Would it be a plausible idea to cc your validation letters to CA to the FTC and BBB. My reasoning is that this would constitute that you are serious and albeit you are quoting law in your validation letters, I believe that the CA will see that this one consumer is willing to involve third party institutions which could possibly blemish their spotless reputations (sarcasm). What do you think?
Something like this is usually just a matter of personal opinon, and mine is that those agencies are there for the purpose of filing complaints. At the time you send validation demand you have no basis for complaint about anything as a general rule. So your validation would not constitute a complaint by any stretch of the imagination. So there is no point in filing because you have nothing to complain about. I also tend to think that even mentioning such things in a validation letter would not put you in a good light at all but might very well raise questions you don't want to have raised at all. The way I look at validation I am after one thing and one thing only therefore the less I say and still get my point across the better. And it is the same with all the rest of the letters I send. I have but one point to make and only one point to make and I'm not normally into teaching the other guy how smart nor how ignorant I may be. All I want to know is how smart or how ignorant he is. For that reason I believe that the simpler the letter is the better. Anyway it is my personal opinion that for the most part 3rd party collectors are too stupid to walk and chew gum at the same time so why burden their poor little one track minds with more than one thing at a time. Of course, that's all just my personal opinions and opinions are like bodily cavities. Everybody has one or more. (LOL)
I don't think it is going to make a difference. The agency personnel will probably get a kick out if it, if anything. The BBB and FTC are not going to take interest in a basic validation letter. They would only be concerned about unethical business practices and violations of law.
I think it's a great idea. Obviously, as a previous poster said, the hapless individual at the FTC/BBB/etc. who reads it will probably think something on the order of "w.t.f.?", but that's not why you're including them anyway. Bottom line: Anything that you do which appears legally intimidating without appearing outright threatening (and that's important -- refer to my Nutcase rationale which likewise does not threaten, although it doesn't forsake intimidation) is a good thing. Second bottom line: Your CA isn't going to check with the FTC and BBB to make sure you indeed sent them a copy. There's no hard in including them on the "cc:" line at the bottom of your letter even if you don't send those copies. Doc
Where's The Flambè? When's The Festival Who's This Fool? Will They Flinch? What Tom Foolery? For the record, I agree with Doc, whatever he meant by "WTF". There's nothing to be lost by it, and assuming Bill's assumption is correct (they're all dumber than rocks), then, who knows? Maybe it shakes them a little bit. When I sent out a raving letter to Chevron (midway down the page), I cc'd a whole bunch of people. The AG's of California and Ohio (why Ohio? Because I forgot to erase it from a previous letter), several attorneys, I forget who all. Did it help? I don't know. It didn't hurt though, based on their reaction. WTF. Tom
My position is the "psyche" them out. I mean intimating that this issue is not just between myself and their company would be lending a bit of nutcasing along with requesting a legally required validation of the alleged liability. I am personally of the opinion that even if the letters are not sent to the AG, BBB, or FTC originally, the person who picks this letter up out of the pile will have some idea that the consumer is a little aware of their legal rights and will not just settle for any old BS, that a CA will mail out. I also take that BBauer has of not giving too much of my cards away. I find that when I initially have sounded like a naivete, I have gotten some kind of headway. (this is especially true when requesting deletions of inquiries from CC..) I try the poor me approach and my position is that since these companies have no signed documentation from me and I have no memory (amnesia), these inquiries should just disappear from their company. (has worked with first premier bank AND cap 1). If they decide that they would like to challenge me, then I bring up California non permissible access to my credit report as outlined by Pam from www.creditboards.com. Yet, still being a newbie, I do appreciate everyone's opinion and experience in handling their unique situations.
Somehow I get the impression that somebody is just a wee bit confused here. I suppose that it is the problem of old Al has come visiting again. Guess we will never get rid of him. Durn pest. Lets see now then. First we have this: And then old Al seems to get into the act. I totally and completely fail to understand that part. And to make the matter even worse we see this: Excuse me, but I sure do believe I see old Al Zeihmer sticking his nose in this mess somehow. Sure wish he would just get out of here and leave me alone.
