Identity Theft!

[Spartacus FPV]

Has anyone else been a victim of identity theft?

I've never been the victim of Identity Theft before, my mother was and it really cost her.

Fortunately for me, this Texan (presumably an illegal with the same last name as me) used my social to open up a DISH Network account and I wouldn't have even noticed if I didn't just run a credit report finding that he missed a payment and its in collections.

I contacted the collections company, informed them that I've never had DISH or lived in Texas and confirmed that my name wasn't his nor was my email babygirlXX@something or other.

I also disputed the charge to the only credit reporting agency that had it listed, but when trying to call the DISH identity theft # I was given it just rings twice and cuts out. I'm rather annoyed, I don't want anything negative on my credit.

 

[davidtaylorjr]

Has anyone else been a victim of identity theft?

I've never been the victim of Identity Theft before, my mother was and it really cost her.

Fortunately for me, this Texan (presumably an illegal with the same last name as me) used my social to open up a DISH Network account and I wouldn't have even noticed if I didn't just run a credit report finding that he missed a payment and its in collections.

I contacted the collections company, informed them that I've never had DISH or lived in Texas and confirmed that my name wasn't his nor was my email babygirlXX@something or other.

I also disputed the charge to the only credit reporting agency that had it listed, but when trying to call the DISH identity theft # I was given it just rings twice and cuts out. I'm rather annoyed, I don't want anything negative on my credit.

It's a problem. It happened to my aunt.

 

[MaggieD]

Has anyone else been a victim of identity theft?

I've never been the victim of Identity Theft before, my mother was and it really cost her.

Fortunately for me, this Texan (presumably an illegal with the same last name as me) used my social to open up a DISH Network account and I wouldn't have even noticed if I didn't just run a credit report finding that he missed a payment and its in collections.

I contacted the collections company, informed them that I've never had DISH or lived in Texas and confirmed that my name wasn't his nor was my email babygirlXX@something or other.

I also disputed the charge to the only credit reporting agency that had it listed, but when trying to call the DISH identity theft # I was given it just rings twice and cuts out. I'm rather annoyed, I don't want anything negative on my credit.

To what address is the bill being sent?
When was the account opened?
How long has it been in service?

Immediately write a letter to DISH disavowing any knowledge of this account. Contact them by phone and get the above information. Call the three credit bureaus and put a fraud alert on your credit reports. This could be something as simple as someone transposed the Social Security Number. Opening up a DISH account doesn't sound like serious identity theft. It sounds like an error.

The fraud alert will protect you while you straighten this out.

 

[Spartacus FPV]

To what address is the bill being sent?

Don't know, I didn't write it down when the lady from that collections company asked it. But its in Texas, I could call back and find out.

When was the account opened?

All I have is the date of 1st delinquency (12/10) and the date reported to collections (5/13)

I suppose I could get that information too if I called back the collections company though.

How long has it been in service?

Account closed

Immediately write a letter to DISH disavowing any knowledge of this account. Contact them by phone and get the above information. Call the three credit bureaus and put a fraud alert on your credit reports. This could be something as simple as someone transposed the Social Security Number. Opening up a DISH account doesn't sound like serious identity theft. It sounds like an error.

The fraud alert will protect you while you straighten this out.

Ill do that.

 

[DDD]

Of all the things that could be stolen identity is not yet an issue here.

 

[Fisher]

Maggie is correct. It is likely a mistake with someone keying in info. I was not able to file my federal taxes electronically because of that. The IRS rejected it as another return with my SSN had been filed so I had to mail mine in. Since I had to pay a ton of federal taxes, I am pretty sure if anybody had stolen my SSN they would have been screwed if they thought they were going to get a refund. The IRS says it happens frequently with mistakes in SSN's.

Your credit report should have the address on it. Dish would have reported the address of the account so it might be in the other addresses you have lived at part of your report.

I have had other people's stuff on my credit report. I just disputed it and it went away. My understanding is they contact the creditor. A lot of creditors do not respond especially if it a closed account so you can get negative stuff off your report that way apparently according to someone I know who says they have done it.

 

[Gipper]

No, but I have been confused with someone who gives a damn.

 

[Captain Adverse]

Has anyone else been a victim of identity theft?

I've never been the victim of Identity Theft before, my mother was and it really cost her.

Fortunately for me, this Texan (presumably an illegal with the same last name as me) used my social to open up a DISH Network account and I wouldn't have even noticed if I didn't just run a credit report finding that he missed a payment and its in collections....

When I was eighteen and living in NYC I lost my social security card and I got it replaced. A couple of years later when I enlisted in California I took all the standard tests including the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) and got a very high score.

The next day the recruiter and an officer took me aside and asked me if I had ever taken this test before in NY, and I told the no. They checked some stuff and then told me that someone else had tried enlisting there a month prior but failed the ASVAB badly and never got in. They saw I had been in California at the time working, so they shrugged it off. I just assumed it was someone who found my SSAN card and tried using it.

That's the only time it ever came up as a problem though and it's been decades since then.

 

[Summerwind]

Has anyone else been a victim of identity theft?

I've never been the victim of Identity Theft before, my mother was and it really cost her.

Fortunately for me, this Texan (presumably an illegal with the same last name as me) used my social to open up a DISH Network account and I wouldn't have even noticed if I didn't just run a credit report finding that he missed a payment and its in collections.

I contacted the collections company, informed them that I've never had DISH or lived in Texas and confirmed that my name wasn't his nor was my email babygirlXX@something or other.

I also disputed the charge to the only credit reporting agency that had it listed, but when trying to call the DISH identity theft # I was given it just rings twice and cuts out. I'm rather annoyed, I don't want anything negative on my credit.

Good luck thinkin' that's solved it. I've heard true horror stories about people assuring and even PROVING that the collections have nothing to do with "me," and yet the collections stay on your record and now that they have a phone number, calls may begin as well. You need to call DISH and explain and get the service address and the billing address so you at least have a direction to point the collection agency in as well as confirmation of sorts from DISH that it wasn't you or your house.

 

[Sarcogito]

Never full on identity theft. I have had my credit card number lifted twice. Both times at restaurants in international airports. Never again.