Today is the day...I could use some advice...

[WillParkinson]

Today I get to call the collection company to tell them (AGAIN) that the bill they are trying to collect for is NOT mine despite the fact that someone used my Social Security number to get phone service and run up a $500 phone bill.

A friend at work told me to tell them that I want copies of work orders or agreements that I signed giving them permission for the work.

Does anyone else have any sage advice to offer me when I talk to these incompetent dunderheads?

[xray s]

1. Have you called the cops to report an identity theft?

Whoever stole your SSN may use it again.

[WillParkinson]

2. What do I tell the cops?

Do I just tell them that someone used the number to get phone service or do I have to say anything else? This is a new one for me and I've never had to do it before.

[blondeatlast]

4. Definitely call the cops. Don't quote me here, but I believe

that as long as it's in dispute (this is where the police report will come in very handy) they cannot try to collect.

I'm a librarian, and we get this question all the time.

Definitely get that police report--it can solve a world of problems.
Even if it has been a while, this can keep them off your backs; and after all, you are a crime victim.

This is the site we refer people to, excellent advice, clear instructions:

http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/

[Lostmessage]

7. Let me know what happens

I had a relative rack up a $1,200.00 dollar phone bill on me that I am fighting right now and If I lose my service I will lose cable and INTERNET service as well because it's a bundled package.

I thinking about going to the police and having the person arrested because I am pissed off big time.

[ClintonTyree]

3. I had a similar problem.........

with Compuserve (remember them?) I did as your friend suggested, asked for a signed contract. I never heard from them or the collection agency again, however they did report it to the credit bureau. I'm now in the process of trying to get it removed from my credit rating, but that's akin to getting the toothpaste back into the tube after it's out. I don't know what to do next, I never had a contract with Compuserve, they refuse to provide me with written documentation saying I did, yet they can harm my credit score? Everything's skewed in favor of the corporations my friend. Good luck, and if you find a way to handle this let me know, I could use some help myself.

[Andy_Stephenson]

6. Apply for a credit card. If you are denied....

write to the credit Bureau they used to determine your creditworthiness. Once you have it review it. Then write a letter to the agency stating you disagree under the fair credit reporting act of 1971 and give them 30 days to research the matter. After the 30 days if you have no response send them another letter. This time state the date you wrote the last one +3 days mail time and state to them...U30 days ago I asked for this item to be researched. Since I have not heard from your organization I will assume that the item is not correct and tell them under the fair credit reporting act of 1971 you would like thie item removed and an updated copy of your credit report sent to you. Wait 15 days send another letter this time informing them the next one will be to an attorney.

A few years back I had some erroneous stuff on my report...it only took the two letters and it was removed from my report. Worked like a charm.

[dread]

5. Collectors don't care...

My wife and I had a similar problem just recently with the Power company, they had linked a delinquent account with my wife by comparing addresses, incorrectly. It took flagging the credit report as a victim of fraud, and repeated calls to the collection agency and the original debtor to prove that there was an error by the billing department and not my wife, ultimately it was making it clear that my wifes ethnicity didn't match their records that finally caused them to review the account.

Makes notes on ever conversation you have, the time, with whom and what was discussed AND what actions where promised.

The more accurate you are the easier it is for them to fix their problem....good luck.

dread

[CivilRightsNow]

8. I had a similar problem

I lived with a group of folks during college and our house was a hangout. Someone used an assumed calling card to rack up charges from our phone and the phone company tried to pin the charges on me since the phone service was in my name. The company should have an identity theft packet. I know that the various Bell companies do.

If that fails, they obviously have the address said phone service was installed at, give the cops a call and see what they can do.

Good luck. :)

[WillParkinson]

9. I'm going to have to have surgery to remove the phone from my ear!

I've talked to no less than 10 people today.

My final call was to our local police who suggested I pick up a fraud packet from them and fill out the parts that pertain to me and then set up an appointment with a detective.

Nice thing, though, I was able to get the address where the phone service was set up and Paul did a check in a reverse directory and found that the person who lives there now has lived there since 2000 so it's a good chance that he/she is the one who dealt with the phone.

Funny thing, though, they made 4 payments on it before allowing it to go delinquent.

[radwriter0555]

10. Yes, file a police report for identity, fraud, credit theft; and tell the

phone co that you need copies of all the paper work they have, relating to the matter, so that you can file the report.

Call the phone co and tell them you need to speak to their fraud division. Be clear, simple and concise, and address them with the attitude that you KNOW they'll be THRILLED to help you clear up this crime committed against you. This is just business. They aren't out to get you, and they don't hate you. The phone co isn't attacking you personally. The bill collector is just doing their job. You need to STOP talking to the collections department right now.

