Went to buy a car, left empty handed when the credit report said I was deceased

Parent Cafe
1

<p>Yup. </p>

<p>H’s car is a 1999, and D2 is now driving. We decided to get H a new car, and let D drive the reliable 99, since we have kept it in great shape.</p>

<p>So we spent some time in the HOT 95 degree sun, and decided on a 2008 with 15,000 miles on it, one of those dealership cars that was driven by the manager or whatever, but was never titled before. And are spending WAY less than the new 2009’s. A really good deal. We are at the SAME dealership we bought the 99 car at, and did the same thing then (buying one with a little milage that the boss had driven.) But no one knows us there, or remembers us from 99. And we are not trading in the old car, and didn’t even drive to the dealership in it.</p>

<p>So we get to the financial stuff. </p>

<p>My (baby)sister is an Executive VP of a big regional credit union, one that I opened my first bank account at close to 40 years ago. It opened in a trailer about 1-2 years before I opened that account with babysitting money with the help of my dad. It now has 50? branches, 100’s of ATM’s, a big visable downtown main office… We no longer live in the city it serves, but its about 2 hours away, and we still have an account, loans, and a great relationship. We had been preapproved for a loan, the preapproval from 2 mos ago when D2 first got her license and we began to think about another car. </p>

<p>The dealership insists on running the paperwork to see if they have a bank that can meet or beat the rate I present to them, and they fax a purchase order to the credit union at the same time. It is getting late, banking hours wise.</p>

<p>Suddenly, not only the credit guy, but his manager comes back. The “triple” credit report that was run came back showing a GREAT credit score, but an alert at the top of the report that stated that the social security number is associated with a person who has been reported deceased. The credit manager says that “it’s on all three reports.” Turns out that this triple report picks up anything from any of the big three, but does not mean that it is listed as such on all three. We call, and my sister runs the Equifax report and it DOES NOT SHOW UP. They can still write the loan, no problem as they don’t use the triple report service, and they KNOW me and know that I am not dead. BUT…Since it is now after 5pm on a Friday of a holiday weekend, the credit union cannot wire the money, and their guarantee of payment is not enough. The dealership will set up a courtesy loan, using one of the banks that responded to the request for credit, and tear up the paperwork on Tues/Wed when they receive the Fedex delivery of the actual check from the credit union, but only if I can present an original social security card. and prove that I am who I am, and not dead. I never carry it with me, and we live an hour away. And we have already spent 2 1/2 hours at the dealership.</p>

<p>I had skipped lunch, was hungry, tired, frustrated, a little anxious about the credit report. And with one hour home and one hour back, it’s not going to happen before the dealership closes. </p>

<p>The good news is that I am able to reach a person at the SSA, (they answer the phone 7A-7P) and after identifying myself in quite a few ways, they confirm that they DO NOT have me listed as deceased!!! And Equifax and Transunion verify over the phone that they DO NOT have me listed as deceased. Experian does not list a phone number/take any calls from consumers, and I have to initiate an investigation online. But they are clearly the problem, best as I can tell. </p>

<p>I am able to locate pretty quickly my SS card. It is the original one issued to me when I got my first job at McDonalds at the age of 16. (I kept my maiden name professionally for many years, and when I started using my married name, I failed to get a new card.) I had used it recently to apply for a passport (which I received with no problem.)</p>

<p>So tomorrow morning we burn more gas at $3.80 a gallon to make the trek back. I hope we can truely drive the new car home. </p>

<p>And now I can look forward the the weeks it will take to figure out the source of the mistake, and how I can rectify this.</p>

<p>Yes, it can happen to YOU!</p>

<p>Makes me wonder about paying for one of those services that alerts you to things like this. Anyone pay for that service? It’s like $15 a month and comes with $25,000 in identity fraud protection…emails you if something odd shows up on your report…</p>

2

<p>Wow. What a story! Still, I don’t know if that service is worth the $$. Annual peeks at your reports should correct stuff like this in the main.</p>

3

<p>If you’re deceased, you no longer have to pay taxes anymore. ;)</p>

4

<p>Run a free credit check online with Experian – you will get the report back within minutes. </p>

<p>This sounds fishy to me – sounds like some shenanigans in the finance department of the dealership — I wouldn’t assume that Experian has reported you dead until you see the results clearly.</p>

5

<p>

Yeah, until you get caught.</p>

6

<p>

Tried. It said that there was a “problem” with issuing a report instantly, and due to an irregularity it would have to send it to my “address” of record. So I went on the site where you can pay $10 to get a full report and it also would not allow me online access. So I am guessing the problem is here with Experian.</p>

<p>I saw the report at the dealership. It listed my credit cards, it showed the inquiries by the credit union in June and a new joint account I just opened with my D1 as part of her FSU card with Suntrust. There was a name associated with the alert, some sort of “safealert” or something. My sister recognized the type of alert and said this was not the dealership, this is a credit reporting agency reporting based on something erroneously reported to them. I could not even get 'their" bank or dealer financing without getting my social security card to present to prove it was me. I could have bailed on using the credit union all together, and gone with them. But their financing, either for real or for the courtesy of guaranteeing the credit union, required my to produce the SS card.</p>

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<p>^^^^^It was a “Safescan” or “Safe Scan” alert</p>

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<p>The reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated - ???Mark Twain??? Glad to know you are alive and kickin’ SF - even if you now have a mess to straighten out. Enjoy the new wheels!</p>

9

<p>WOW!!! what a mess! so sorry you are going through this!</p>

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<p>sunny - Hey, if Experian says you’re dead THEN YOU’RE DEAD!!! So please stop posting. This forum is for living persons ONLY!!!</p>

<p>[signed] Max Deenial, Your Finance Customer Service Representative</p>

11

<p>So we returned today. I had my SS card, my SS yearly statement showing my wages since 1972 through the date of the last statement Oct 2007, and my passport. My SS card was the originalm issued when I got my first job at age 16. I think I mentioned that I kept my maiden name professionally, so I had never changed my SS card. My signature on it is…well… “cute.” (For you youngins, back then SS cards were not issued at birth, but when you got your first job. </p>

<p>We drove away WITH THE CAR! H drove the new one home, since it’s “his.” I drove old 1999 (same model) following behind. </p>

<p>Now I have to get this straightened out!</p>

12

<p>If I were your husband I would have insisted that when signing the papers you also signed up for a loan pay-off life insurance policy.</p>

13

<p>well, if you get a ticket driving it, someone can contest it, claiming you’re dead.</p>

14

<p>I have read about this type of thing. What a mess up. Good luck with the credit bureau.</p>

15

<p>Hmm. Since you have been denied credit, you are entitled to a free credit report from the agency providing the data on which the denial was based.</p>

<p>Also, placing a credit freeze at all three credit agencies is much more effective (and cheaper) than the $15/mo service.</p>