Cell Phone Account On My Credit Report That Isn't Mine, Causing Negative Headache!

[kade6767]

  Quite a few years ago I went through an identity theft issue. I placed fraud alerts on my credit reports. I was able to clear most up and when I applied for new credit almost all the companies followed the alert and contacted at the number listed in the alert. I still had a problem with Verizon and to no avail have I been able to have this account removed. I never opened the account and have constantly disputed it. It shows on my report as derogatory. I'm still fighting to have this removed and it has caused me issues in obtaining new credit. Both Discover and Best Buy denied me based solely, as is stated in denial letter that the negative account on my report was their reason. So, recon didn't work with Discover, would it work with Best Buy? How badly is this going to continue to affect my score and what else can I do to show this is not my account for the future when trying to further establish new accounts? I don't even know what is left to do to try and have it removed. I've worked so hard to rebuild my credit and now this one negative mark. It shows it will fall off by 2020 but I am at my wits end about what to do??

[takeshi74]

Derogs -- especially recent derogs -- have a major impact and that's why we always recommend that someone with derogs address them first when rebuilding credit.  I don't recommend waiting for this to fall off.  If you have been unable to get Verizon to remove the item and unable to get the item removed from your reports via the dispute process with the CRA's then you might want to look into filing a CFPB complaint:

http://www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb/1327/what-can-i-do-if-i-disagree-results-credit-report-disput...

[RobertEG]

If you never authorized the account, you dont need the disipute process to get it removed from your credit report.

They can verify a dispute if they have documentation that shows you appear as the authorizing party.  They are not required to first conduct a private investigation to prove that you actually authorized.

You should file a police report and then send it to the CRA, which must then block the account from your credit report under the identity theft provisions of FCRA 605B.

That removes any verification or involvement of the creditor or the CRA.

[kade6767]

Thanks for that. I have an old police report that I filed a few years back showing I was a victim of identity theft. That should do, yes?

[kade6767]

Thanks very much for that info!

[RobertEG]

As long as the report identifies that specific information as the info that you assert was fruadulent or the subject of identity theft.

Your liability for any false statements continues to theis day.