It's YOUR job to contact their fraud division to report the action, and to request that they IMMEDIATELY take all actions to protect your credit. This includes their fraud department contacting the collections department to have them stop actions against you.

Put EVERYTHING IN WRITING. Detail each and every person you talk to and what time you do it.

Confirm every conversation with a recap letter stating what was deterimined and decided, with the details.

You should be ok, if YOU do the diligence here. While the phone co may indeed be at fault here, so what? It's just business and will be resolved with YOUR diligence.

I had a man use my ID to buy a car for his girlfriend. He was a grandpa type who was supposed to be acting as a loan broker.

Mitsubishi responded immediately when I proceeded as outlined above, and removed it from my credit report. The grandpa is still doing time for his crimes, including mine. He ran rampant across So Cal doing the same to other people.

[WillParkinson]

11. "MY" account was sold...

To the collection agency. No one at SBC will help me with it, apparently.

I will call them back, though, and ask them about a fraud division.

Thanks.

[davsand]

12. Just a heads up about your credit report?

There are a couple three companies that do credit reporting. Be sure you check all the credit bureaus on your are when you do gt this resolved with the police. If you send them all copies of the police report they should note that in your files.

When we bought our house a few years ago, I was rather surprised to see that I had an outstanding consumer loan in some other state--in a town I'd never even heard of! It was a good sized one too--like maybe I bought a Caddy or something!

Anyhow, I called that lending institution and asked them why my SS number was on that loan since I had no idea who or where they even were! After a few minutes a most apologetic bank officer came back on and said they'd transposed a couple digits in the data entry on it. I made them send a letter to the reporting credit agency and it was cleared up in a month or so. I thought!

When the mortgage broker ran my credit reports again, after this had been cleared up, it was still on my report--only it was ONE reporting bureau now reporting it instead of two. Evidently the bank reported to more than one agency.

Laura

[liberalhistorian]

13. GO TO THE TOP!

Keep going up the level of management until you finally reach the top person, otherwise, they'll keep blowing you off and NOTHING will get done! God, I hate those fucking debt collectrolls and their bloodsucking, no-good, vampire, inhumane, agencies!

[WillParkinson]

14. Would that I could...

But I have to get through the bottom feeding scum first!

[blondeatlast]

15. A very important thing that I forgot . . .

YOU can FIRE the collection agency! Tell them you will only speak to the creditor you owe money to. This is little known, but true in virtually every state. They MUST honor the request--I've had to do it many times; hubby and I were defrauded out of medical insurance--long story, won't bore you with details, but it did get very nasty..

The original creditors are generally more sympthetic, actually. The credit bureau doesn't get paid unless they collect, so they can be nasty as hell. The OC just wants money, period, so they are easier to work with. They often settle for a smaller payment just to get paid.

Hope you checked out the FTC website. Let us know how it goes.

[WillParkinson]

16. That would be fine....

But I don't owe them money.

You do, however, bring up a very interesting point that I'm going to explore! Thank you.

[blondeatlast]

17. Ahhh, true. Still, you don't have to deal with the evil ones.

Good luck and keep us up-to-date.

[Cheswick2.0]

18. Do not lose your temper

but be firm. It take a special brand of asshole to do collections (I just know someone is going to tell me THEY do collection work). If they can get you to lose your temper they have it on tape. You might also call legal aid and ask their advice. You should have a legal aid office near you. It would be in the yellow pages.

[WillParkinson]

19. Lost temper...

I lost my temper the other day with a woman from SBC. I felt bad and called back to apologize only because they are trying to do their job. I can't fault them for that. It's not like THEY stole my information.

Of course, on the other hand, they could listen and try to help.

[liberalhistorian]

21. Actually, I've posted a lot of threads

about my experiences with and hatred of debt collectrolls, ESPECIALLY of the medical debt variety, and I've posted on other threads discussing the same subject, and, in the ten months I've been on here, I have yet to see ONE single poster identify themselves as a collector!

Of course, this isn't exactly the site that I'd mention that little tidbit about myself, either, lol!

[REP]

20. Call Your State Attorney General's Consumer Protection Department

They can help. Call them before you call anyone else.

Also call the Fraud Department of the Phone Co that had the account. You'll probably have to go through Collections to get there. Remember, for every 1 case of actual identity theft, they have to deal with one zillion customers who are trying to defraud the company. If you get a clueless employee, demand to speak to a manager. You'll get either a full manager or an employee who knows what the fuck they're doing.

Contact the Outside Collection Agency and tell them you want itemized bills, and that you have reported them to the AG's office and you wish any further communication to be in writing (you have that right and they must comply).