of the accounts was opened in 11/1995 and has been delinquent since 2002), maybe I should put a fraud alert.

I agree to do that, but y'all, how can it be fraud when no one has my SSN? It's not like these accounts are listed under my name and SSN. These creditors have no record of me. And isn't this just going to keep happening? And two of the accounts had "Consumer disputes; Reinvestigation in process at the bottom," so shit, they were probably erroneously on someone else's report a month ago.

Should I write the FTC? Does Equifax have to help me since this is their affiliate? Is it possible that other people's stuff can be on your credit file?

I really, really need to be pointed in the right direction.

4 comments:

k8 said...

I would treat it as a fraud case. Here's the link to the government's identity theft page: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft//

They have the info for reporting it to the FTC. I would also see if these accounts show up on the other credit reporting companies' reports.

Anonymous said...

wow, that is bad. sounds you are doing the right things though, i have no experience in this but now i think i should check my credit report...

Virginia Pickel said...

Elle - I can't remember...you're in TX, right? You might try the Office of the Consumer Credit Commissioner and see if they can offer any further assistance. http://www.occc.state.tx.us/

I hope you get everything straightened out!!

Quiche said...

Sent you an email--hope its helpful.

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