HELP!!! ID Theft - Sprint Account Turned Over to Diversified Adjustment for Collections!!

[Anonymous]

Well I thought the day started good today. Finally got to return to work after being on medical leave since December 28th with migraine.

Came home to find a message on my answering machine regarding "an important business matter". They kindly left the number for me to call and a file number. I ggogled the number and found out it was a collection agency. Well, I was game at that point considering I have no outstanding debts since cleaning my reports up.

Called the number and spoke with "Sherry" who informed me they were calling about my Sprint account. She told me I was being recorded, I said that is okay because you are being recorded by me for quality control purposes. I asked her what Sprint account, I have never had a Sprint account. My service is and has always been provided by Verizon. She said well you owe us $460 on the account. She tried to verify my address and gave me an address in another part of New York that I have never resided nor do I know anyone who resides at that address. She said the account was opened in June 2007 and closed for nonpayment. I asked for their address since I will dispute and file a police report for identify theft. She proceeded to tell me that they have already mailed me that with the letters I have been sent. I finally got disgusted and said now let me ask you, if I never lived at that address, nor know anyone who does live at that address, how might I have received those letters? Duh.....

I finally just hung up on her. Figure I will call back tomorrow and speak with someone in the Fraud Department at Sprint.

Does anyone have any experience with fraud through Sprint or dealing with Diversified Adjustment? Do I now have to put either a fraud alert or freeze all my reports? If I freeze the reports or place a fraud alert, will that prevent me from receiving CLI's from my existing accounts or even pulling my reports on MyFico?

Sorry for all the questions, but I am just sick over that fact that there is probably some lowlife running around Richmond Hill, Queens with fake ID in my name. The CA had my real date of birth and social. She did say that she had nothing with my signature. How do I prove this is not mine?

This has got me so upset right now that I took some more migraine medicine to prevent it from coming back and missing more work!

Thanks in advance for whatever advice you can offer me.

Cathy

[Anonymous]

I hope you did not give them your social. Sounds like an all too common mistake. 2nd one I have heard from Sprint in the past 24 hours. Wow. Fraud with fake address is not such a big deal to correct. They probably don't even have your social and it is just a similar name and they looked up the wrong phone number from someone who has the same name. They are probably collecting from the person at that other address. Just inform the CA they have the wrong information and not you. You will need the account number from the CA, and then contact Sprints fraud dept. It should be a simple OH OK from Sprint and Sprint should take care of it. Probably not fraud, just a mistake.

People change their phone numbers and CAs seem to call other phone numbers going down the telephone book for people with the same name and town. Happened to me a few times. I just tell the CAs don't know what you are talking about. What social do you have. I have always been able to get a part social and if not mine, I say thank you, not me and hang up.

Message Edited by ilovepizza on 02-19-2008 09:19 PM

[Anonymous]

I wish it was that easy. Unfortunately, she gave me the last 4 digits of my social and my actual date of birth. The only thing that was incorrect, was the address associated to the account. This is a definate case of fraud and I don't know where to turn at this point. Sprint must have a problem opening fraudulant accounts, because they have a whole area dedicated as to what needs to be done on my part to start an investigation.

I slept like crap last nite because of this and awoke with another killer migraine. Gonna make some calls. Found the original inquiry on my EQ report dated 6/15/07 and it contains a purchase order number, so maybe I can gather some info directly from Sprint and bypass the CA altogether. I don't know if I can handle dealing with the CA arrogance today.

Would anyone know if I file the police report in the county where I live or do I need to drive the 45 minutes and file it with the precinct associated to the address on the account?

Thanks

[Anonymous]

You need to go straight though the ID theft handbook-

Fraud alerts, police report(s), force Sprint to release the information to you on the original account, affidavit of fraud,

If they call back- tell them they can not collect on this account after being notified this account was opened by fruad/ID theft.

[Anonymous]

I just got off the phone with Charles in Sprints Fraud Department. He tried to find my account using my social security number and was only able to locate a prepaid account back from 1998 with a zero balance. He then looked up the account using my last name. He said that the information on my name was correct, but that the social security number was off by one digit. I now have to fill out a fraud affidavit and have it notarized and mail it to Sprint along with a copy of my drivers license and 3 years of tax info showing my correct address since the address associated to the account is not mine. I will also be filing a police report and hope they catch these creeps. I am sure that I am probably not the only person they have done this to, and want them prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Charles also told me to contact the collection agency and tell them I am mailing the appropriate documents directly to Sprint's Fraude Department. This will prevent the collection agency from futher pursuing collection and placing anything on my credit reports.

Charles also told me that the account was opened at a Radio Shack store. I intend to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and FTC, since obviously Radio Shack's employee neglected to check for identification when opening the account.

I just wonder how the individual got my name, date of birth and social.

Thanks for your help!

[Anonymous]

Glad its working out. You should be fine. Glad they had the wrong social number. 1 digit off might as well be all the digits off.

[Anonymous]

Watson, that's incredible! GOOD FOR YOU! You are attacking THEIR problem with a vengeance. Unfortunately you are the victim, and are taking the appropriate steps to protect yourself. Well done!

Please keep us informed.

[Anonymous]

I contacted the Police this morning and they sent an officer to my home to take the identity fraud report information. They must really take these items seriously, because I just got off the phone with a Detective who called me and wanted some information. He is going to contact Sprint's Fraud Division to see if he can obtain additional information from them, including the location of the Radio Shack that allowed the account to be opened in the first place so that jurisdiction can be established.

I also filed the online complaint form with the FTC and printed a copy for my records to include in the items I am sending to Sprint, as well as a copy for myself incase the collection agency send this out for reporting and I need the information for any of the credit reporting agencies.

I still have to fill the complaints with BBB on both Sprint and Radio Shack for allowing this to happen in the first place. Pisses me off that I had to take a vacation day from work today if I want to be paid for the day to handle all of this. Some way to spend a "vacation".

I am debating about if I should have a fraud alert placed on my credit reports. I have a monitoring service (True Credit) since October 2007 that informs me of new accounts and inquiries, so I am not sure I need the fraud alert. Any suggestions?

Message Edited by Watson1225 on 02-20-2008 10:45 AM