how do I keep my new address private?

[georgina]

I am concerned I will be sued in the coming months by a

collection agency. How can I be assured that my new address,

if I move, won't appear on my Credit Report, so I can avoid

being served by the deputy sheriff?

From what source do Credit Reporting Agencies/OCs or

CA receive information to update personal information like

new addresses?

I have read some posts from those who have moved out of

state... any advise?

[Fairy Enchantress]

DMV records is one place they look.

Also they can find you by calling your current credit card companies.

[LeslieR]

Running from the process server isn't going to solve your problem. I don't mean to be contrary, but this problem is only going to get worse. You are changing your whole life around to avoid something that is inevitable. Why don't you attempt to solve the problem before they sue you? Seriously, they will find you. Please don't be offended, but I think you're making a big mistake in choosing to deal with the situation this way.

[georgina]

Where do CRAs like Experian get new address

info from?

I already have a judgment against me

that could be enforeceable for the remainder of

my life. This is a realistic option especially when one

is living on less than 1,000.00 a month. Big Banks and

Lawyers could have lunch on my basic monthly income

needed to survive. Avoiding a judgment is paramount.

Even after I submitted evidence that I am execution proof

the company went ahead and sought a default judgment.

There is nothing to negotiate it's quite a lot of money and I

would have to borrow thousands again to pay it off through

settlement.

If I would have ran from the current judgment before I was

served i would be a much more physically healthy person.

[LeslieR]

Where do CRAs like Experian get new address

info from?

Household utility accounts

Employer

Reporting accounts

and more.

But even if you are successful in keeping your current address off of your CRAs, if a CA wants to find you, they will use additional skip trace methods to find you that go far beyond looking at your credit reports. To start, be prepared for your friends, relatives, co-workers, and neighbors (old and new) to start getting calls looking for you...and they won't be polite calls that spare you any embarrassment.

I am sorry you find yourself in the situation you do, but I stand by my original advice - this is a terrible idea. If they want to find you, they will. Skip tracing is a huge industry. There is no such thing as "privacy" anymore.

[cjtx]

A few more for the list:

- Magazine subscriptions

- Customer loyalty cards (grocery, book, clothing stores, etc.)

- Religious organizations (some sell their mailing lists)

- Mail-in rebates

- Rental applications

- School records

- Medical records

- Retirement accounts

- Bank accounts

- Insurance

- information you post online, like your resume

- many many more

I am not in your situation right now, so it's easy for me to give you the same advice as LeslieR and look for a way to solve the problem and not just hide from it. Believe it or not that is the best advice there is.

In the past I've been overwhelmed by debt. The anxiety and any other health problems you may be experiencing are not worth it. Educate yourself, learn your options and deal with your situation. Had I known what I know now, my life would have been very different for several years.

Still, I keep a PO BOX which is the only address I give out to all those nosy no-good doers who sell personal info to the highest bidder. I know that will not stop a good skip tracer, but it's not my job to make his/her life simple.

[flacorps]

To start, be prepared for your friends, relatives, co-workers, and neighbors (old and new) to start getting calls looking for you...and they won't be polite calls that spare you any embarrassment.

Oh, they may well be polite calls that spare embarrassment. Skip tracers will say or do anything to get the info they want. They'll claim you won a million dollars and they can't find you. They'll claim to be a long-lost love, they'll claim to be someone from Hollywood who got your headshot and wants to put you in a movie ... the options for "social engineering" (rusing, pretexting, whatever you want to call it) to get the info are endless.

My favorite was the investigator who showed up with chocolates and a teddy bear. She needed to verify that X had been seeing Y before a certain date ... she claimed to be from an outfit doing a Valentine's survey:

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/02/14/Tampabay/Tell_tale_heart_unrav.shtml

[jennieb]

I don't know what state you're in, but I know a lot of collection agencies request addresses & confirm ownership through city & town offices. They can call & ask who owns a certain property & what its history is. It's all public record. They can also file an OPRA request - Open Records Act, that, by law, the gov't has to respond to. So if you own property, they can find you in quite a few databases.This is pretty scary if you're a battered spouse & are being stalked by an ex, never mind the creditors!

