Identity Theft Hurts

Identity Theft Enablers Admit Their Error.

If you’re the victim of identity theft and you deal with banks, lenders and creditors, make certain they mail you a copy of your letter of absolution once “your” identity theft account is resolved with each creditor.  You’ll need these letters when collection agencies send you letters and try to collect on your identity thief’s debts.  I’ve embedded some resolution letters in this post that I received from banks during my identity theft nightmare and found an aloof demeanor in all of them. 

The letters all announce that “you’re not liable”, or that the bank is “resolving the matter in my favor”.  MATTER?!  MATTER?!  You dimwits issued credit on my behalf without my consent or knowledge!  How about a letter from the bank president apologizing profusely for wasting my time?  Capital One did note that they “regretted any inconvenience”.  Nice sentiment and certainly a polite business letter, but identity theft isn’t an inconvenience.  It’s work and wasted hours caused by the banks’ slipshod lending standards.  The Household Bank fraud investigator wrote in my response letter, “Thank you for your cooperation, time and assistance in resolving this unfortunate matter”.  Again, polite and semi-caring, however, I want to thank Household Bank, American Express, Capital One and Citi for issuing a credit card in my name to a complete stranger, wasting my time without compensation and placing derogatory entries into my credit reports. 

What really gets me spun up is that you’re guilty until proven innocent as an identity theft victim.  The bank or lender is not the victim!  I know that I’m John Barksdale and I know that I didn’t apply for a credit card from your crappy banks.  The bank used my good credit score and personal information without my consent, then the bank representatives demanded notarized affidavits, wasted my time on the phone and demanded I write letters to defend my honor and good name for accounts that I never opened and accused me of stealing money. 

I suggest the solution should be to place the burden of proof on the bank or the accuser.  The bank should be required by law, to prove that the identity theft victim (me in this case) applied for the credit card, accepted the credit offer and defaulted on the credit cards.  The bank should not be able to report any derogatory comment to the identity theft victims credit reports until the bank proves I requested and opened the credit cards.  If the credit card account was opened online, show me the IP address of the requestor’s computer.  Show me the signed pre-approved credit card offer that I “opened”.  You prove it!  I should not have to prove anything to a bank of stooges who loaned (gave away) tens of thousands of their dollars to a perfect stranger.  The banks’ sloppy lending standards and low thresholds for pre-approved credit offers are none, -and I stress, none of my concern.  I couldn’t care less if your banks’ laziness or ineptitude cost you profits or lost you money.

Notice in this Federal Trade Commission’s Identity Theft video, that a victim notes that an identity thief can “misspell your name and still get credit”.  Thanks banks!  Whew!  I wouldn’t want a misspelled name to encumber any identity thieves.

In this Crimeline video posted on Youtube, an investigative reporter steals the identity of a police chief with relative ease.

The Better Business Bureau has numerous personal identity theft stories on their website.

Suzanne Finch’s identity was stolen to run up, -drumroll please, a fraudulent Citibank card!

Teri Newton posted a well-written personal account of her identity theft story.  Love her writing style!

A local news reporter is arrested returning from Mexico because her identity was stolen.  Handcuffed and thrown in jail!

Here is a story about Emerita de Jesus’ identity theft nightmare.

Todd Davis’ identity theft victim story.  He is the CEO of LifeLock.