Bbauer, Here is my situation. On my credit report, I have over 20 inquiries(hards) that I have not requested. Also, my credit report has an address that I have never lived at before in my life. This information also showed up with the IRS and with the Post Office. I began to get the sneaking suspicion that I was a victim of Identity theft. I called the IRS and the post office and they say they have a change of address which I have not done. Anyway, my amnesia is when and how did I apply for credit? The cc are unable to give me anything substantial. I, on the other hand, am able to provide a police report showing this fraudulent address. Not a lie, total truth. Since the law provides a certain amount of relief for possible victims of identity theft, I am just ensuring that these companies know that I know the law (just a little) The aforementioned situation has been disputed with the CRA(deletions) It is just these darn CA that are proving real stubborn.
Ok. Well that makes the situation a whole lot more understandable. The IRS bit makes me wonder if your SSN hasn't been hijacked by some illegal alien who found your SSN either by accident as a result of his just picking random numbers or by actually finding out what your ssn is by whatever other means. At any rate I would suggest that you start thinking along those lines and maybe file complaint with the IRS claiming that whoever lived or did live at that address is using your SSN illegally. Let them help sort out the mess. Unable or unwilling? I'd bet on the latter. That is probably another story entirely although relevant Have you filed an identity theft report with the FTC? You can do that on their website. Might help. Thats another whole ball of wax and should be handled with validation letters and the followups. They say you owe, make them prove it or get it off of your report.
These issues are usually a whole lot simpler than we often make them out to be. I have found that usually if you quit believing the lie that it is your responsibility to prove the issue, whatever it may be and force them to do their job the whole situation usually turns out ot be a lot easier to resolve. Be fully prepared to go to court if need be and you will soon find that nobody wants to take you up on your threat to drop a nasty one on them. As the old C&W song "The Gambler" claims, you have to know when to hold em and you have to know when to fold em. There will be time enough for the counting when the gamblin is done.
Bill you are hilarious. Thanks for you input. "The Gambler" I love that song. Have a good one. I will go to the FTC and file my complaint for possible ID fraud. The IRs said that they started a new program which used the US Post Office Address for Taxpayer. Whoever is up to dirt, filled out a change of address for me and has been a busy little beaver. Not to busy, due to the fact that I have had some bad things in my past that are legitimately mine and still showing.
Re: Re: Veterans..I have a question That is just HILARIOUS!!! I have done that before, not the cc but sent a valiation letter for me to a company, actually the Estopell, reminded them that I was just a co-signer and paid the account to clear my name yada yada, did not work for me they basicall said tuff s**t, well, I forgot to remove that part from my form letter, then sent the letter for hubby about a cable bill, dates were YEARS off, and OBVIOUSLY he was never a co-signer for cable, but it worked for him!!!! Thanx for the laugh this morning!!
I'm truly amazed how many of those old songs are no longer available anymore. Some of my favorites include. Cruising down the River Watermelon Wine Camptown Races Mammy Chatanooga Choo Choo Life without parole And some I can't even remember the names of anymore. Just try and find any of Al Jolsen's records. Totally out of the question as far as I know. Can't even find them poking through old 45s, 33 1/3rds or 78s in garage sales.
Thats not the worst of it. Cruising down the River was back 20 years before that and Al Jolsen even 20 years before that yet. Now all I got to worry about is how do I get through the next 70 years. I'm sure gonna give it the old college try.
Re: Re: Veterans..I have a question 70 only sounds like a long time if you're 20, lol. I'm in my early 40s, and 70 sounds pretty young to me! Doc
Re: Re: Veterans..I have a question Thanks. Actually 71½ is more like it and to be exact its 71.13150685 years today. (LOL) And when you get to be 71.13150685 years old you probably won't think its been so long after all. I don't. Seems like it was only a short while ago when I got my little pants paddled for sticking mom's bobby pins in those two little slots in the wall and watching the sparks fly as the old 32 volt light plant in the basement tried to burn my stubby little fingers off. I was only 4 years old then. I thought it was real cute how those bobby pins would turn red hot and then explode in a shower of sparks. I can remember lots of things from my childhood and most of them were the naughty things I did that usually ended up with me getting paddled. Many years ago somebody wrote a book called "Peck's Bad Boy" and I bet I probably put that kid to shame. That book probably went out of print about the time I was born. The copy I read as a kid was pretty old and brown colored when I read it. The thing that gives me hope is that people over 100 years of age is the fastest growing segment of our population today.
