Scary how easily you can be confused with someone else

[gamegrrl]

Sitting here at work, up against a big deadline. The phone rings, and it's a collection bureau right here in my city. They ask for me by name, and are calling about two bills related to an Emergency room visit last June (I think that's what they said - I was kind of freaked out).

Well, I didn't have any such visits last year at all, and told her that. She asked for my DOB and the last 4 of my SSN, then said, "Oh. They must have the wrong Sue Smith then. I'll make a note."

Weird that they called me on my month-old home office number. And weird that this is the second incident of this type, sort of, in the past week.

The other incident was when the underwriter for a HELOC I'm getting asked me about a "Loan opened by Susie Smith in December of 2010 at Citizens bank." Well, *I* certainly didn't get such a loan, nor have I ever dealt with that bank in any capacity whatsoever. I simply had to write a letter stating that, but it creeped me out.

Maybe I'm just super-sensitive to this kind of thing now that I'm running my credit rather than letting my credit run me, but it still gives one pause, doesn't it?

[AndySoCal]

With a common name it isnt surprising that something like this could happen.  If you have a credit report that shows what the bureau has for names and address(es) etc  for you. Make sure they are correct. Make sure your profile includes your full name and date of birth. When applying for credit use your full name and date of birth. I dsay this because the bureau searches for your credit it includes more than just your social security number.  Also update your creditors with  the same information.   Doing this help prevent your credit being confused with someone else/