Collection account

[Anonymous]

Good morning,

I live in texas. I have sent dispute letters into a medical collection office (I've never been a patient of this hospital) and its on my credit report ( yr: 2008)

I faxed and mailed in a copy of my drivers license to the collection agency. After 35 days, I heard nothing from them, so I called. I was informed that the investigation was not started since I did not have a copy of my social security card attached. I was informed that they would not dispute unless I send my social security card.  I asked if I could send my birth certificate and she stated I could. 20 days went by and I contacted the agency to check status. I was told that the investagation was not started (again) because the social security card is the only way they could verify my identity. Until I send the social security card, the investigation will NOT begin.

Please advise if there is anything that can be done? I am uncomfortable with sending an addtional form of ID.

[Anonymous]

Oh my gosh. DO NOT SEND YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY CARD TO THE COLLECTION AGENCY. Or anything else at all for that matter!

Contact all three of the credit reporting agencies (TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian) by sending a letter via certified mail, and say that you're disputing this account, as you've never been to that hospital, and you're concerned about identity theft. If the credit reporting agencies need proof of your identity, you should send them what they request, but only to them, not to anyone else.

You might also want to put a fraud alert on your reports or freeze them, since there's a collection on there that isn't yours, and a collection agency now has copies of both your drivers license and birth certificate. I'd definitely be concerned with identity theft at this point.

[llecs]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Oh my gosh. DO NOT SEND YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY CARD TO THE COLLECTION AGENCY. Or anything else at all for that matter!

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Big +1

OP, I wouldn't dispute just yet. OP, did you mail in a DV letter? Exactly what did you send in (aside from personal info)

[Anonymous]

Well I didn't send a DV because the debt if from 2008. (I thought you had to send it within 30 days?) I've never received any letter from them. I called them because they were on my credit report, they asked me to fax (or mail in) a form of identifcation with a letter stating the debt was not my debt. I did that and called back weeks later after not hearing from them. I was told the ID was dark and I needed to send in another proof of ID (along with the drivers license I sent the ID and my birth certificate since I did not have my social card. I called back roughly 2 1/2 later and the hadn't investigated my dispute. The rep stated I must send in my social security card. I do have a security alert on my credit report.

[AZHeather]

If the hospital is local, I would go to their billing office (usually in the hospital or near by...you can call and ask for the address) and speak with someone there in person explaining that a collection agency representing the hospital is stating that you have an outstanding debt when you have never been there.  You will need to present them with ID to look you up in the system, but if they can verify that you are in fact not in the system, then you can have them contact the CA (take their info with you) to retract the collection.  If they say they do not have you in their system and/or that they never reported you to the CA, then you may in fact have some ID fraud going on.  Or, if they do have you in their system, but you know for a fact it is not you...again, you may in fact have some ID fraud going on.

Good luck.

[Shogun]

+1  It's their job to identify you, don't do it for them.  All they need is your name and address, everything else is up to them. 

[Anonymous]

They will not investigate or remove the information from my credit report unless I send them a 3rd piece of ID.. My social security card...Is this legal?

[Shogun]

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@Anonymous wrote:

They will not investigate or remove the information from my credit report unless I send them a 3rd piece of ID.. My social security card...Is this legal?

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Not illegal..  Just a bunch of bull.  You contact them and tell them that it is "their job" to validate this debt.  I had the same thing with ID theft and an alarm company.  They wanted my SS card, DL, signature.   I told them NO.  They don't have it now, they aren't going to get it.

[AZHeather]

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@Anonymous wrote:

They will not investigate or remove the information from my credit report unless I send them a 3rd piece of ID.. My social security card...Is this legal?

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Don't do it...don't do it...don't do it!!!  As stated above...they are required to prove it belongs to you based off of your name and address only.  If you give them a SS card (or any other ID for that matter), they can use that against you down the road.  For example...if they choose to file suit, they could use the copy of your driver's license, SS card, birth cert., or whatever you send them as "proof" that they have the correct person.  There are a lot of dirty CA's out there.