Someone opened a discover credit card account back in 1989 with my SS# I just got a collection letter.?

Saying I owe them almost $8400.00 I had an account with $0 balance which I closed years ago. I got my discover card in 1997. How can I have 2 accounts? They say I opened one 1989. They have 2 different account numbers. The orignal account was opened in 1989 and was being used until 1998. PS the collection agency that sent the letter is National ActionFinancial Services, Ltd. Very rude people I wanted to dispute and they hung up on me? I need free legal help Please....Any suggestions? Please

Public Comments

1. Try to get proof and mail it to them..
2. write them a letter to investigate. im sure whoever it was didnt use your mailing address, hopefully not even in the same town.
3. Call the credit card co. This sounds like a case of identity theft. They should have a record of when you closed your account.
4. You can dispute it. They could be wrong too, contacting you because your name is the same as someone else's. This happened to my husband and it turned out not to be under his ss# after all. I guess they found him in the phone book or something. If you are a victim of identity theft, it will ruin your credit anyhow. Just fight it and try not to lose sleep.
5. Never heard of that collection agency. Lots of red tape to prove you didn't open that account. The easiest way is to have them compare the signature on the credit application to your signature. Oh, and you can have two accounts with one credit card company. If the collection agency hung up on you, they may not be a very reputable agency. Check them out with the Better Business Bureau.
6. Request a copy of your credit report for starters. The goof bags that are trying to collect may have the wrong person. Good luck, I had a SS card stolen from the mailbox and I'm still waiting for my big surprise.
7. They have to prove you owe the debt. Tell them to prove it and if they keep hassling you tel them you wil see them in court!
8. First I would pull all your credit reports, I would then go over them with a fine tooth comb, making notes of anything YOU don't know about. Then contact the agencies to correct it, It sounds as if you may be the victim of identity theft, or the "National Action Financial Services" is a scam and they were just trying to get you to pay. Contact Discover, give them the info you have and request a DETAILED Billing History and Statement of all purchases and Payments. I would look in your local phone book for an attorney who specializes in Identity Theft and ask for an Appointment, most times the first appt is free. GOOD LUCK
9. Dispute it thru the credit bureau. The have 30 days to respond if the account is even yours. Try experian the work quickest to resolve problems.
10. 1st , unless the account was used in the last 7 years, it would be past the statute of limitations . . . But , you must go to your local PD with a written notice of the stolen discover account ( I got a call from a gym company but I think they were shopping for info to DO ID theft - I hung up on them) A real existing overdue would show on the annual credit report you get. With a printed copy of the Discover account you can make an ID theft report to the police , Then you mail a copy of it to the credit bureau and the company that issued the card to the thief. It takes about 90 days for the credit bureaus to clear all their records. I notify the company that gave the thief an account as a courtesy , but I only care about the credit bureau. If the credit bureaus are clear , I do not worry about some greedy slacker company that gives thieves accounts.
11. That collection agency was one I just ran across on the first below link that has federal action pending against it. I might also add that Discover can be a very difficult company to deal with when it comes disputing items or trying to have them remove an erroneous or incorrect information and trade lines from your credit report. I'm adding two links that hopefully you will find useful. Good luck
12. See this web-site it may help you http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/
13. your one of the 10 million per year that fall victim to ID THEFT. here is the info you need to take care of it. 1) run a free credit report from each agency (your allowed one free one per year, per agency). you need to know, so you need to get them. 2) if ID Theft has occured, you need to make a police report first. the rest of what you need to do, is listed in the links below (with GREAT info too). 3) some states allow you to 'lock' or 'freeze' credit reports; to protect against theft. if your state allows it, lock 'em down. that way, no one can open an account on them. 4) once you discover their credit reports have activity on them, then contact each credit reporting agency (the 3 major ones) and report the ID Theft... and request the lock on the reports (usually they automatically do it, but ask for it anyway). ID THEFT HELP/ INFO http://www.idtheftcenter.org/index.shtml http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/ http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/credit/index.html http://www.fraudguides.com/consumer-identity-theft-children.asp http://www.ripoffreport.com/ http://www.fightidentitytheft.com/ http://www.ncpc.org/media/current.php https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/widtpubl$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU03 http://www.myidfix.com/ CREDIT REPORT INFO / REPAIRS http://www.kiplinger.com/columns/starting/archive/2007/st0221.htm http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/cc/20040116b1.asp https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/helpfaq http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/forms/credit-report-error-fix.asp http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/bankruptcy/20070313_credit_report_stains_a1.asp http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/forms/credit-report-error-fix.txt http://bankrate.com/ TO ORDER A FREE CREDIT REPORT (all three are free once a year) NEW LAW: FREEZE YOUR CREDIT REPORT (NJ)!! (state.nj.us/dobi/creditfreeze.htm) Equifax P.O. Box 740241 Atlanta, GA 30374 www.equifax.com 1-800-685-1111 _______________ Experian P.O. Box 19719 Irvine, CA 92623 www.experian.com 1-888-397-3742 _______________ TransUnion P.O. Box 2000 Chester, PA 19022 www.transunion.com 1-800-916-8800
14. First, go to the annual credit report and get a copy of your credit report and see if it is on there. (link below to get it). If it is there, file a dispute on this account stating that it is not yours. Make sure you look the report over carefully because it might not state Discover if the collection agency is the one that filed it with the credit reporting agencies. It also might be on there more than once, from Discover and again from the collection agency. You want to dispute anything related to this card. Next, if the collection agency calls you again, tell them to send you proof that it's your account, in writing and that you will only deal with them in writing and not to call your phone number again. It is entirely possible that this card does not have your SS number on it. It might be someone with the same name and the collection agency just found you and decided you might be the same person. But you need more info and don't drop this. If it is being reported on your credit file, it can screw up your credit. All collection agencies are totally rude so don't even worry about that part. Some people (not you) really are deadbeats and really don't pay their bills. Rude collection agencies is about the only way they can get some of them to pay what they owe.
15. 1989?? That's waaay past the statute of limitations. Something isn't right here. First thing is it's the collection company's burden to provide you proof the debt is valid. If all you received was a phone call that isn't good enough. If they call again demand evidence, not just a threat. Chances are you won't hear from them again.