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Fake debt; how did they get my birth name?!  

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I received a letter yesterday from asset acceptance llc, and I'm quickly finding out on this site that I am not alone. However, I do have a twist. First off all, it's for a supposed AT&T debt which is non-existant (as far as I know). I have never had any debt with any company in my life and have made sure of it (besides bank/hospital loans of course). This supposed debt is for 581.48 dollars.

I know this is illegitimate because I have no debt.

But here's the twist. The letter came to me under my birth name, which technically is not even existant in this world. I was adopted when I was three years old and have never used my birth name since. My birth certificate, SS# everything is in my adoptive name. My birth name is essentially not real... if that makes sense?

Now I'm wondering, obviously I know this debt isn't real, but how the heck did they get my birth name? The only access to that would possibly be within the government and should not be available to random credit companies.

And then I was wondering, well, how did they even get my address since there would be no way to connect my birth name with my current adress?! Kind of creepy in all honesty.

Lastly, if they made up this debt, would it be possible even for it to show up on my credit report since it technically isn't even my name?

HELPPPP.

I am thinking of sending that validation letter but I'm confused to my rights as I would have to send it as myself and they may not release the information since it's not the same name as the name they're using.

Sorry so confusing.
 

asked Dec 10, 2006 09:25 AM

Anonymous
Best Answer
7
best answer

This is one of the problems with CA's. They will go to great lengths to get information. I know of a lady that lived in NY and was in hiding from her abusive spouse and the collector wasn't getting anywhere with her, he called the abusive spouse. When the spouse stated that he was looking for her also, the collector had no problem giving the address of where she was at, and low and behold, she is now deceased. So much for the rights of the debtor. Of course it was one of the pond scum collection agencies.

answered Dec 11, 2006 05:53 AM

13 Answers

9

There is a way collection agencies can find out the name you were born with, the name you got changed to, got married with and died with. And not just you in particular, they can do that with anyone who has a social security number.

I would send them a validation letter and then start pulling all of your credit reports. You can go to annulalcredit report .com. There you can get one free credit report from each agency per year.

Collection agencies do not pull names out of thin air. They sometimes send things to the wrong person but there is always a slight fact in the mix like a name, old address or old phone number.

If you find anyhting irregular on your credit reports you should highly consider going to the police department and filing an id theft and fraud report. This is somehting you are going to need to help combat things you don't recognise on your credit report.

answered Dec 10, 2006 12:11 PM

FYI
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That's pretty weird, all right... the only way I can think of that this might have happened is some kind of identity theft, but even that explanation sounds pretty far-fetched.

In any event, I'd recommend sending them a letter telling them that there is no one at your address by the name given on the letter you received and that you know nothing about the debt, all of which is perfectly true. (Don't volunteer any information about your birth name; that's none of their business.) Wait a little while, say two or three months, then check your credit reports to see whether the alleged "bad debt" is listed there, and if it is, dispute it with the credit reporting agencies.

I'm not a lawyer or anything, but a call to your local police department might be a good idea as well. Explain the situation to them and tell them that you're concerned that there may be some kind of criminal activity going on. As it happens, my own name was changed when I was about four years old (due to my mother getting married), and if I got a letter at my home address with that name on it, I'd be pretty worried.

answered Dec 10, 2006 09:36 AM

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They are good at finding information; since adoptions are a matter of public record (I think), it is possible they just looked through court documents.

If you know that you have never used that name to apply for or obtain credit, you should be safe. They would have to provide evidence documenting the transaction, which doesn't exist.

My thoughts are, that in your validation letter you can say "OLD NAME and NEW NAME are the same person by reason of adoption." and then continue with your argument, dispute the debt and request verification of it.

answered Dec 10, 2006 09:42 AM

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First off handle the stupid letter from AA and send them a DV letter (you can find the template on my blog site) next you need to check your credit reports and make sure that everything on them is status quo, you also may need to put a fraud alert on them. I don't know the schematics of your adoption but would someone from your birth family have this information, would they use it? Just some suggestions, keep posting and good luck

answered Dec 10, 2006 09:53 AM

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I thought adoption records were sealed and confidential how would these CA get that information?

answered Dec 10, 2006 08:59 PM

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I thought that certain adoption records were sealed also. You definitely have rights, but it sounds like you might need some legal advice. Have you contacted the company yet? I can understand how it would make you feel creepy, but try not too. There is probably a very logical explanation. Good Luck!

answered Dec 10, 2006 09:10 PM

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Most adoption papers become unsealed, I think, on the 18th birthday or sometimes before.

My best guess for the first poster is that someone got ahold of that information.

answered Dec 11, 2006 05:18 AM

FYI
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My brother and sister were adopted on the early 60's and their adoption records are sealed. My brother can't get anywhere all he knows is the hospital he was born and the city where he was born

answered Dec 11, 2006 05:21 AM

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Per Tammy's note; that is one of the main reasons they passed the Graham-Leach-Bliley Privacy Act and the Driver's Privacy Protection Act. They passed those after some stalker called the DMV and got some lady's address. He killed her, and they later found out the state gave her address to the killer.

answered Dec 11, 2006 06:20 AM

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