[lovebug5]

You are seriously contemplating moving out of state and attempting to keep your address private to avoid a collection agency? This is very clearly a message posted by someone who has absolutely no interest in repairing their credit.

I don't think you'll find the advice you're looking for on these forums.

[swirlgirl]

Is your income from SS# or disability? If so, there is some protection from being garnished. Plus, if you contact the creditors, you may be able to work something out. Lastly, there may be BK if the debt is truly large and it makes sense for your situation.

But I can tell you, if they want to find you, they will. Don't run, just face it head on. Even if you end up getting a judgment, it's not the end of the world.

Lastly, you gave the impression that your debt was causing health problems. This may sound like it's coming from left field, but you need to not let this stuff stress you out to the point of getting ill. Do some research and learn some stress reduction techniques. I've done this myself. In the end, no CA or judgment is worth losing your health.

[flacorps]

You are seriously contemplating moving out of state and attempting to keep your address private to avoid a collection agency? This is very clearly a message posted by someone who has absolutely no interest in repairing their credit.

I don't think you'll find the advice you're looking for on these forums.

I hope the OP does find the needed advice.

Repairing credit isn't the only aspect of dealing with credit problems. At bottom there is basic survival. In many cases credit repair will need to wait a few years.

Moving out of state has its place. Yes, there is the UEFJA, but the creditors have to actually use it and many times they won't.

However, attempting to avoid being found (rather than living "openly and notoriously") can both toll statutes of limitations and allow creditors to use "substituted" methods of service of process ("toll" is a verb in this sentence).

Both can result in legal problems occurring later than they otherwise would, and without "actual notice" to the debtor.

[georgina]

"Repairing credit isn't the only aspect of dealing with credit problems. At bottom there is basic survival. In many cases credit repair will need to wait a few years."

Yes, exactly. This is my point. I lost my job and I am in tens of thousands in debt.

Had I not used one of the aggressive Cease and Desist letters posted by someone on credit info center the collection attorney who was awarded a default judgment may never have filed a complaint in court as retribution. People need to be very discerning before copying and pasting any form letters from creditinfocenter.com and sending them out. It did me more harm than good.

I only received the default judgment because, unlike many on this forum who are so militant about denying their debt and have all kinds of clever advise

about debt validation, I faced my debt.

I spent my whole life worrying about repairing my credit and going without basic needs. That is why I earned a credit score 740. This is not about my credit worthiness but about survival. Thank you Flat Corps for understanding that. I can't even accept a vehicle that a friend offered to give me as a gift and sign it over to me for fear that it will be levied by the Sheriff. I don't need advise about credit repair at this point. That comes after. Bankruptcy is the only way out.

I want to move away not to avoid a collections agency but to avoid a second and third default judgment. They are two very very distinct issues.

[flacorps]

I can't even accept a vehicle that a friend offered to give me as a gift and sign it over to me for fear that it will be levied by the Sheriff.

Take it just before you move.

Bankruptcy is the only way out.

Not really. Time itself can solve some problems. BK can work to prevent the loss of assets, or to recoup assets when taken by a creditor. But you can hold off playing that card until the need for it is absolute ... and that day may never come.

[VeVe]

Had I not used one of the aggressive Cease and Desist letters posted by someone on credit info center the collection attorney who was awarded a default judgment may never have filed a complaint in court as retribution. People need to be very discerning before copying and pasting any form letters from creditinfocenter.com and sending them out. It did me more harm than good.

Nobody here would ever recommend taking a letter from this site, or any other site, and sending it out to anyone. 99.9999% of the time it does do more harm than good. That's been stated here over and over again.

