Jan
18
Is there anything else I should do to correct the information on my credit reports?
Filed Under Credit
toastergnome asked:
My ex-husband and I divorced in 1998, I am now remarried with a different last name. He is now married to a woman with the same first name as me so now she has the exact same name I had when I was married to him. Can you see where the trouble begins?
So, I pull my credit report yesterday and find that there are 7 collection accounts on my experian report and 1 collection account on TU and 1 also on Equifax. I do my own “investigation” and find out that Experian has added my ex-husband’s new wife’s collection accounts to my report because we have similar names. Fine, but we don’t have similar date of births or social security numbers. I contacted Experian and have disputed these collections over the phone.
Now comes the hard part. I still had one common collection on all three of my reports and I knew it was not my bill. I called the Collection Agency to find out what information they had and sure enough it was my date of birth and my social security number. I then called the original creditor (a medical clinic) to find out what in the world was going on and to see if the New Wife was using my social security number. Turns out the bill was for her son and when she gave the billing clerk her name they pulled up MY old information instead and added the bill onto my account. The credit clerk at the clinic was very nice and said they would get it fixed with the Collection Agency. Meanwhile I have contacted all three CRA’s to dispute this collection account. I have worked very hard to build and groom my credit and it just makes me sick to think that somthing like this can keep me from getting the best intrest rates when I refinance my house. Have I done everything I can do to correct these mistakes? Is there anything else I can do to make sure these inaccuracies are removed?
Thank you all for your responses, I can’t pick a best answer because all of you had really good advice.
ENRIQUE
My ex-husband and I divorced in 1998, I am now remarried with a different last name. He is now married to a woman with the same first name as me so now she has the exact same name I had when I was married to him. Can you see where the trouble begins?
So, I pull my credit report yesterday and find that there are 7 collection accounts on my experian report and 1 collection account on TU and 1 also on Equifax. I do my own “investigation” and find out that Experian has added my ex-husband’s new wife’s collection accounts to my report because we have similar names. Fine, but we don’t have similar date of births or social security numbers. I contacted Experian and have disputed these collections over the phone.
Now comes the hard part. I still had one common collection on all three of my reports and I knew it was not my bill. I called the Collection Agency to find out what information they had and sure enough it was my date of birth and my social security number. I then called the original creditor (a medical clinic) to find out what in the world was going on and to see if the New Wife was using my social security number. Turns out the bill was for her son and when she gave the billing clerk her name they pulled up MY old information instead and added the bill onto my account. The credit clerk at the clinic was very nice and said they would get it fixed with the Collection Agency. Meanwhile I have contacted all three CRA’s to dispute this collection account. I have worked very hard to build and groom my credit and it just makes me sick to think that somthing like this can keep me from getting the best intrest rates when I refinance my house. Have I done everything I can do to correct these mistakes? Is there anything else I can do to make sure these inaccuracies are removed?
Thank you all for your responses, I can’t pick a best answer because all of you had really good advice.
ENRIQUE
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5 Responses to “Is there anything else I should do to correct the information on my credit reports?”
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I think you have done a great job of trying to fix things. I would just suggest you keep everything in writing as it is much easier to prove than a verbal conversation and also if things don’t get fixed soon, file a police report of identity theft and then the credit bureaus have to really wake up and take notice. Lastly file a fraud alert with all three bureaus so that your account cannot be accessed without your permission. Good luck.
Sounds like you’ve done a wonderful job of remedying the situation. Tell your husband to let his wife know that from now on she needs to specify personal information about herself to keep her things from being applied to your reports. Give it 30 days and then follow up to make sure these items are removed.
I would also sign up with a credit monitoring service so you can keep an eye on your credit. I personally use TransUnion’s (http://www.truecredit.com). You’ll recieve fraud alerts via email anytime new information is added to your credit report. I recently found out that a “new employer” was added to mine and placed a fraud alert just in case someone was up to no good.
You need to get something in writing from the doctors office and send it to all 3 credit bureau’s so they can update there info. It will take anywhere from 30-90 days to fix it. You can add a fraud alert if you like, but than when you apply for credit the banks will have to contact you before they will work on your loan. So if you do the fraud alert, make sure you have a good phone number that you are going to keep until you remove the alert.
Yes. but have you told all 3 credit reporting agencies to add a consumer statement? You can just have it say something simple like “Please do not confuse me with persons of a similiar name. Contact me before adding any new tradelines” or something like that. That way, you will know if your ex’s new wife is getting added onto your account again and you can stop it before it happens. And employers and other creditors will see this and won’t immediately freak out if they see you have bad credit.
First off, Do Not Call the ca. Go to creditboards.com and check their site. They have really good info on it. Keep all documentation and send any requests certified mail return receipt . Leave a paper trail. Here is a copy of whychats
sample letter to the collection agencys.
Send a similar letter to all ca on your reports,, Then redispute with CRA
after the 30 days.
LETTER TO COLLECTION AGENCY
COLLECTION AGENCY VALIDATION/DISPUTE/CEASE AND DESIST
Use this IN IT’S ENTIRETY. DO NOT call them .
Use this letter and the included form to make the agency verify that the debt is actually yours and owed by you. Keep a copy for your files and send the letter registered mail return receipt requested.
Your Name
123 Your Street Address
Your City, ST 01234
ABC Collections
123 NotOnYourLife Ave
Chicago, IL
Date: _________ CRRR#____________
Re: Acct # XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX
To Whom It May Concern:
This letter is being sent to you in response to your attached letter.
(If you have nothing in writing use the phrase “recent communication)
This is not a refusal to pay, but a notice that your claim is disputed.
Under the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA), I have the right to request validation of the debt you say I owe you. I am requesting proof that I am indeed the party you are asking to pay this debt, and there is some contractual obligation which is binding on me to pay this debt.
Your legal staff will agree that compliance with this request is required under the laws of (State name) and Federal Statutes.
In addition to the questionnaire below, please attach copies of:
Agreement with your client that grants you the authority to collect on this alleged debt,or proof of acquisition by purchase or assignment.
Agreement that bears the signature of the alleged debtor wherein he or she agreed to pay the creditor.
Please also be advised that this letter is not only a formal dispute, but a request that you cease and desist any and all collection activities.
I require compliance with the terms and conditions of this letter within 30 days. or a complete withdrawal, in writing, of any claim.
In the event of noncompliance, I reserve the right to file charges and/or complaints with appropriate County, State & Federal authorities ,the BBB and State Bar associations for violations of the FDCPA, FCRA, and Federal and State statutes on fraudulent extortion .
I also hereby reserve my right to take private civil action against you to recover damages.
Sincerely,
Your Name(PRINT OR TYPE DO NOT SIGN)
——————————————-
Debt Validation Form
Questionnaire to be returned :
Account #: ____________________
Original Creditor’s Name: _________________________________
Name of Debtor: ______________________________________
Address of Debtor: ___________________________________
Balance of Account: __________________________________
Date you acquired this debt: _________________________
This Debt was: assigned ___purchased___
Please indicated any credit bureaus to which you have reported on this account:
Experian ______
Equifax ______
TransUnion _____