Hello, I wrote Dillards one week ago requesting proof via a contract with my signature that this Charged Off Dillards account which was opened in 1994 is indeed mine. Anyway, they wrote me back yesterday and requested that I send them a copy of my Social Security Card, Drivers License, and a sheet of paper with my signature signed on it 4 times. I know I have to send this, but when I send this, won't I be giving myself away with my signature? My signature is on both my license and my social security card. Any suggestions? I want to make the correct move! Oh and when I send this to them again, will this start the 30 day process over again or not? Thanks!
They don't have this info.They need it so they can hang you with it. Don't Furnish Them With Your Own Rope To hang You.
Here is a little tidbit of info I have found on Dillards. They changed their accounting system-if you had an account that was inactive since 1997, your account number probably isn't in their system. I sent them a letter requesting that they close my account. They did so, but inserted ANOTHER Dillards account, with five different numbers at the front of the account. Same opening date. Same Credit Limit. So what did I do? Disputed the older account as not mine. They couldn't verify it, so removed it (and the lates associated with it). My bet is that your account is no longer in their system. Do not supply them with any additional information than you already have. Unbeliveable!
Totally agree with Breeze and lb. Send them nothing. Writing your signature four times on a piece of paper? That's sounds like a plot. Even if they can't find your original signature for this account they could take the signature you sent them and implement it onto an application. With technology today they can do almost anything. Have you tried disputing it through the credit bureaus? If Dillards can't prove it's your account to you, how can they possibly prove it to the bureaus? Dani
I saw that on my credit report too, and it was verified. I called Dillards to see what was up. I had my original account listed as a positive, then another as charge off with the five additional numbers. I asked them about that and was told the five additional numbers are an accounting code signifying a charge off account (She knew exactly what it was before I gave her any info other than the account number, then she was able to locate me in the system and verified my past address.) She was very nice about it so I don't doubt her info. It was a charge off, but was paid. It falls off next year so I'm not worried about it. But, as everyone else said, DO NOT SEND THEM A THING. That is their job. I have never heard of such a request before.
That's what I did, and when it came back verified, that's when I called Dillards. They might have different codes for different statuses. Who knows. When you call into these people, it's like rolling the dice. You might get someone who knows what they're talking about, you might get someone who hasn't a clue. Either one can be good depending on your circumstances
KELTEXX---- You say that if your account has been inactive since 1997 then you are probably not in the system? I just pulled my credit report for the first time in July and there Dillards is and it has been updated every month as a charge-off since 7-1996. So are you saying that if I dispute this they wont have the info to verify? Plus it is scheduled to come off in 3-2003 and I dont want to arise sleeping dogs. Since I still owe them 476 dollars. Casper
Similar Situation I was in a similar situation. One day I was at Mervyn's and decided to apply for an account. I was FIFTEEN (yes 15) at the time and had a job and a savings account at Wells Fargo. I just filled out the application just to see what would happen and next thing I knew....a card came in the mail! I used it a few times for shoes and paid it off no problem. Then I stopped using it and put the card away. Like 8? months later a family member buys me a gift from Mervyn's for my 16th birthday. Next thing I knew...I got a BILL in the mail for the items! I was HOT!!!!! I then went down to Mervyn's and told them what happend. They returned the stuff and credited back my account. I thought that was the end of that.......WRONG! I got to buy my first car when I was 18 and the dealer ran my credit and told me that I had a chargeoff from Mervyn's. I was like WTF??? What's a chargeoff? I had NO CLUE! I contacted Mervyn's and they verified that I did indeed have a chargeoff. I found out that over $300 worth of stuff was charged to my account (after I returned my birthday gift). I never saw a bill come to the house for this stuff or anything. I requested copies of charge slips and told them that I didn't make the charges. I get the charge sips and sure enough, it wasnt' my signature but my family members! I then had to fill out a notarized affidavid of forgery which included a copy of my DL, SS card, a letter explaining what happened, and my signature on a sheet of paper 4 times. It was a hassle but a small price to pay to get this off my report. In my opinion, I don't recommend sending them the info that they requested from you unless they send you something first like copies of charge slips, etc. That way you know it's on the up and up. I don't trust credit card companies. Sign your name 4 times on a sheet of paper and send it to us? How do I know you're not going to copy my signature on to a charge slip or something? Sounds far fetched but you never know! Leave the ball in their court. Make them try to proove that the account is yours first.
Casper Please note that my account was NOT a chargeoff. It was an active account, which has been closed by Dillards, that had numerous 30 day lates. I paid off the account in 1997, which was the date of last activity. When reviewing my reports last year, I noted that Dillards had not reported the accounts as closed on my report. I sent them a letter which inidicated that I wanted the account closed. By doing so, they generated a new account number by adding 5 new numbers to the account. The CBs did not recognize this as the same account, but as another account, even though it had the same open date/CL account as the old account. Following this, I disputed my original account as not mine. Dillards could not verify, and the old account was deleted-and the one that they had inserted when I closed the account remained. Again, this account was not charged off. But I did call Dillards with a "question about my account", using the old account # to see if the old account was still in their database. It was not.
Re: Casper NOT THAT THEY WOULD...but what if they typed a letter on the paper that says, BY SIGNING THIS PAPER FOUR TIMES, I GIVE YOU COMPLETE CONTROL OVER ALL MY FINANCIAL MATTERS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, MY HOUSE, MY CARS, ALL BANK ACCOUNTS, 401K, STOCK..... NEED I GO ON?
Signatures A friend had a similar situation with some fly by night finance company. So he went to OfficeMax and got a package of those silly colored gel-ink pens. He also went to the copy center (CopyMax?) in the store and got several sheets of colored paper. He then played around with the pens and paper until he got the right combo. Certain colors of ink don't repro (like those light blue pens) and certain papers (dark red) photocopy as black. He sent them the signatures but only the original was usable, any kind of copying would produce crap! LOL