You really need to know what you're sending, why you're sending it, and understand the consequences of doing so. Chances are that if you're copying and pasting a letter and doing nothing more than sticking your name at the end of it, you shouldn't be sending it to start with. If you know the reason for your letter, it's not hard to write one on your own.

The only time to send a cease and desist is if, without question, the SOL is up. Or if you are absolutely positive the account does not belong to you.

And how did you get a default judgment? You received a summons and ignored it?

[VeVe]

I want to move away not to avoid a collections agency but to avoid a second and third default judgment. They are two very very distinct issues.

I really don't get this. Moving will likely CAUSE a default judgment, not prevent one.

[CDL]

You are seriously contemplating moving out of state and attempting to keep your address private to avoid a collection agency? This is very clearly a message posted by someone who has absolutely no interest in repairing their credit.

I don't think you'll find the advice you're looking for on these forums.

I didn't think this was a "credit criminal" site.

[georgina]

The only time to send a cease and desist is if, without question, the SOL is up. Or if you are absolutely positive the account does not belong to you.

And how did you get a default judgment? You received a summons and ignored it?

I followed my attorney's advise. She asked if it's my debt and I said yes. In order for her to defend me and not have to change course at some point in the future its essential that I be honest. There was nothing to defend.

As far as the other two "possible" complaints that may be filed by other CC attornies, there will be no default judgment if I am not served in the first place. Anyone who has a judgment against them will understand this. It's like having a life long sentence.

My attorney gave me the same advise as Flat Corps. Just wait until bankruptcy is absolutely necessary.

As far as the Cease and Desist Letter I sent it to stop calls and letters which was a pretty good reason or at least I thought so.

[CDL]

I followed my attorney's advise. She asked if it's my debt and I said yes. In order for her to defend me and not have to change course at some point in the future its essential that I be honest. There was nothing to defend.

As far as the other two "possible" complaints that may be filed by other CC attornies, there will be no default judgment if I am not served in the first place. Anyone who has a judgment against them will understand this. It's like having a life long sentence.

My attorney gave me the same advise as Flat Corps. Just wait until bankruptcy is absolutely necessary.

As far as the Cease and Desist Letter I sent it to stop calls and letters which was a pretty good reason or at least I thought so.

You need to get a better attorney, because a lot of consumer attorneys in PA are defeating legitimate debts left and right in court, and they state with ease.

[georgina]

Yes I know. I read a case where a woman in my county had an attorney vigoursly defend her credit card debt. The Plaintiff discontinued the case. 3 months later they validated the debt and reserved defendant sucessfully.

I agree with you. My attorney should have tried harder. Maybe she is being realistic? Thank you for your advise.

[VeVe]

I followed my attorney's advise. She asked if it's my debt and I said yes. In order for her to defend me and not have to change course at some point in the future its essential that I be honest. There was nothing to defend.

As far as the other two "possible" complaints that may be filed by other CC attornies, there will be no default judgment if I am not served in the first place. Anyone who has a judgment against them will understand this. It's like having a life long sentence.

My attorney gave me the same advise as Flat Corps. Just wait until bankruptcy is absolutely necessary.

As far as the Cease and Desist Letter I sent it to stop calls and letters which was a pretty good reason or at least I thought so.

If you have an attorney that is pretty much implying that you risk getting a default judgment rather than being served and face the case, you need a new attorney.

Even if you're served, there's no guarantee that the plaintiff will show up. You could try to work things out with the creditor/CA/whoever. There is the possibility they don't have enough evidence to win. Etc.

Not changing your address just sets you up for a default judgment. You could be served at your last know address, not know it, and boom, judgment.

As far as "Anyone who has a judgment against them will understand this. It's like having a life long sentence." What do you think running from it is? Face it now and get it over with. Do you plan on never working again?

[VeVe]

I followed my attorney's advise. She asked if it's my debt and I said yes. In order for her to defend me and not have to change course at some point in the future its essential that I be honest. There was nothing to defend.

