Never had capital one card but just got collection notice!

[Bellasmom15]

I've been working on rebuilding my credit for well over a year now... everything has been going as expected. Until yesterday... I recieved a letter from Ratchford Law Group stating that they represent Capital one bank in regards to an account I don't recognize. I had a kohls charge a few years ago, but the amount stated in the notice is double what my balance was. It also lists a docket number and I haven't recieved ANYTHING about this account prior to yesterday. There's no notice about disputing the debt as valid on this letter or anything either. Just an offer to settle a debt that's already gone to court from the looks of it. 

Nothing has showed on my credit report about it, no new collections, no public records. 

What do I do?!

[Bellasmom15]

Also, my mom just added me as an AU on her capital one card that's in good standing.... but this is the ONLY capital one card I've been associated with aside from my kohls charge (and again, haven't received any letters about being sued for that). I'm not sure if being added as an AU had anything to do with triggering this. But I know there's another person with my same first and last name in my town. Our addresses are constantly being crossed as one in the same. But this letter does have MY address on it

[Remedios]

Unfortunately,  that is Cap One account

Accounts incur fees when they remain unpaid and go to collections, and now you have attorney fees, possibly court fees, depending on status.

The balance will continue growing. 

Just because the you got something from a law firm, it doesn't mean lawsuit has been filled, it means account was forwarded to them for collection.

If there is any mention of judgement,  then it did go through litigation 

Capital One is prone to litigation and it's very likely that they will proceed with it.

While judgements no longer end up on credit report, they can garnish your wages and place bank account lien.

It's not showing on your report yet, probably because they are collecting on behalf of Cap One, but it will.

This is your chance to negotiate some kind of payment arrangement before this gets worse.

I'd advise you to contact them and get ahead of this.

Good luck

[Remedios]

@Bellasmom15  kohl's store card is serviced by capital one. 

[Bellasmom15]

I looked up the docket number provided by the firm.... its definitely a judgement and its definitely NOT mine! It's from 2011 and I didn't have any capital one card, including my kohls charge, at that time...

So, it belongs to the other person in my town that shares my name. I'm assuming that my mom adding me as an AU on her capital one updated something with capital one and this firm that it shouldn't have... 

Should I call them and tell them I'm not the same person? Will it show up on my credit report?! That could be detrimental right about now since we're going to be trading in our vehicle soon!

[Anonymous]

If the account was under the same name from someone else in your town, I would think the letter would have been sent to that person's address instead of yours.

[Bellasmom15]

My insurance company has even listed that persons address for me, took a few months to get them to fix it. 

I have no problems owning and paying debts that are mine. But this one isn't mine. 

[FireMedic1]

Call Cap1 and the law firm. Tell them its not you and you'll fax a copy of your drivers license and SS card if needed to clear you from this pickle.

[donkort]

I agree with FireMedic.

You have to PROVE that the debt is not yours.  They won't just take your word for it.

[Bellasmom15]

Thank you for that information! The worst part about it all is that she has the same middle initial as me as well.... I've had plenty of drs grab the wrong file and then have to verify by my birthdate that they had the right one or not (imagine being 16 and having your dentist say "I see here you're pregnant" uuuhhhh, no, no I'm not!) 

I'm hoping it'll be easy to resolve... just didn't want to do anything without asking first since I figured they'd just roll their eyes if I told them they had the wrong person! She also has a judgement from 2009 with chase as well and I haven't recieved anything from them in regards to it, so my name could've triggered an address update on capital one.