Am I Being Paranoid

[IZie]

My question involves an arrest warrant from the State of: Texas

I applied for a job, and they sent me a letter stating that they needed my fingerprints for clearance by the FBI based on "matching identifiers". But the letter acknowledges that "this might not be a matter for concern".

Well the disclaimer isn't comforting in the least and I'm freaking out. I can't think of anything at all for which I might have a warrant out for my arrest. Literally nothing comes to mind. But based on my reading of this forum, I am seeing that it is possible to have a warrant issued for your arrest for something and not even be aware of it.

I am absolutely terrified that if I go to have my fingerprints taken for the card to mail back that I am going to be arrested for something. So much so that when I think about doing it, I can't breathe.

I could, I guess, just forget about this particular job. But I want to know the truth. If there is some warrant out there for me, I don't want to find out by getting stopped for a traffic ticket. I have dogs that are the heart of my life, and I want to make arrangements for them to be cared for properly if I am going to be arrested.

I have heard that if you call the police to ask, that they will just lie to you, so can somebody please tell me: How can I find out the truth and either put my mind at ease or clear the matter up properly?

Thank you in advance for your help.

[LawResearcherMissy]

To answer your titular question: Yes, you're being paranoid. Exceedingly so.

Yes, it is possible to have a warrant out and not know you have a warrant out. This, however, is connected to something you would KNOW you did - like fail to show up for a traffic hearing or other court proceeding that you've been properly notified of.

If you haven't robbed any liquor stores, embezzled from former employers, led your local PD on a cross county chase, or otherwise gotten yourself in trouble with the law - and let me reiterate, if you had, you would KNOW - then you have nothing to worry about.

Sit down. Stop flipping out. Go have a shot of vodka. Or five.

Then mail your card back.

[IZie]

So....What are the "matching identifiers"?

In Texas, it is possible to get arrested for a bad check in excess of $20. In the past, I have had joint bank accounts with two (yes TWO) idiot men who would bounce checks. (Yeah... that really happened. And then I woke up.) Is it remotely possible that I could get in trouble for kited transactions that they did on an account that was formerly (but never ever again!) also in my name if I didn't do it?

[LawResearcherMissy]

So....What are the "matching identifiers"?

I can't read your background check from here.

In Texas, it is possible to get arrested for a bad check in excess of $20

Possible, but not probable. Again, if you had run afoul of the law, YOU WOULD KNOW. If the checks were never made good and the entity to whom they were issued chose to press charges, you'd have been notified of a court date.

[Scott67]

Try to lighten up and just go get it done. Assuming no hits, you will find out that you're ok and can stop worrying about this. But, IF, there is actually something in your past that you are worried about whether or not it will show up, it is still best to find out about it and deal with it.

And, in the worst case, many prisons today have internet access, so you'll still be able to log into this site to let us know how it is going! (Don't let this comment worry you; it is meant to help on the "lighten up" part).

[IZie]

I can't read your background check from here.



Possible, but not probable. Again, if you had run afoul of the law, YOU WOULD KNOW. If the checks were never made good and the entity to whom they were issued chose to press charges, you'd have been notified of a court date.

Oh. lol. Sorry didn't mean to make that sound so stupid. I thought maybe a "matching identifier" always meant it was the same item that matched in all "possible" cases. Like, always the name. Always the social security number. Always a shared address. Always the same matching item.

Yes I would know if I had done anything illegal, and I swear, there is nothing. But what about something like identity theft, or even just being associated with stupid bad people?

Here's the only other thing that stands out in my mind. Twice now, my credit reports have come back with three personal addresses showing in other places where I have never lived. No account activity was associated with those addresses, and I have had no fraudulent accounts opened in my name, but those addresses on there are really bugging me now.

I disputed the addresses with the credit reporting agencies and one of them, they returned the reply that I had received service at that address and it could not be removed. At the time, I thought they meant something like utility service, and I was cursing my ex for opening utilities with my name on it. Now I am wondering if they meant service of process? Somebody could live there using my name, and if they received service of process... omg... this possibility is just absolutely making my head spin.

As to the check thing. No I did not personally write any bad checks, but I was joint on the accounts with the guys who did. In fact, I don't use paper checks. I have no need for paper checks. I always use my debit card or online bill pay, and gee - I don't have any problems with math and NOT overdrawing my own checking account. If there's no money in there, I don't try to spend it anyway lol. Go figure. And when these idiot men in my life did that, I absolutely did cover any known foul transactions, zero balanced the joint accounts and then CLOSED THEM.

Which might be why I now still have a checking account - do ya think?

No... I have never received anything in the mail about any court dates or anything like that.

Last November, I did receive notice of a lawsuit against my ex-husband that was addressed to my address, but he has not resided here in many years and I don't have any clue what rock he might have crawled back under.

Which leads me to wonder...Could somebody have done something... you know like whomever is responsible for those phantom addresses that showed up on my credit report...could they have done something, that I might somehow be held responsible for?

I guess what freaks me out, is that I have read about people who have had warrants issued about them and they did not even know they existed, and never received notification, so I was afraid something might be "out there" that I really have no clue about. I'm even thinking something like... red light cams... or something.

But I never got anything in the mail about anything like that either, and my correct address is on my vehicle registrations and driver's license, and I do not have any unpaid tickets and nothing like that even ever happened that I am aware of.

I really appreciate your answers and encouragement. That letter really put my stomach in knots. I'll let you know if anything turns up. You're probably right. I'm probably freaking out about nothing. I'm still thinking about calling a bail bondsman before I go get fingerprinted and asking him to be on standby just in case lol. I dunno. I don't know what to think. "Matching identifiers". WTF?

[LawResearcherMissy]

I thought maybe a "matching identifier" always meant it was the same item that matched in all "possible" cases. Like, always the name. Always the social security number. Always a shared address. Always the same matching item.

Nope, it's not an "always" situation. There may have been hits on someone with a name the same as or similar to yours. Or a DOB the same as yours, with a similar name. Or an address. Mistakenly merged credit files. Any number of weird things.

I once had an employer ask me why I didn't disclose that I was Canadian, and did I actually have authorization to work in the US? Buh? Turned out, a French-Canadian woman who shared my name had turned up in their background check. I had to fish out my passport to clear that up.

Don't panic. It's more than likely that it's something stupid that has nothing to do with you.

[IZie]

Wow, all that huh? I guess there are worse things than being accused of being Canadian. lol. Velkom in Amerika Comrade Missy. lol.

I really appreciate your answers, and also Scott67. It's helping. Kinda. Sorta. That bourbon might also help, but then I would just have a different excuse to not drive to the police department and ask to get my fingerprints taken? ROFL! Actually today, I do have a good excuse. My truck is in the shop getting new brakes put on, and I can't pick it up til Monday. So it'll have to wait til next week anyway.