Bambee Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 This weekend I've read several threads on this forum about debt verification as it relates to updating one's personal information with the CRAs. From what I've gathered from these threads, the CRAs will not begin to process your request with first receiving several pieces of ID from you.Maybe I'm missing something here but I don't understand the CRAs point of having us give them layers and layers of ID before updating our personal information. With identity theft running rampant, how do they (the CRAs) know if you are truly who you say you are, even with layers of ID? Some people here talk about using a relative's zip code to access online Experian credit reports. Couldn't someone just as easily submit someone else's ID to the CRAs and say that their credit reports have the wrong name, address, SSN, etc.? Does the CRAs somehow verify the IDs with the issuing agency? Just curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeVe Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Personally, I think it's because of all the "debt fixer" companys. It seems like most people who get requests for ID have written letters, which make it seem more like it's coming from a company rather than a person. Out of curiosity, has anyone here disputed online and had a request for ID? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flacorps Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 The need for ID is twofold. One is they don't want to be giving reports to people with no permissible purpose who are pretending to be the subject of the report so that it's more difficult to trace back who really got it. Two is they sell the fact that they have positively located a person to the CAs and JDBs and OCs that are after that person. So if you give 'em what they're asking for the creditors now know where to find you. They usually don't ask for all that ID unless they have a pending request from some creditor to get positive location and ID info on you. Then "bingo" ... the CRA gets paid for the info, and the creditor is back on your tail. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambee Posted January 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 So if you're just an honest person whose trying to repair his/her credit but have a few delinquent accounts you still working on, what should you do? Give the CRAs the ID or deal with inaccurate personal info on your credit report? Sounds like a catch 22 to me. Besides, itsn't it illegal for CRAs to sell your info to others, especially if you're in that opt-out program?The need for ID is twofold. One is they don't want to be giving reports to people with no permissible purpose who are pretending to be the subject of the report so that it's more difficult to trace back who really got it. Two is they sell the fact that they have positively located a person to the CAs and JDBs and OCs that are after that person. So if you give 'em what they're asking for the creditors now know where to find you. They usually don't ask for all that ID unless they have a pending request from some creditor to get positive location and ID info on you. Then "bingo" ... the CRA gets paid for the info, and the creditor is back on your tail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovebug5 Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 I've disputed online with the CRA's and received the wonderful "We need your personal information" letters back in the mail. I called up the CRA's, told them that I was uncomfortable sending such information through the mail, verified some information with them over the phone regarding my reports and it was done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambee Posted January 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Did you try this with TU, EX, and EQ? How long ago did you call and verify over the phone?I've disputed online with the CRA's and received the wonderful "We need your personal information" letters back in the mail. I called up the CRA's, told them that I was uncomfortable sending such information through the mail, verified some information with them over the phone regarding my reports and it was done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovebug5 Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 I've done it with EQ and EX, both were this past fall. I explained to them that I wasn't comfortable sending these documents in the mail with the rising number of identity-theft related issues and that I knew they were more than capable of verifying my identity using the information they already had. They asked me questions which related to my CR's - EX was a bit more thorough than EQ - and afterwards put through my disputes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambee Posted January 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Good info Love Bug. Thanks!I've done it with EQ and EX, both were this past fall. I explained to them that I wasn't comfortable sending these documents in the mail with the rising number of identity-theft related issues and that I knew they were more than capable of verifying my identity using the information they already had. They asked me questions which related to my CR's - EX was a bit more thorough than EQ - and afterwards put through my disputes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambee Posted January 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 So I'm reading the threads on debt verification and several people have stated that OCs keep terrible records and that most OCs only keep records for 12 to 18 months. Is this also true for CRAs? How long do CRAs hold on to our letters and our ID? Do they keep copies of our telephone conversations with their reps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmuse00 Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 Is this also true for CRAs? How long do CRAs hold on to our letters and our ID? Do they keep copies of our telephone conversations with their reps?Bambee,I gave you a suggestion on your other thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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