I still don't understand this. You received a summons, your attorney asked if it was yours, you said yes, and they said they couldn't do anything to defend you, so they allowed you to get a default judgment?

I hope you're not anywhere near Delaware County. If you are, let me know the name of your attorney so I never risk coming in contact with them.

[flacorps]

I didn't think this was a "credit criminal" site.

There are only three circumstances where something related to credit can be a crime:

1. Your application for the credit is fraudulent (either you hide something or misstate on purpose something about your financial situation or you secretly never intend to pay);

2. You use the credit fraudulently (going on a huge shopping spree when you don't intend to pay); or

3. After they go to court and get a judgment, you lie during post-judgment discovery or you don't provide any answers to it in the first place--or having made the proper disclosures, you fail to comply with a turnover order with respect to some asset.

In between those extremes, you have liberty to order your own affairs, and if you have fallen on hard times that doesn't rob you of your constitutional right to travel freely among the several states and settle in a different one if you so choose ... perhaps one with more liberal laws with respect to debtors and debts. Creditors also can choose to pursue in the new state or refrain from doing so. The fact that they may choose not to do so doesn't make a decision to move that is made with that in mind a crime.

These rights are not denied to anyone ... it was no crime for O.J. to move from California to Florida.

[flacorps]

I still don't understand this. You received a summons, your attorney asked if it was yours, you said yes, and they said they couldn't do anything to defend you, so they allowed you to get a default judgment?

I hope you're not anywhere near Delaware County. If you are, let me know the name of your attorney so I never risk coming in contact with them.

If the case is a dead-bang loser and the plaintiff and their counsel are not sad sacks who fold when they don't get a quick default, I don't see the problem in an attorney being frank and saying your going to waste money on a defense that won't be effective. If the case is a loser, it's a loser.

But yes, an attorney can be a loser too ... and can tell a client a case cannot be won when indeed it can.

[CDL]

There are only three circumstances where something related to credit can be a crime:

1. Your application for the credit is fraudulent (either you hide something or misstate on purpose something about your financial situation or you secretly never intend to pay);

2. You use the credit fraudulently (going on a huge shopping spree when you don't intend to pay); or

3. After they go to court and get a judgment, you lie during post-judgment discovery or you don't provide any answers to it in the first place--or having made the proper disclosures, you fail to comply with a turnover order with respect to some asset.

In between those extremes, you have liberty to order your own affairs, and if you have fallen on hard times that doesn't rob you of your constitutional right to travel freely among the several states and settle in a different one if you so choose ... perhaps one with more liberal laws with respect to debtors and debts. Creditors also can choose to pursue in the new state or refrain from doing so. The fact that they may choose not to do so doesn't make a decision to move that is made with that in mind a crime.

These rights are not denied to anyone ... it was no crime for O.J. to move from California to Florida.

When I say "credit criminal" I'm not talking about those that intentionally steal peoples ID and open up fraudulent accounts or openly defraud creditors. Of course those are crimes.

What I refer to a credit criminal is someone who has a history of not paying their legitimate debts. Someone who has 4, 5, or 6 repo's on their reports. Every credit card they have ever gotten has been charged off. Every loan they had was never paid off. And they continue to hide and avoid their creditors and CAs for legit debts.

And they continue to try to get easy credit and most likely will not pay if they get it. But, hey it's not a crime to not pay a bill, but to those that constantly do not pay, I refer to them as "credit criminals".

There are forums out there that tell you how to get credit and then how to avoid paying. That's why I like CIC because it's not about that. I feel CIC is about dealing with credit and debts the proper way and if members have legitimate disputes or concerns we all help one another out.

[looksbothways]

Them not knowing your address will not prevent you from getting a default judgment. Instead they will serve your former address, or they'll serve you via "sewer service" and you'll have no knowledge of it. When you don't show up, because you didn't know about the suit, they'll get a default judgment anyway.

Running never ever helps.