Internet's first get-out-of-debt community - 129,000 members

OK, here's the deal. I am involved in a criminal investigation against someone locally that is a known scammer. I have been investigating this loser for more than three years, as he has ripped off several of my friends on internet car clubs for thousands of dollars.

Recently, this person was convicted of using someone else's identity to buy a Porsche....so you see the kind of person I am dealing with.

Anyways, on to my question. I recently found this person advertising different scams to make money. One of these is a $199 deal where you pay him and he gets you a federal tax ID number. He says you use this number in place of your SSN when applying for some kinds of credit, like credit cards or auto loans. It doesnt give you a good credit history, what it does is make it so you appear to have absolutely zero credit history. This cannot, he states, be used on mortgages or to open a bank account.

My question is this--is this even legal? At this point I am looking to get this idiot on as many fraudulent things as I can. Now, let's set aside the fact for a minute that he charges $199 to do what anyone can do for free right now. I am looking to see if it is even legal for the average person to obtain a tax ID number and use it in this manner. Does anyone have any information about this?

Any info is appreciated!

Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 5:56 pm Subject:

I really don't think just an individual can obtain a tax id #. Correct me if I am wrong but don't you need a business to get a tax id#? Confused

ladybug

Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 6:03 pm Subject:

I dont know, I know that you can be a "sole proprietor" and get one, which means you are the one and only person involved with the "business".

I am just looking to see if this is actually even legal. I imagine that it is possible to set up a "business" for just about anything these days. My wife, for example, actually has her own publishing business, even though she only does things for family and friends at this point. The guy I am investigating claims to have his own business too--a financial company--and he has claimed in one of his ads that he is licensed, but I checked and he isnt. In another of his ads he claims to be a legal consulting firm, which I also know he isnt.

Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 6:06 pm Subject:

Also, can someone actually sell tradelines to someone else? This same guy is claiming that he can sell you an AMEX account, with no outstanding balance and three year payment history, to put on your credit report as your own. This sounds like bunk to me, anyone have any experience with this?

Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 4:43 am Subject:

What is is doing is pretty shady but I am unaware of any statutes being broken. Getting a tax id number is easy to do.All he has to do is set up a business and apply for it. Selling seasoned trade lines is legal as long as the owners of the accounts are aware of it and agree to do it.

Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 5:02 am Subject:

But what i don't get is why would someone pay for a tax id # when u can get one for free???
Something seems fishy here!
Ang

Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 5:09 am Subject:

Some people don't desire the amount of work required to get the number.He is probably selling what is known as a shelf corporation.The company would already be formed and licensed.He would just get current id number and sell corp to buyer.

Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 6:48 am Subject:

yeah, I think youre onto it, cajun--that isnt legal, is it?

Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 7:51 pm Subject:

This is straight from the FTC, in regards to using a different/false SSN or EIN to create a new credit file. Also called "file segregation" ( http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/creditid.shtm ):

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Does anyone know about using a tax ID number??

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