| Robert B. Gamble is an Electrical Engineer currently working for the U.S. Navy
at The Naval Air Warfare Center in Lakehurst. Robert also is one of the editors
of Scott Bilker's best-selling book,
Credit Card and Debt
Management. You can find out more about Robert at his web site
rbgamble.com. |
Several weeks ago I received a bill from
Target Credit. I knew I did not apply for such a card, so I called
the number related to the $160 worth of items charged and listed on the bill.
They told me the items were shipped to someone in New York. Well, I
was not about to pay for something I did not order, or receive, and
I was not about to pay for a credit card that I did not even apply
for.
I called Target, and came to find out that
someone had signed up for the card, they had my name, my social
security number, and my address, however the address had the wrong
street number.
 Needless to write, I told them to cancel the
card and I filed a fraud report. Three months later, I am still
receiving evidence that the thieves are still trying to use the
card. Target assures me that they have canceled the card, and are
not accepting any more charges. They assure me that their fraud
department is handling it.
Thank you (Scott) for my Capital One
card. Last week,
I received a call from Capital One to verify if I truly wanted
another Capital One Card. They noticed that the new application was
to some address in West Virginia, and they wanted to confirm that I
wanted the new card.
They provided Capital One my name, and my SSN
and the new address. I told them no, and they told me I should
contact the three different credit report companies and put a
statement in that would require the credit report companies to
contact me when any new credit cards are applied for. Kathy (the
Capital One person) gave me the phone numbers for the three credit
report companies and suggested I call them ASAP.
As soon as I hung up, I called them. The three
companies are:
 |
Experian (888) 397-3742 |
|
|
Trans Union
(800) 680-7289 |
|
|
EquiFax, Phone
# from the Credit Report - (866) 233-3780
Address:
Equifax Information Services,
P.O. Box 740256, Atlanta, GA 30374-0256
or, Could not speak to anyone
(800)
685-1111 or (800) 270-3435
or, for online help
(888)
532-0179
Fax machine number
(888)
729-0083 |
|
|
I was able to contact Experian & Trans
Union and speak to a live person. They helped me file the necessary
information, and said I would receive a letter within 10 days.
EquiFax, only has an automated number which wants to charge $39.95 a
month for their protection service.
I have not contacted the number
from the credit report that I received last month (Just by chance I
ordered a Free report which came from EquiFax).
While the credit report does not show the Target card, or any other
card I don't know about, I still want to call and file the fraud
report to require contacting me before issuing any new cards.
I hope this helps you and your readers, and
again thanks for the Capital One card.
--End--
|
