telecheck BS

I got a copy of my telecheck report last month. I sent a dispute letter, and they had until Nov 20th to verify that I owed money to a non-existant bank with a disconnected telephone number. I got a letter today from telecheck saying:

"We respectfully request that you provide the following informatin in writing: [emphasis theirs]
your driver license number, SS#, and all the numbers at the bottom of your check."

WTF?? From my letter, they got my name, address, and the TL info. Why is this not enough? I just feel a little weird about sending all that personal info in a letter. What should i do?

 

thanks george, but i thought that attitude was more for if an OC or CA requests more information. Telecheck is like a CRA, right? If a CRA asked for my ss# i would feel obliged to give it to them. Is there any law or opion letter that states exactly what consumers are required to provide to CRAs when disputing a TL?

 

Re: Re: telecheck BS

HELL NO I'm not rolling over...

I agree that its BS to give them all this personal info, and that I need to tell them to do their own job, etc...

But look.... I just want to do this right, and not piss anyone off. IMHO, if I come off like miss know-it-all, sending some bitchy letter telling them how wrong they are or that I'm gonna sue, there's a good chance I could only make things worse.

I was thinking...I could just send a copy of my report, and send the last 4 digits of my SS#, and the little 'code' i got when my check was declined.

I feel like I should send them something because of this:

§ 611. Procedure in case of disputed accuracy [15 U.S.C. § 1681i]

(a) Reinvestigations of disputed information.

(3) Determination that dispute is frivolous or irrelevant.

(A) In general. Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a consumer reporting agency may terminate a reinvestigation of information disputed by a consumer under that paragraph if the agency reasonably determines that the dispute by the consumer is frivolous or irrelevant, including by reason of a failure by a consumer to provide sufficient information to investigate the disputed information.

 

Re: Re: telecheck BS

Butch, thank you so much. You always help me put things in perspective. i like this approach:

"Since this isn't mine how the hell should I know what acct./tracking number you need"?

heeehee.



it really does suck tho...i'll be giving them 15 more days to complete their 'investigation'. grrr.

 

Re: Re: telecheck BS

Here's my letter:
------------------------------
Dear Sir/Madame:

I received your request for more information. Enclosed is a copy of the Telecheck report I received from you, showing the incorrect negative information that needs to be investigated. It lists the name of a bank, (XXXX Bank) the amount allegedly owed, ($XXX.XX) and a date of XX-XX-XX. I have no idea what any of this information pertains to, as I have never had a bank account with XXXX Bank.

You asked me to provide my driverâ??s license number, social security number, and all the numbers at the bottom of my check. I realize that federal law assures the confidentiality of this information, however I have been the victim of identity theft in the recent past, and I would feel very uncomfortable giving out that much personal information to just any person who may read this letter. Furthermore, I am confused about exactly which check numbers you are requesting. My current checking account number has nothing to do with an alleged debt that supposedly occurred in 19XX. If you are asking for a checking account number that is connected to XXX Bank, I wouldnâ??t know those numbers, as that information was never mine.

I will give you the last four digits of my social security number (which is the same as my driverâ??s license number) so that you may be able to match them with the information you already have. They are XXXX. I believe those numbers, along with my name, address, and the details of the disputed information are sufficient for you to be able to locate my file.

You now have until XX/XX/03 to complete your investigation.

Best Regards,

Crowmom
-----------------------------------

question: should i include the last sentence or am i getting too "know-it-all-ish"?

 

Re: Re: Re: telecheck BS

just reporting. if they were collecting, I'd have a different attitude.

 

update

ok, now i'm not so sure they're only reporting. they very well may be trying to collect on this as well. They initially told me they weren't the collector for this account, but i dont trust 'em.

After I sent the above letter about not wanting to send them all that personal info, they sent me another letter telling me to call them. I just got it today, and they only had until December 9th to verify that I owe money to a nonexistant bank. (Even when it existed, I never had an account with them.) Anyway, this letter is from the 'senior research specialist, office of the president' and there is a direct phone number to her office.

should i call? or should i wait until after december 9 and write another letter telling them they did not verify and demand the TL be deleted?

if i do call, what information should/shouldnt I give them?

I sure would like to be able to write checks again. I'm starting to lose my patience with telecheck, and i'm afraid if i call, i will only get mad and hang up.

thanks for any input on this.

 

Re: update

<bump>

well, should i call or not? i still can't make up my mind. my first instinct was NO, but I'm afraid later, when i start demanding they remove the TL due to it not being verified in time, they'll come back with "you didn't provide enough information", and I'll have more fighting ahead of me.

If i call, I know they will ask for my SS#. I don't have to give it to them, do I?

If i call and simply tell them 'you have until tomorrow to verify' they might try harder than if i just don't call.

i'm on the fence here. tell me what to do.