Pretty1970 Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 I could really use some guidance on this one.Both my husband and I are divorced and remarried. In my previous life, my ex and I didn't have any joint cc'd or debt except our mortgage. My current husband, however, did have joint cc's and also a credit union account/bank accounts together. During this divorce, he consolidated and closed all of their joint accounts (cc, bank, and cars) so that now, there is only one military card and the credit union account where he got his consolidation loan that has her name on it.She, however, is a credit nightmare. She's not paid cell phone bills to the point of them turning it off, she has a leased car (thank god my husbands name is not on that) and I am sure several credit cards.Yesterday, I received a call from a collection agency asking for her. My question is this:How did they get MY number for this? The phone bill is in my name and my husband moved into my house when we married. How in the world did they get my number? Especially since she lives in a whole different state than we do?Given that they are divorced and they shouldn't have any joint credit in common any more, except for that credit union account and the military card (that I watch like a hawk to see if any unexpected purchases show up) how is it that these creditors have called me asking for her?Thanks, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyingifr Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 About a year ago I did some research about skip tracers and hired a Private Detective to find whatever informatioin he could on me using only what Skip-Tracers have available to them - no FBI, police, non-public Military or other non-public information. What he found was very interesting. It was a long report and I posted a description of its findings on my Board. The Mods here don't want me to give out the name of that Board because it is also a Consumer Credit board.Nevertheless, the Executive Summary is germane to your question. There are things called "Data Mines" which are really massive cross-referenced data bits about people. Remember - your hubby's ex is only one degree separate from you - you both married the same man. By data mining her name they came up with your hubby's and by data mining his they came up with yours.It is interesting to note that Data Mines are neither all-knowing nor infallible. I saw the text of mine from two major sources, and neither of them located my airplane and both of them had me linked to people I never heard of and to states I never lived or worked in. Data mines contain a lot of true information, and a lot of false information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Nashville/Savannah Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 ...It is interesting to note that Data Mines are neither all-knowing nor infallible. I saw the text of mine from two major sources, and neither of them located my airplane and both of them had me linked to people I never heard of and to states I never lived or worked in. Data mines contain a lot of true information, and a lot of false information.Which is why being a truly great analyst/skip-tracer is almost an art-form and an exercise in human nature as it is a science! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Nashville/Savannah Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 I could really use some guidance on this one.Both my husband and I are divorced and remarried. In my previous life, my ex and I didn't have any joint cc'd or debt except our mortgage. My current husband, however, did have joint cc's and also a credit union account/bank accounts together. During this divorce, he consolidated and closed all of their joint accounts (cc, bank, and cars) so that now, there is only one military card and the credit union account where he got his consolidation loan that has her name on it.She, however, is a credit nightmare. She's not paid cell phone bills to the point of them turning it off, she has a leased car (thank god my husbands name is not on that) and I am sure several credit cards.Yesterday, I received a call from a collection agency asking for her. My question is this:How did they get MY number for this? The phone bill is in my name and my husband moved into my house when we married. How in the world did they get my number? Especially since she lives in a whole different state than we do?Given that they are divorced and they shouldn't have any joint credit in common any more, except for that credit union account and the military card (that I watch like a hawk to see if any unexpected purchases show up) how is it that these creditors have called me asking for her?Thanks,How they obtained "your" number is far less important than the debt the CA is calling about; as Flyingifr explains, "finding" someone or an address/telephone number that may reach someone isn't really all the difficult if someone wants to go to the trouble.I strongly suggest that your husband be extremely assertive and pro-active in dealing with this CA...assuming that your husband has no legal obligation on whatever debt this CA is trying to collect; a strongly worded cease communication order sent CMRRR is a good option (if he knows where his ex-wife lives and/or her contact information; he can let this CA know).Unfortunately; if his ex-wife is a perpetual credit deadbeat; this sort of thing is likely to happen from time to time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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