How can this identity theft case not be solved?
A couple months ago I got a call from a collection agency asking me to make a payment on the $6000 debt I owed to Sears. I told them I’ve never had a Sears account, and asked if they were sure they had the right person. They told me all my information and confirmed it was me. I told them someone must have opened the account without my knowledge and stolen my identity, but they told me that 3 payments had been made on the card, and people who steal someone’s identity don’t make payments on the account. I admit it sounded odd, but I just know it was not me that did it.
I filed a police report and stated what I knew. The collection agency told me that 2 addresses were listed on the account. One was mine, and the other was some apartment here in town. I’d never been to the other address and don’t know who lives there. The detective who took my case said that identify theft is rarely, if ever, solved, and that it may be months when I hear back from her about the investigation–if she calls back at all.
The collection agency continued to hassle me for payment, insisting I was lying about the identity theft because no one would make payments if it was. In addition, I received letters in the mail from Visa and MasterCard, cancelling my accounts with them. I had never missed a payment on them, but the letter said they do periodical credit reports, and mine showed up bad because of Sears, so they were cancelling my accounts. Next, I was denied an apartment because of this. And I was planning on getting a car loan, but I can’t do that, either. This is basically ruining my life.
What I don’t understand is how this can’t be solved. If the person made payments, they had to receive a billing statement. That statement had to be mailed somewhere. If I didn’t get it, it makes sense the other address listed on the account did. Someone got it if they made payments for 3 months. In addition, if they purchased the charged items in a store, they should be able to view footage of the sale. If it was online, it should have had a delivery address. Either way, there’d be video evidence or a paper trail. Why can’t the detective just check out the other address listed on the account? Someone got the statement and made payments, who else would it be? And if they can’t do that, what about tracking the purchases? I don’t see how this can ruin my life and never get solved.
Don’t you think the detective should be able to use the existing information to figure this thing out?
I suggest that you sue Sears for damages, including emotional harm. And then Sears will have a good reason to make everything right for you. Or else, Sears might end up having to pay you a lot of money.
If it comes to a jury trial. The jury is more likely to sympathize with you than with Sears.
by the judge saying guilty
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Yes.
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I suggest that you sue Sears for damages, including emotional harm. And then Sears will have a good reason to make everything right for you. Or else, Sears might end up having to pay you a lot of money.
If it comes to a jury trial. The jury is more likely to sympathize with you than with Sears.
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I think you should contact the police officer you filed the complaint with and suggest these possibilities to you. I don’t understand how your credit cards were cancelled if you make your payments on time, despite what your credit report says, I would file a complaint with all 3 credit reporting agencies disputing this Sears charge. I understand how much of a pain Identity Theft is – the FBI is supposed to resolve Identity Theft problems, but when my husband had a huge problem with Identity Theft (someone stole his name & Social Security Number to work & make over $60,000 a year & that person is an illegal alien!) the FBI hung up on us & refused to work on it – there is a Clearinghouse in Washington, D.C. that’s supposed to help with Identity Theft, but all they do is send you a booklet on what to do. We had to spend Over $100 on photocopies, letters sent Certified, Return Receipt Requested, after Social Security supplied us with a list of jobs my husband supposedly worked at, out of state, and this list was NOT even updated…we did write all the jobs & let them know this individual was not the person he claimed to be & one sent a copy of the ID he used & the application he filled out, which he did not even sign, there were errors on the application, but I guess they needed an employee so badly, right away, that they didn’t really look at it too closely. We’re not even sure if this individual is still working in his name with his Social Security Number in any of these jobs we sent a letter to, or if he’s now working at a new job that we don’t know about yet under my husband’s information. We went to the Police near us & they said we had to go to the Police where he lived. I tried that and got nowhere either, I received an e-mail back from them to go to the police near me. I don’t understand why the police near us can’t contact the police department near where he lives, we have his last known address. But the police officer we spoke to near us said this technically isn’t even considered Identity Theft because this individual didn’t even use my husband’s information to purchase anything, but it’s still unauthorized use of my husband’s Social Security Number & his name, but no one will do anything about it. Furthermore, my husband lost his wallet with all his ID, Social Security won’t send him a new Social Security card unless he shows ID & he can’t get a new ID from the DMV unless he shows several pieces of ID, some of which he can’t getc – he needs his Social Security card to do this, all he has is a copy & they won’t let him use that. Plus, he could get in trouble with the IRS, so the Police need to take this case seriously!!!
I don’t understand why Police don’t take ANYONE’s case of Identity Theft seriously, it REALLY causes havoc in the lives of these it happens to!!!!! I hope you have better lucki than we’ve had so far, it’s been like 1 1/2 – 2 years so far & it STILL hasn’t been solved!!!
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You should call SEARS directly and let them know about the identity theft and that they have sent a bill to a collections agency. Also when the collections call again TELL THEM NOT TO CALL ANYMORE. Tell them only to send you the bill in the mail. By law they have to stop calling if you ask them to. And if they violate that contact your state (look up on state’s website for how to report collections violations).
Next I would go to the social security office and request a NEW social security number. I would tell the office you have had identity theft and bring in a copy of your police report. This way the thief cant apply for more credit cards.
Also I would go online and get your free annual credit report (dont go to free credit report.com that is FAKE its not free.). You need to search for the government website that allows free credit reports.
It will show all the credit cards you have ever had opened or closed in your name. And then highlight all the ones you didnt open and show the police.
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