Someone is using my wife's Social Security Number! (Need advice please!)

5/29/03 | Occam's Chainsaw

[occam's chainsaw]

My wife and I received a letter yesterday from the Arizona Department of Revenue stating that our entire state tax refund was being confiscated to pay for an outstanding debt from a court case here in Arizona. When my wife called to inquire, she was told that OUR refund was going to pay for a debt incurred by someone named Cecilia Ramirez who is using my wife's SSN!

Now, we are going to have to spend half of our refund to conduct a credit check and make sure "Cecilia" hasn't caused any other damage. I am livid.

Do any FReepers out there have any advice?

[IYAS9YAS]

Equifax Information Services, LLC

PO Box 740241

Atlanta, GA 30374

1 (800) 525-6285 (When fraud is suspected)

1 (800) 685-1111 (Credit report only)

Credit report fee $9.00 - Credit Report and Score fee is $12.95

TransUnion

PO Box 1000

Chester, PA 19022

1 (800) 680-7289 (Fraud and Credit Report)

Credit report fee $9.00

Experian

PO Box 2104

Allen, TX 75013-2104

1 (888) 397-3742 (Fraud and Credit Report)

Credit report fee $9.00

Social Security Administration

1 (800) 269-0271 (For Fraud Reporting)

If there is a problem with any of your accounts, call all four of these numbers and put a fraud alert on it or your ssn.

Also, call your state attorney general.

[FITZ]

The only good thing about it is that the social security taxes he is paying are going to go to her at retirement, not him.

I wouldn't be so sure about that ---President Fox is demanding the Mexicans be given their fair share of Social Security even if they were working illegally but paid in.

[Tamar1973]

I wouldn't be so sure about that ---President Fox is demanding the Mexicans be given their fair share of Social Security even if they were working illegally but paid in.

That is why she is keeping a close eye on it. She has thought about getting an attorney but until he does something (like get a credit card), no one in the government will help her.

[sleepy_hollow]

So far you are not getting much help. My wife had her SSN stolen a few years ago. Thankfully nothing expensive happened.

First thing I would do (in addition to checking the SSA link offered by one of the replies posted) is to sit down and write a letter to respond to the letter you received. I would simply state the facts. You are not this person. You do not know this person. You should state your SSN and ask then to doublecheck it for an error. In addition I would ask for all relevant information that this state agency has that led them to confiscate your property. You should state clearly that they have made an error and they should not have done this to you. Moreover, you should ask for all of the documenattion that supports what they did. You are entitled to that, especially if you are in fact innocent.

After writing the letter, I would begin to make phone calls. You want to find a persopn who can decide to do something to help you. Always ask whomever you are talking to whether they can make the decision to fix this problem. If they cannot, do not continue to talk to them. Ask who can make that decision. Then try to talk to that person. Stay calm, but do not worry about sounding exasperated. Do not call names or be disrespectful, though you will probably receive some disrespect. If you do, get the person's name and ask for their supervisor and report their discourtesy. You need to become a squeaky, but properly behaving wheel.

Opnce you have found someone to talk to. Get their name and address. Send the letter to them as well as to any address included with the materials you received. In addition find out the name and address of your state representative(s) and send them copies. Make sure the letter shopws that you cc'd them. Then call their offices and aks for help. ID theft is a big deal these days and it could be somehing they want to make political hay with. Hopefully this should get you started. If you know any lawyers, you could infomrally ask their counsel, but I would start with a strong counterpunch. they are all bureaucrats, and bureaucrats hate having to respond to situations like thius. They will typically try to make it go away, so be persistent. In the end they will usually do what the laws require, but you will have to keep pushing to get to the bottom of the case. Get all the facts you can. Chances are the slip up is obvious and glaring.

[Cacique]

bump for later

[chicagolady]

You need to make a POLICE REPORT. THats NUMBER 1!!!!!!!!
If anything funny happens You have reported it and are not liable!
Their Detective bureau will investigate. They can get a lot of info that you cannot. Do not wait do it now!!!

[chicagolady]

P.S. I work for the Police Department so I know what I am talking about. Bring them all the documents you have and let them make copies.
KEEP ORIGINALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GovernmentShrinker]

Do NOT pay anyone for access to your credit reports! Since you have documented proof of the fraud, you can go directly to the credit reporting agencies and get copies of your reports free. Even if you have no reason to believe there's any problem with your credit reports, it still only costs around $15 for each agency's report (and they tend to all have the same info anyway).

[occam's chainsaw]

Do NOT pay anyone for access to your credit reports!

Too late! Unfortunately, my wife shelled out $40 bucks to request a credit check.

Thanks to all of you for all of the great advice. FReepers always give the best advice. Luckily, it has been determined that all of this madness was due to a "glitch" (their words) in the computer system. We are out $40, but it could have been a WHOLE lot worse.