[phunky]

Hi to all...I'd like some advice on the following: In late Nov. 2007 an alert in my credit report informed me of a payment to a credit card as 30-days past due. Since my wife handles the bills in our household, I informed her of the alert, to which she said all bills had been paid. Come late Dec. 2007 another alert to my credit report states that the same payment was now 60-days past due. I file a dispute through Experian because we cannot find a bill or statement associated with the said account. Early Jan. 2008, results from the dispute investigation and conversations with the issuing bank confirm that a credit card with my name was used throughout town beginning in Aug. 2007. The issuing bank adds that the monthly credit card statements were sent to a different address. So in order to begin a fraud investigation, the issuing bank had to send me a letter to which I had to sign and send back to begin the investigation process (I also send a police report number for their reference). About a week later, I get a statement from the issuing bank that payment is due on the above disputed account, except now the the account has a different account number. So I call the bank again and explain the situation to which I am told to disregard the statement, since I had received and sent back the letter to begin the fraud investigation. Now a month passes, I receive second statement for payment past due on the same account--again I call the bank and explain, to a different person, the situation and that the account should be under investigation. She informs me that there is no record of an investigation on the account. She verifies my address, and says a "Letter of Affirmation" will be sent to me. She also says she can't tell me to disregard the latest statement like her colleague told me to do last month. So now I am at odds at what to do when this "Affirmation" arrives. Any idea what it is? Ultimately, will I have to pay the issuing bank for purchases I didn't make with a card I don't even have?

[souperdave]

You're a victim of Identity Theft! Sounds like you've already done a police report and have at least one "Affadavit Of Fraud" coming to you. As soon as you get it, fill it out, get it notarized and send it back via REGISTERED mail.

Also, go to the FTC ID Theft website and fill out the complaint form.
Here's the addy: https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/widtpubl$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU03
Then peruse the rest of the FTC ID Theft site for assistance/guidance on the steps to take from now on.

Whenever you call banks/card issuers from now on tell them to connect you to the Fraud Department. The regular customer service types are not trained, nor do they have the resources, to assist you. Customer service is only interested in squaring up the past-due activity.

Good luck to ya, being a victim of this kind of crime is, unfortunately, a life-changing experience. I hope my advice proves helpful to you.

[phunky]

Thanks Souperdave,

The link you gave me was dead, but I did manage to find this link: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/ that directed me to a live one--lots of helpful info there, Thanks!

Just wondering...should this thread be moved to a ID Theft forum?

[souperdave]

Shoot! I never noticed an ID theft forum before. New? Apology for the misguide, thought I'd hit the correct copy&paste.

But it sounds like you got to the right 'neighborhood' anyway. The FTC site is the best self-help resource there is.

One other thing you may want to do if you're in a major metropolitan area: look into filing a report/complaint with the Social Security Administration Office Of Investigations. The S.S.A. agents may be especially helpful, especially in the event the fraud(s) were perpetrated in retail establishments that have video retention capabilities.

We catch up to perps like these on a (all too) regular basis....all it takes is us retail L.P. types to give it the time & effort, coupled with local cops who give just as much, then we get hooked up with the local Federales and put these turdsmokin' dogs away!!!!!!!!

[BOR]

Dave, one reason why your link did not work is you have an "s" after http: there should be NO "letters" afterwards: http = hyper text transmission protocol: no "s".

Your link:

https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/widtpubl$.startup?Z_ORG _CODE=PU03



I removed it and pasted the other, but still the link won't work, so you maybe copied 2 seperate links and they got snipped together?


Get some sleep!!