I have a letter with my name and social written outfrom the CO. There is NO signature and they have the name of my spouse WRONG. The debt was from 02 and it is from a Vet Clinic in the same county I live in. Should I contact the Vet clinic? If so, what should I say. I have sent a letter to the CO, they responded that my name and Social was given as Guaranntor on the account so therefore it is MINE! WHAT? What actually proves the debt is mine? I KNOW.. I didn't open the account!!! Please help..
Did you/your spouse have a pet in 2002 that you or your spuse took to the vet?? If not then it must have something to do with ID theft. Five years, 2002 to 2007, seems an awfully long time to start hassling anyone about a bill.
Visit the vet clinic and ask them about it. Demand to see the original intake form - let them explain it. Were you already married to your spouse in 2002?
You also said there is no signature. Did you get something from the CA that looks to have originated at the vet's office? Write the CA back, and tell them what they gave you only proves that your name and social were used. Nothing more, nothing less. Tell them the bill is still in dispute, you did not even own a pet during the time in question, and that they need to produce the original intake form (as Greg suggested). Most vets also have an animal's name and breed or description on the chart, wonder if a family member took a pet to the vet?
Ditto on working (pleasantly but firmly) with the OC's billing office. I had a similar experience with a [human] hospital. Once the hospital realized they had billed the wrong person, they pulled it back from the CA and the CA pulled the TL from my credit report (all within about an hour!) It might take some convincing and talking to someone's supervisor, but if it's not yours, then stick to your story and go as far up the ladder as you need to. You might write a letter to the billing office explaining the discrepancies and then follow up with them by telephone a week or two later (give the letter a chance to work its way through their bureaucracy). Or call them and offer to fax them your objections. (e.g. wrong SSN, Name, etc.).
