Hi! I'm new here but am soaking up the wealth of information contained in these forums. Thanks SO much for sharing and helping us along the path to better FICO Scores and financial futures!
I'm rebuilding my life after a tumultuous 5+ year period which includes a BK (12/07) and a divorce (12/09). Ex and I weren't on same page with anything, and it showed most when it came to finances. While married, my ex used my SSN several times without my knowledge, opening credit, maxing them out, and leaving me to find them, blow a gasket, then work hard to pay them off. These were always followed with "I promise I'll never do it again". We used our home as an ATM to pay off his charges, his toys, or the fallout from a failed home improvement business in which he charged more in tools/trucks than any profit that was made. I finally realized that I would work hard the rest of my life and never get out of the financial ditch, because he would always find a way to keep us there. I'm only focusing on the financial, but he let my trust down in several other areas as well, but I'll save that for my therapist! I left him, the house, and all that I'd known for the prior 12 years in 8/09. I stacked everything I owned in 8 cardboard boxes in my mother's basement even though I was a college educated professional with 20 years in my line of work.
Fast forward 11 months and I feel control over my destiny and my financial future for the first time in a long time. I've paid off my school loans, the divorce attorney, my car loan, and am steadily saving for a downpayment on a house. I only use one credit card, which I asked for a CLI last week and got ($600 CL), and keep the balance below 9%, paying it off routinely as a result of the posts seen here on Myfico. I decided to get pre-approved early for a mortgage in case my ex left me with more "surprises" and he did. A GEMB paypal individual line of credit, opened 10/08 using my SSN but his name, his birthdate and an address I've never lived at. He paid it on time until 6/09 at which time the TL goes 30/60/90/120 then to charge off and is tanking my EQ score (EQ FICO 558). Middle score is 618 according to loan officer, 2 points less than the minimum to get an FHA. TU and EX aren't reporting this TL. I've disputed this TL with EQ and am awaiting their reply. What I'm most shocked about is how easily GEMB and EQ allowed my credit report to have the name changed from an obviously female name to a male, my birthdate and address changed, and to even make me a "Jr." as the number "2" now appears after my name. Any one of these changes should have sent up a red flag and the app denied. GEMB wants me to fill out a police report for the $91 balance which has ballooned, with fees, to $816. I'm VERY frustrated and waiting to finally be free from all this negativity.
Thanks to any and all who are still with me and read my rant. I hope to have a happy ending but I'm pretty peeved to know that GEMB and EQ would allow something so blatant to occur!
Thanks JM-AM!
I am trying to see if EQ will delete the TL on their own, without filing a police report. A couple more weeks and I should have an answer from them.
Do you know if Fraud Alert might negatively affect my score?
I'm hesitant to file a police report. We share a pre-teen, impressionable daughter and he's already scared her during the time of the divorce proceedings with "Mommy's trying to send me to jail". I know it is his way of controlling her and me, and she will withdraw from me as he is quite a convincing individual, and her father. I can't blame a 12-year old for falling under the trance I, as a grown adult, fell under. The damage done to my relationship with my daughter, and her young mind trying to decipher who is telling the truth, is worth far more than my credit score.
Thanks again for your advice 8~)
Wow! Thanks for the possible "peek into my future"....I will definitely do the Fraud Alert. Actually, I put Fraud Alert on my report several years ago because someone fraudulently opened up a Tool Crib account in my name. My ex denied it and I swore up and down that the mechanic next door must have gone into our mailbox and opened up one of those pre-approved credit cards we get as junk mail...NOPE, it was the ex all along! I paid it off and closed it.
I don't want to make this thread all about relationships, family and money...BUT, I will say that the biggest reason for leaving my ex was that I was setting a bad example and I did not want her to continue the cycle. A good marriage doesn't entail arguements and sleeping on the couch. She and I are closer than ever and I am teaching her about money. She even has a chore list and I set up an invoice system in which she "bills" me for the work she does and her "pay" is her allowance. I like that it gives her incentive to work harder and reap the reward from the hard work. It's working out quite well!
Again, thank you...
Thank you RobertEG!
EQ is supposed to have an answer for me by 11/17. If they do not remove this TL, I will file a police report. I didn't think they would haul off my ex to jail for a $91/$816 item but it would be just the ammunition my ex would use against me to weaken my relationship with my daughter. I sound like I'm living a soap opera at times...just wanting some peace in my life and to love my daughter and raise her right!
Status update: Called EQ today for update on the issue this thread is all about. The very nice woman from EQ said the fax of my driver's license was too dark and they couldn't read the DOB. I promptly faxed back a lighter copy. I'm a bit miffed because I originally faxed this three weeks ago then called to confirm receipt and was told all was received and looked good. Aaaargh! I can feel more and more grey hairs growing as I type, lol! Patience is a virtue in short supply around here 
