Update #1 ~ Identity Theft Saga

Here is an update on what's going on with the Identity Theft Saga I first blogged about here.

Last week I received a letter from the collection agency in Florida requesting that I send them a police report, "....for client full validation of fraud."

Well, I had not filed a police report because I didn't have much to say about the ID theft except what the collection company had provided me and what I could glean from my credit report. By not much I mean: Company name that extended credit to the thief, something called a MID number and the amout the company is going to get stuck with.

But I did have a few letters from the collection company so I went to the local police department this morning. I have to say the police lady that took my report was so helpful. I was in and out in about 20 minutes with a case number. She told me that she used to create case reports on ID theft about once a month and now she is doing it about 6 to 8 time per day!!!!

So I wrote a letter to the collection company and gave them the case number and address/phone numbers of the local police (should have told them in the letter their phone number was 911, ha). Bet I haven't heard the last of this....

My RANT:

• Some company doesn't do their job by verifing who they extend credit to and then it becomes my problem.
• It appears so easy to open accounts with just a name and SS number, shouldn't there be a PIN or something.
• If the police in this small town are getting 6 to 8 ID theft reports per day can you imagine what is happening in a big city.... AND how much the companies that extend credit are eating. You know the consumer pays for this.... like corporate taxes. You do know this? Right?
• I wrote my congress rep.... Mr Salazar but he didn't give a rats rear end based on the canned response I got.
• How do you get someone who can do something about this to listen and ACT?
• The law requires that I have a SS number.... so where are they when things go bad? Another example of being confused between the law and justice. I can't get no justice here!
• Apparently I was wrong when I said the Social Security folks would not give you a new number.... they will but they warn you that it may (most likely) affect your credit and benefits.

Stay tuned for updates. I'm guessing about a month or so.