Identity Protection, Collections, and Privacy

[treehugger1]

Wow!

I recently received a duning letter from local CA that stated they were enclosing debt validation. They clearly state they have been "assigned" the debt. I called the OC for the alleged debt and asked who the debt had been assigned to. The company they gave me is not the company that dunned me and provided what they claim is validation.

The local CA included what appears to be an application for credit for the alleged debt. They had "blacked out" my SSN and other credit accounts, but anyone with even piss-poor vision could see these numbers!

I have decided to submit all information to both the county DA's office and the state office of the U.S attorney general, along with my complaint and request for action.

I am all but sure that in any privacy policy with alleged creditor there is a statement that NO non-public information can be shared without a court order. Not only does the local CA have such information (alleged OC stated the account had been assigned to a different CA,) but they claim they have been assigned the debt. I'm sure that what has happened is that the out-of-state CA contracted with the local CA and the "validation" came through the out-of-state CA, not the OC who agreed to protect my privacy.

I'll keep you informed. Perhaps, the transfer of ID info from CA to CA is ripe for criminal violations under state and federal laws. I wonder if there are any court cases related to violation of "privacy policies" and/or potential identity theft related to the illegal transfer from 3rd to 4th party collection firms.

[AngelinaCatHub]

Hey Treehugger, long time no see: I believe you are onto a phishing scheme. Anyone could go to PACER and pull the Matrix and claim they were a CA. You were smart, and many would fill in all that stuff and send it back due to fear. Good for you, and you did the right thing.

Why not put up an advice and perhaps it could become a "sticky". 'Hub

[treehugger1]

It all suggests some very interesting questions in my mind.

1) If a CA who represents the debt under assignment from the original creditor, and reassigns the debt to a 4th party also passes personal identity information to the 4th party, who/what protects the consumers identity and privacy rights?

2) What happens when a CA who has purchased a debt, then sells the debt to a JDB. Is it legal to pass on information that may may compromise the consumer's identity? What do the privacy laws have to say about debt collection? Has anyone ever received an acknowledgement of their privacy rights from a debt collector or JDB? It seems every other business is now required to do so; banks, CC's, hospitals, doctors, dentists, utility companies, phone companies, etc. What about CA's? How do identity and privacy laws apply to them?

I just think this is all very interesting! I intend to do a bit more reading into state and federal privacy rights. If you think about this, how many folks who have had their debts sold, resold, assigned, and reassigned now have a trail of potentially all of their identity information scattered across the country?

[BigJohn]

I question the practice of sending data on our identites to such countries as India and the Philipines. Not too long ago, Thailand was making some of the US passport.

[AngelinaCatHub]

I question the practice of sending data on our identites to such countries as India and the Philipines. Not too long ago, Thailand was making some of the US passport.

This makes no sense to me. If I were to post or use a person's protected information for my own use, this Govmint would hang me by the mainsail yard by my petard. Yet this information now goes to Russia, a major phishing site as well as R. China. I really do not believe there are any secrets here. On news just minutes ago, armaments meant to fight the Taliban, was sold to the Taliban, and more of Clinton's documents were suddenly missing. (You know, the Pres that sold to China a way to guide atomic missiles).

If it is money these jerks want, 'Bammy is ruining our financial system and the paper it is printed on China now has the formula. If it is power, they have it now, but one day, people will become wise enough to take their rhetorical pitchforks to Washington D.C. 'Hub

[BigJohn]

A lot of companies are now having their payroll and accounting done in India. Along with these outsourcing goes a lot of confidential information. Should foreign companies have this information - No!, but they already have it.

[catleg]

I have been getting CA calls from some very earnest sounding female collector with United Recovery (for Citi) who seems to have an awful lot of information about me and my habits. She has been asking me "did you buy a car in Nov 08", "why are you still paying your exxon mobil card", stuff like that which was obviously mined from credit reports and somehow summarized for them to use. It's a little disturbing. I guess when you go bad on them you have to get used to your life being an open book.

[dingdong]

petard. 'Hub

Hub, is a "petard" what I think it is?


Thats funny if it is, perfect word for it!

Whoops, just Googled "petard", sorry I have a dirty mind!