I love this site first of all. I have a question, I'm disputing a couple of accounts on my credit reports. Well anyways one of the collection company called me to day and asked me to verify my soc sec number, and then she said that was the number on the account was mines but i told her i never had an account with the company. Did I DO ANYTHING WRONG BY GIVE HER MY SOC SEC NUMBER. its was really not a account of mines.
If I understand your question correctly, I am more than a little concerned. I hope that you didn't gave your SS # to someone that called you on the phone. Think about it. Who did you give your number to? Where are they now? What are they doing with it? Not to be an alarmist, but for anyone considering sharing their personal info with strangers - don't. Especially if that stranger is attempting to get money from you. Vibe, consider this. You are disputing that this is your account. A collector is claiming that it is. That will now state that they have your name, address, phone number and even your SS #. How will you explain the method that they used to obtain this info? You may say that the burden of proof is on their part, to which they will reply, Vibe supplied this info when (s)he entered into the original agreement. They won't admit that they got it from you during a phone conversation. Vibe remember these words in regards to every aspect of your life, "1. Never volunteer information. 2. You have the right to remain silent. 3. Personal information is a precious resource best kept sacred." Even more important in this particular situation, is my last quote. "This letter (phone call) is from a debt collection agency. This is an attempt to collect a debt. Any information obtained will be used for that purpose." Now, clear your mind and get back into the fight. And never give any new info to your opposers again. Never ever ever. I mean never never provide aid to your enemy.
IF, and it's a big IF, you talk to a CA (collection agency), you have to be educated from here and places like it first. But there is a general rule to not talk to a CA. I know you talked to them because you were in the middle of disputing and probably thought you should talk to them. But generally not a good idea to talk with them at all. I really avoid talking to them at all because they are sneaky about getting info. After I knew more, I called a couple CA's to try to get a PFD. At one point, one of them asked "Can you verify your phone number?" I responded by asking "Do you have a phone number for me?", to which she said "no", to which I said "You have an address and I think that will suffice. That is how I wish to be contaced." But the way she asked was as if they already had it and wanted you to verify, and often when we deal with "real" businesses, that is standard practice, so people wouldn't think twice about answering that question, which is what the CA counts on - people not knowing any better. The best way to avoid handing them info unintentionanally is to not talk to them. I recently disputed some things, and I believe I got some phone calls from CA's, but I never pick up the phone for numbers I don't know, so I didn't talk to any CA's or anyone in this field during my dispute. (well, I did call the CRA for an update to my dispute once, then I was advised from someone here, privately, to not do that, so I didn't after that. I'll pass that advise on to you.) During a dispute, it is up to them to verify the account or not. Don't give them info that may help them verify. Don't help them have good records. Let any mistakes they made in records be an advantage to you. If that item you disputed comes back verified, it may be harder to be successful with each step after that, because now they have info provided by you to make their case stronger. They may now even believe that you aren't as knowledgable in this area and keep trying to get more info and/or lie to you. So again, don't talk to them. I, too, don't want to be an alarmist, and all is not lost. I, like everyone, has made mistakes along the way (read the sticky about biggest mistakes people make in credit repair - learn what NOT to do from that, and don't feel so bad when you too make any mistakes) and with perseverence we can be successful. Hang in there. Good luck with your disputes. (I am not one of the experts here, but I have learned some things and I hope I can help others a little, or share my experiences and hope that helps. I'll accept corrections, it'll help me learn more)
Thanks Suzie, I hope that it does'nt come back verified, if so what is my next step in disputing. It was a law aqency that call, and asked me for the last 4 numbers of my soc sec #, I gave it to her and then she informed me that the numbers were the numbers they had on file. I told her i never had account with thier company, and then she hang up.
Talk about being sneaky. Isn't that what reports X out? The last 4 numbers. Remember anyone reading this. Your SS # is assigned to you and belongs to the social security administration. You don't have to share it with anyone else. This is an attempt to collect a debt. Any information obtained will be used for that purpose." Keep your head up.
