<p>When my son applied for a job at Albertson’s, they told him that someone applied for a job at Albertson’s several years ago using his Social Security number. Since I work at a law firm, I was able to have someone run a background check of his SSN and sure enought there’s a lady in Van Nuys, California, born in 1963, who has been using his SSN since 1991 (the year he was born.) I filed a report with the Social Security Administration. I can’t get a credit report on him since he’s under 18. I tried to get a credit report on her; I have the name, address, phone no, but I couldn’t answer the securty questions (where did she get her car loan in 1999 and where did she get her home loan in 2002!), so I couldn’t get the report. I filed a temporary 90 day fraud report with the three reporting agencies. To put a 7 year fraud alert on the number I need to have filed a police report, so I’ll have an officer come by the house when I get home.</p>
<p>Does anyone who has been down this road have any wisdom for me?</p>
<p>Give me her name and place and I’ll give you everything you need. It looks like you have her address, name, and phone number already, so I can provide you with her SS, some of her life history if you wish. I won’t speak of my ways.</p>
<p>Holy cow! So sorry! I remember hearing of someone who had luck going through the US Marshalls office. Also, the credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Trans Union, Experian) and the SS administration should have info on their websites to help with this. Any banking fraud attorneys in your firm? Wait-- that didn’t come out right, but you know what I mean! The attorneys inthe firm should have some ideas, I should think.</p>
<p>Have you called the police in her home city and pressed charges? I’d do that as well, and they should have additonal info as to what to do. Good luck!</p>
<p>** azsxdc*** ooh-- sounds fascinating. Wish you could tell us more! I want to be your new best friend :)</p>
<p>azsxdc, thanks for the offer but I have her SSN-same as my son’s. I assume she’s in the country illegally since she has a Spanish surname as well as some aliases, lives in LA county and was born in 1963 but got a SSN un 1991. I’ve now filed a report with the FTC and have asked for an earnings statement from the Soc. Sec. admin. I’ve actually heard that if you’re going to steal a SSN, it’s best to do it from a baby, because you likely have a couple of decades until you’re discovered.</p>
<p>I always just assumed that when your SSN was used that there was somehow a way to cross check the name on file to make sure it all matches up correctly… obviously not.</p>
<p>I was the victim of identity theft a few years ago. Luckily though I was on top of it pretty immediately after I suspected it. Filing a report with FTC was the right thing to do, as well as informing the three credit agencies. Better than putting on a fraud alert, you must request a “freeze” where no transactions/loan applications etc can be initiated.(At the time this was a $10 fee) For this I believe you do need the police report. The freeze however also prevents your son from applying for anything as well and requires written notification/security measures to allow this, but gives some peace of mind under the circumstances.
Also know that if one of the credit report agencies has the fraud alert or freeze, the other two automatically are informed.
I also used the services of an outside agency to monitor the credit report (for about $9 a month, well worth it). With this I had continual access to my credit reports online, as well as email notifications from the agency any time activity showed up on credit reports. Not sure if I’m allowed to give the name/particulars of the agency on CC, so PM me if you’d like it.</p>
<p>Due to your son’s age, not sure how you can access credit reports, but I would try to communicate with the fraud department with one of the credit report agencies. Maybe they can advise.</p>
<p>Also, keep records of every phone call, every communication you make. Make copies of everything.</p>
<p>I can’t figure out how to get a credit report. I can’t order a report for him because he is under 18. Is there any way to get to a live human being at any of the credit reporting agencies? Pressing 0 certainly doesn’t work.</p>
<p>Here’s how to get a human [Gethuman</a> - Home Page](<a href=“http://www.gethuman.com/]Gethuman”>http://www.gethuman.com/)
specifically:
Equifax : Press 1 at 1st prompt, then 2 at next prompt, then 0 at 3rd prompt and 1 at 4th prompt. No call-back after hours. 866-640-2273 </p>
<p>Experian: Say “yes”; enter report #; enter social security #; say “yes”; say “agent” then “yes” to confirm at prompts thereafter. 800-493-1058 </p>
<p>TransUnion: Press 2 at each prompt, ignoring messages. 800-916-8800</p>
<p>I have heard that it is best? easiest? to request a new social security number for your son. Avoids a lot of hassles with perhaps a bad credit report or who knows what else.
I have no idea how to go about doing that or if it is even possible.
Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks to the info here, I got a live person at Equifax who told me, after consulting with her supervisor, that there was nothing we could do until he turns 18, and that we can’t see HER credit report. Don’t know if that’s true, but it seems ridiculous.</p>
<p>You are welcome, momof2inca. Yes, I love that website.</p>
<p>Missypie- I would aske to speak to a supervisor, and then the supervisors supervisor, etc, until you get someone who can help you as the victim of a crime. As your son is a minor and you are his legal guardian, I would expect that you could get a copy of his credit report on his behalf. Thats is just silly. You can get his school records, his health records, etc as he is a minor. This should be in the same category. Keep going up the chain, and contact the police in your city and the city the criminal is in. Hers is a federal offense. Dont let them blow you off.</p>
<p>I think then the thing to do now is go down to the nearest SS office and apply for a new # or call that card replacement #, and certainly follow up with the info in #15 to get this person caught. Fax the SSA, call them AND email them with all the info you have on her. Since laws and procedures may vary from state to state, I’d think about also getting CA authorities involved. Call the Van Nuys Police department to inform authorities there and get advice. I’d be hopping mad and try anything to have her apprehended.</p>
<p>Also CA has instructions on establishing a security freeze:
[Consumer</a> Privacy - California Office of Information Security and Privacy Protection (OISPP)](<a href=“http://www.privacy.ca.gov/financial/cfreeze.htm]Consumer”>http://www.privacy.ca.gov/financial/cfreeze.htm). After all the # is still your son’s. He can freeze his own credit I’d think. (Though if you succeed here, the woman may be alerted before she’s caught)</p>
<p>Tells the pros and cons of getting a new SS number. Many of the cons wouldn’t apply in his case (difficulty getting new credit because your previous history doesn’t show up, etc.)
The only ones who would probably get tangled up about it would be the college board and the IRS (since you have been putting that number on your tax returns for all these years). Has he taken SAT/PSAT/ACT, etc? You would want all his application stuff to have the same number so that it gets matched up correctly.</p>
<p>Employers now are required to validate SSNs once a year with the Social Security Administration (make sure the name and gender matches). Most state motor vehicle departments are doing the same thing now as well.<br>
In any case, your son should not have been prevented from getting a job since his name does match his SSN.
Perhaps the SSNs are similar and the lady has mixed up a digit or two all these years by mistake.</p>