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Appeals court upholds $1 million judgment against Home Depot
sacbee ^ | 2-20-05

Posted on 02/20/2005 9:03:01 AM PST by LouAvul

LOS ANGELES (AP) - When he tried to refinance his home with a low-interest loan three years ago, Alan R. Sporn says he was turned down because Home Depot's repeated inquiries about his financial status had damaged his credit rating.

Now it's likely he'll be able to pay off all his loans after an appeals court upheld a $930,000 damage judgment against Home Depot that, with interest, now stands at $1.15 million.

........snip.........

After he was turned down for the loan on his Laguna Hills home, Sporn said he learned Home Depot had contacted credit agencies about his finances at least a dozen times in the previous year. When he asked why, he said, he was told someone in Virginia was using his Social Security number to apply for credit with Home Depot, but the company wouldn't identify the person.

When he asked the company to stop the repeated checks, Sporn said he was ignored.

Home Depot continued to ignore him, even after he filed suit in 2002, Sporn said, so he sought a default judgment. After one was awarded, for $930,000 in damages plus 10 percent annual interest, he said the company still ignored him - until he tried to collect the money last year.

(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: creditrating; homedepot; idtheft; lawsuit

1 posted on 02/20/2005 9:03:04 AM PST by LouAvul
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To: LouAvul

Already posted yesterday:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1346814/posts


2 posted on 02/20/2005 9:06:37 AM PST by Jambe
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To: LouAvul

Damn Home Depot!

Since Nardelli took over, the company is going to hell in a handbasket.


3 posted on 02/20/2005 9:06:58 AM PST by clee1 (Islam is a deadly plague; liberalism is the AIDS virus that prevents us from defending ourselves.)
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To: LouAvul

See also, yesterday:

Credit Scam Victim Nails Home Depot
(Corporate Cluelessness And Arrogance Alert)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1346814/posts


4 posted on 02/20/2005 9:07:39 AM PST by Boundless
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To: LouAvul

reguires log-in. Can't you post the whole article?


5 posted on 02/20/2005 9:07:52 AM PST by Balding_Eagle (God has blessed Republicans with really stupid enemies.)
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To: LouAvul
If Home Depot can figure out who in their legal dept failed to answer the lawsuit, he/she will never work as a lawyer again.

So9

6 posted on 02/20/2005 9:17:52 AM PST by Servant of the 9 (Trust Me)
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To: LouAvul

..credit checks should be with written permission only. Afterall it's our information. If they want access they need to ask.


7 posted on 02/20/2005 9:19:24 AM PST by IGBT (it's a jones for gawd sakes..)
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To: LouAvul

This story aside, I don't understand why having too many credit inquiries would negatively effect your credit. Logically, your credit score should be based on your financial status.


8 posted on 02/20/2005 9:29:44 AM PST by umgud
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To: IGBT

"..credit checks should be with written permission only."

Jeez, I thought that was law. Does it depend on the state or something?


9 posted on 02/20/2005 9:30:51 AM PST by L98Fiero
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To: umgud

Because inquiries indicate the person may be looking to rack up a lot of as yet unreported debt.


10 posted on 02/20/2005 9:31:33 AM PST by sharktrager (The masses will trade liberty for a more quiet life.)
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To: IGBT

THE FAIR CREDIT REPORTING ACT

§ 604. Permissible purposes of consumer reports [15 U.S.C. § 1681b]

(a) In general. Subject to subsection (c), any consumer reporting agency may furnish a consumer report under the following circumstances and no other:

(1) In response to the order of a court having jurisdiction to issue such an order, or a subpoena issued in connection with proceedings before a Federal grand jury.

(2) In accordance with the written instructions of the consumer to whom it relates.
(3) To a person which it has reason to believe

(A) intends to use the information in connection with a credit transaction involving the consumer on whom the information is to be furnished and involving the extension of credit to, or review or collection of an account of, the consumer; or

(B) intends to use the information for employment purposes; or

(C) intends to use the information in connection with the underwriting of insurance involving the consumer; or

(D) intends to use the information in connection with a determination of the consumer's eligibility for a license or other benefit granted by a governmental instrumentality required by law to consider an applicant's financial responsibility or status; or

(E) intends to use the information, as a potential investor or servicer, or current insurer, in connection with a valuation of, or an assessment of the credit or prepayment risks associated with, an existing credit obligation; or

(F) otherwise has a legitimate business need for the information

(i) in connection with a business transaction that is initiated by the consumer; or

(ii) to review an account to determine whether the consumer continues to meet the terms of the account.


11 posted on 02/20/2005 9:40:13 AM PST by L98Fiero
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To: umgud

I've had that problem with multiple Amex inquiries, flooding the credit agencies, within a 1-2 week period. A letter from my corporate attorney took care of it, quickly. Someone had gotten my Gold MC number from a web transaction, and racked-up over $7,800 in illegal charges. TVs, computers, clothes, porno sites etc. MC credited the amount to my account.


12 posted on 02/20/2005 9:46:03 AM PST by 7.62 x 51mm (• Veni • Vidi • Vino • Visa• "I came, I saw, I drank wine, I shopped")
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To: sharktrager; umgud
Because inquiries indicate the person may be looking to rack up a lot of as yet unreported debt.

Because bankers/lenders think everyone's as unscrupulous as they are.

Their fear that you're (also) a crook no matter how long you've been a customer is also the same mindset for sometimes putting holds on your deposited checks. But have no problem sucking your money out of your account for their buddies instantaneously....

If they aren't held, your deposits are posted the next business day .... payments to their buddies are instantaneous no matter what time of the day it is.

13 posted on 02/20/2005 9:54:12 AM PST by lewislynn (The meaning of life can be described in one word...Grandchildren)
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To: IGBT
I called to cancel a credit card with First North American Bank. When they asked me why I said I had a better rate with another bank. The guy said hold on and five minutes later he said that they wouldn't be able to do anything about my rate. About two weeks later I got a letter in the mail saying they had done a credit check. I was furious. He never asked if he could check my credit. I got a little noisy on the phone and was threatened with "Mr. Raybbr, if you don't stop using abusive language we will...." I wasn't really abusive just pissed.

There is, after it's been done, no recourse.

14 posted on 02/20/2005 10:45:10 AM PST by raybbr
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To: LouAvul
If you're gonna excerpt from a subscription site, could you at least post a username/password for us to use? Thanx!
15 posted on 02/20/2005 10:55:47 AM PST by upchuck ("If our nation be destroyed, it would be from the judiciary." ~ Thomas Jefferson)
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To: Balding_Eagle
reguires log-in. Can't you post the whole article?

Sorry. There's some kind of agreement between the Bee and FR that we can only post 300 words. Weird.

16 posted on 02/20/2005 12:38:49 PM PST by LouAvul
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To: Balding_Eagle

try username=root password=password

http://www.bugmenot.com for all registration site


17 posted on 02/20/2005 12:42:35 PM PST by boxerblues
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To: IGBT
This is Alan R. Sporn, the person named in the article against Home Depot. The fact is that Home Depot had NEVER asked my permission to access my credit file, once, let alone 12 times in one year. It is a Federal Crime to access one's credit information without consent or permissible reason. Since they did not have my consent, or permissable reason (I never had an account) they are in violation of the law.
18 posted on 02/20/2005 4:37:40 PM PST by alan92653 (Alan R. Sporn vs. Home Depot)
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To: alan92653

I hope everything works out for you, Alan. It's time corporate America is held accountable for what they do to the ordinary citizen.


19 posted on 02/20/2005 11:04:39 PM PST by LouAvul
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