Identity theft advice....

xxSOMMERxx

My Mom went to buy a new truck today and her credit report came back with lots of negative marks. 

Her credit score was in the 700's but is now in the 500's.

She is aware who has stolen her identity as the ladies name is on the credit report too. Turns out it was a former co-worker.

Anyways, she is worried that it will take 7 years to come off her credit report and that her credit will be ruined.

 Anyone ever have to deal with something like this?

 

jware1985

Oh no that is horrible! I am so sorry for you your mom!

Can't she dispute it... if she can prove that it is not her and has/had contact info for the girl that did it can she report her?

UGH crazy cake people like this women who did this makes me mad!

irlndsumer

First thing, she needs to file a police report.  Then she needs to start contacting the 3 credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and Trans Union) to start disputing the charges.  It's not an easy or short process, but it won't take 7 years either.  Good luck to her!

xxSOMMERxx

She is filing a police report right now and is contacting experian, equifax, and transunion when her credit report shows up. (Thats what they told her to do)

 

She is just worried that it will stick on her credit report and that she wont be able to buy a new car for a while.

bhead81

irlndsumer:

First thing, she needs to file a police report.  Then she needs to start contacting the 3 credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and Trans Union) to start disputing the charges.  It's not an easy or short process, but it won't take 7 years either.  Good luck to her!

 

This is right on the money...first contact the police and then start contacting the vendors that are reporting the negative actions.  Many like Citibank and Discover have fraud teams that will help you through it.  My identity theft took about a year to clear up.

xxSOMMERxx

bhead81:

irlndsumer:

First thing, she needs to file a police report.  Then she needs to start contacting the 3 credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and Trans Union) to start disputing the charges.  It's not an easy or short process, but it won't take 7 years either.  Good luck to her!

 

This is right on the money...first contact the police and then start contacting the vendors that are reporting the negative actions.  Many like Citibank and Discover have fraud teams that will help you through it.  My identity theft took about a year to clear up.

 

Is your credit just as good as it was before the identity theft?

 

She doesn't care about it having to be a hassle, but she wants to make sure her credit isn't going to be trashed.

bhead81

Yes eventually it got back to normal, took about 6 months to restore it and then it was an ongoing battle for at least a year.  My case was a real pain as it was involved in a huge identity theft ring in 6 states.  It just kept going and going and going.  Everytime I got one worked out and off my credit another would pop up. 

LyndseylovesHugh

I had something similar happen, I reported it to the police and disputed it with the credit bureaus, whicah came back the first time as valid, meaning they did not think it was fraud and left it on my account.  I had to disput a second time, and then it was removed.  Tell her not to give up, fight it!  It will eventually be removed.  It took about 9 months from when I discovered it to when it was off my credit report.

xxSOMMERxx

Believe me, she is going to fight it all the way and is pressing charges on this lady.

 

The lady that did this went to all kinds of check cashing places and got loans from them and has even used my Mom as a reference on a couple of them that she took out herself.  

My Mom has had a clean credit report for the past 20+ years and has never had any issues.  It is just the past 6 months this has all happened, so hopefully she will have no issues getting this resolved.