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How to Bounce back after Fraud and Disability???

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Anonymous
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How to Bounce back after Fraud and Disability???

I am so glad some one recommended this forum to me. It has been a lifesaver!!

 

My main goal is to get my credit to 640 in 2015 so I can buy a home with downpayment assistance and a 203K renovation loan through Wells Fargo. I've been lurking in the forums for a few weeks now to research what I need to do.

 

I had no credit in the last few years due to ongoing medical issues and disability. The upside is that I learned how to operate on a zero-sum budget during this time.

 

So far, I've picked up the following:

  • the Shopping Cart Trick (no luck yet on popups)
  • been denied by Capital One (insufficient income, serious collection, length of time since collection is too short, no of inquiries, lack of recent revolving account)
  • been approved for an OpenSky Secured $250
  • been approved for a Fingerhut FreshStart of $250
  • opened a checking and savings account at a credit union, Georgia's Own.

Currently, I have no credit cards or installment loans except for the new ones above, my student loans are pretty high ($83,000) but in deferrment, and 1 medical collection account ($1583), which should fall off pretty soon due to Retroactive Medicaid. My income is ~$30,000 a year / $2,500 a month. I have rent payments of $440 including utilities to deal with and my insurance premium of $40/month.

 

I plan to follow through on forum suggestions to explore credit builder loans vs credit cards and personal loans at my credit union.

 

However, while getting ready to follow through on credit union options today, my world went sideways when I learned that a fraudulent Comcast cable bill via Enhanced Recovery Collections LLC hit my Experian score and tanked it 30 points.

 

My fraud issues have dogged me for a few years now, through 5 states and severe medical issues. I've even filed the IRS Identity Theft Affidavit. Still keeps coming. I'll be filing my FTC complaint online as soon as I track down the Comcast account in person tomorrow and take it to the police department.

 

What's next?? Any suggestions or tips would be greatly welcome!!!

Message 1 of 5
4 REPLIES 4
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: How to Bounce back after Fraud and Disability???

The shopping cart trick... Are you opted in? and also with the shopping cart trick the info you provide must match what they soft pull.

Example: My son-in-law didnt get one until he stopped typing in 2nd floor. Once he started typing just the home # and street address, he got them to pop up.

 

Message 2 of 5
Anonymous
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Re: How to Bounce back after Fraud and Disability???

I'm sorry to hear about the fraud issues. Since you have done the FTC fraud affidavit and have another one yet to go the CRA's will put a fraud alert on your accounts. I believe it is 5 years so the shopping cart trick will not work. If you apply for credit the grantor's must contact you. It's a hassle but worth it for security. Good luck.

Message 3 of 5
RobertEG
Legendary Contributor

Re: How to Bounce back after Fraud and Disability???

For the fraud issues, the statute sets the filing of a police report and sending of a copy of that report plus a statement to the CRA that you never authroized any account or trransactions related to that issue as the procedure for obtaining block of the information from your credit report. The FTC affidavit is a means to meet only the statement requirement of the FCRA 605B.  The sworn statement before a law enforcement agency is the key component.

 

Did you include a copy of a police report along with request for credit report blockage under section 605B?

Message 4 of 5
Anonymous
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Re: How to Bounce back after Fraud and Disability???

I didn't make it to the police yet for this latest incident. Today, I spent a great deal of time with the Comcast Service Center getting information for the police report, and the various affidavits I need to finish. This incident of fraud happened in another state, so there was a bit of wrangling to do.

 

I am happy that I checked into the forum and read your advice before finishing the FTC affidavit online. I had one years ago, but am not sure how recent it is, or if my time has rebooted.

 

I do have an IRS Fraud Affidavit done last year, which required a sworn statement with the IRS investigations unit. They even sent me a nice (IRS???) letter acknowledging the issue as a fraud attempt. 

 

Wonder if that will do the trick with the CRAs for the FCRA section 605B requirement?

 

Regardless, the IRS Affidavit has been a huge asset. It gets me better face-time and a credibility bump with lenders, reps, etc, than the FTC Affidavit. But, the tradeoff is that you need to be as desperate as I was to actually brave a sit down with the IRS to do the affidavit. Just my two cents. 

 

So I'll finish the police report anyway. Then deal with the CRAs on the FCRA 605B requirement and see if they want the IRS affidavit, in lieu of, or in addition to, the police report and the FTC affidavit. And then update banks and credit union.

 

Then I can get back to credit building. Albeit a little more slowly than others, if I cannot use the Shopping Cart Trick, etc.

 

But maybe there is a silver lining in that.

 

Thanks so much for all of your input and feedback! I wish I had this forum the first time I had a fraud hit.

 

 

Message 5 of 5
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