Help credit fraud someone used ss#

[goingtowdwwithkiddos]

Ok so here is what I know so far I got a call from a debt collector for a comcast bill last payment in 2009. They used DH ss# and name it was opened in Illinois. So I am currently on hold with Comcast to file a fraud case.

What next ? Pull credit reports. ? Any site recommendations ? I don't want to place a fraud alert with credit if I don't have to?? What would you do ?

 

[Hisgirl]

I am going to tell you exactly what to do. Let me go grab some info really quick.

 

[DetroitDisney]

Pull up a full credit report immediately to verify any charges that are incorrect. If anything else is wrong, contact the credit bureaus immediately to freeze the credit report and dispute any incorrect items. You will need to battle with the credit bureaus and any other lenders/companies.

And sign up for credit monitoring. I use quizzle.com, but there are many that do a similar function. I get a free credit report monthly and notifications if anyone attempts to pull my credit. I think it's worth it, but you can always go with just a free credit report somewhere.

 

[Hisgirl]

Ok.

I want to first encourage you that you WILL get through this but this is the time to be meticulous with some record keeping.

Get a notebook and designate it the ID theft book.

Create a log of every call...date, names, numbers.

Send all letters by certified mail and a return receipt.

Keep all orginals. Send copies of documents, not originals.

Make a timeline and list important dates, file requests, followups.

FIRST STEP.

Place an initial fraud alert! Contact any of these three. Equifax 1-800-525-6285 or experian 1888 397 3742 or transunion 1 800 680 7289. Tell them you are a victim of fraud and ID theft. Put a fraud alert on your credit file and tell them to tell the other two reporting agencies. Then ask for a free copy of your reports. This alert will stay on for 90 days.

Place a credit freeze on all 3 reports. Call each company above. Pay the fee, maybe $3, but do it. And file the PIN number you are given.

UPDATE YOUR FILE TO INCLUDE ALL OF THESE TRANSACTIONS.

Contact the related businesses and talk to someone in fraud. Create a record for your file with the company by sending certified letters.

Submit complaint about the ID theft to the FTC.

www.ftc.gov/complaint
File a police report too and get a copy of the report or the number. Bring your FTC Identify theft affidavit when you file the report.

SAVE COPIES OF ALL OF THIS.

Or call the FTC. 1 877 438 4338

To be continued....

Attach the FTC iD theft affadavit to the police report

 

[Hisgirl]

Here is the link to the FTC with step by steps of what to do.

http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0014-identity-theft

Follow it to the letter.

They have covered everything here including how to handle the debt collector. You will have to write to them within 30 days of them contacting you. Send them a copy of the police report and tell them you are a victim of Id theft. The collector must suspend collection efforts until it sends you written verification of the debt.

Also, contact the social security admin. at 1 800 269 0271

Here's the link which includes sample letters to everyone.

http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0281-sample-letters-and-forms-victims-identity-theft#Letters

 

[Muushka]

Hisgirl has addressed this wonderfully. I had to do each and every step she listed.
Right down to the designated notebook.

The only things I would add (and this one may have been addressed) is to put a permanent freeze on your husband's credit. It is a pain to unfreeze it, but the peace of mind knowing that no one can steal my identity again makes it worthwhile. The other thing I would recommend is if you own a home, check to see if they have a rider to add onto your policy that covers ID theft.

Lucky me had it happen twice, by the same perp, about 2 years apart. The second time it was so much easier because my insurance company did all the footwork for me. All I had to do was sign the papers that were filed. Well worth the cost of the rider.

You are much better off than I was. I didn't have Hisgirl to give me all of that valuable information!
Good luck. I hope that everything turns out all right for your husband.

 

[wiigirl]

Here is the link to the FTC with step by steps of what to do.

http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0014-identity-theft

Follow it to the letter.

They have covered everything here including how to handle the debt collector. You will have to write to them within 30 days of them contacting you. Send them a copy of the police report and tell them you are a victim of Id theft. The collector must suspend collection efforts until it sends you written verification of the debt.

Also, contact the social security admin. at 1 800 269 0271

Here's the link which includes sample letters to everyone.

http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0281-sample-letters-and-forms-victims-identity-theft#Letters

 

[daughtersrus]

Legally I don't think you can do anything. It was your DH's SS# not yours so he needs to be the one making the phone calls. You can type up letters but he needs to sign them.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

This is the exact reason I will pull our credit twice a year. I don't want surprises to try and clean up when I am trying to apply for credit or a loan.

 

[bedogged]

Ok so here is what I know so far I got a call from a debt collector for a comcast bill last payment in 2009. They used DH ss# and name it was opened in Illinois. So I am currently on hold with Comcast to file a fraud case.

What next ? Pull credit reports. ? Any site recommendations ? I don't want to place a fraud alert with credit if I don't have to?? What would you do ?

FYI I had an insurance review a few days ago and I was surprised to learn that included with our homeowner's insurance is 30K amount for ID theft. You might want to call your own homeowner's insurance company and see if they can help you.

 

[manning]

Regarding fraud alerts.

You only have to contact one of the three credit bureaus non this. They will send the alert on to the other two.

Fraud alerts are active for only 90 days. So you need to request it every 90 days.

On the credit freeze you have to contact all three.

I just did that in November when I got a call from Fast Cash regarding my loan application. Huh? What application?

 

[goingtowdwwithkiddos]

OP here updating there is nothing showing on the credit reports looked at all 3 I spent a few hours on the phone yesterday trying to reach someone to file a fraud at Comcast I believe the issue is it is a closed account and not showing yet a debt collection agency has been hired to collect (I left a message and will be trying again tomorrow) . Only Fraud I know of so far is the cable bill for $180. As far as DH making the calls not such a issue for CA but he is right next to me if needed, he has never paid any bills for the 18 years we have been married

 

[manning]

OP here updating there is nothing showing on the credit reports looked at all 3 I spent a few hours on the phone yesterday trying to reach someone to file a fraud at Comcast I believe the issue is it is a closed account and not showing yet a debt collection agency has been hired to collect (I left a message and will be trying again tomorrow) . Only Fraud I know of so far is the cable bill for $180. As far as DH making the calls not such a issue for CA but he is right next to me if needed, he has never paid any bills for the 18 years we have been married

Hats off to your husband, he trained you good. Mine has been doing it forty plus years. To tell the truth that may be the reason we are enjoying our retirement comfortably.

We made a deal when we got married. She said I can be the CEO and she would be the treasurer. Didn't take long to figure out who got the better deal. I have to go to her for money. Hmmm.

 

[Arielle22]

Hats off to your husband, he trained you good. Mine has been doing it forty plus years. To tell the truth that may be the reason we are enjoying our retirement comfortably.

We made a deal when we got married. She said I can be the CEO and she would be the treasurer. Didn't take long to figure out who got the better deal. I have to go to her for money. Hmmm.

I pay all our bills. I have an accounting background and it comes naturally to me. It is torture for DH when I try to explain our finances. He says he wants to die first so that he doesn't have to do it on his own.

Of course, he handles our computers and electronics. So I buy the finance software and he installs it and backs it up for me. Marriage is about playing to your strengths.