Well, I wanted an exciting day...
Jul. 4th, 2009 11:14 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
zanSo, first of all, I wake up and it's REALLY hot in here. Apparently our AC isn't working properly. It should be 70-something and it's 80-something instead. Normally, this wouldn't be too bad, but it's monsoon season, which means humid heat.
Second, and this is the doozy, I got my mail this morning and found that I had a notice from the fraud protection service I've been using. It came through my bank and I got it for the credit report and decided to keep it in case any old debts came back to haunt me. This actually ended up happening, which makes me glad I got it. What makes me doubly glad is that when I opened the letter today, it said I have a past due account from Citi Cards. I've only ever had four credit cards and none of them were Citi.
Trying to get through their phone system was annoying. First they needed an account number and wouldn't do a 'dial 0 and get the operator'. I kept trying to track down another number and got zip. The 800 number for the fraud protection service was down because of the holidays, which meant that I couldn't get an account number from them.
Finally, I tried a few other tricks that I learned from my telemarketing days. Double 0 or # usually work. A single # brought me to touch-only service and a second # brought me to a customer service rep. I go through the 'I don't have an account here' and she goes 'yes, you do' and I give her my SSN and sure enough, she brings up an account. Then she asks for confirmation with my mother's maiden name. And here we get to the snag: it wasn't my mom's name. V-something. They wouldn't give me the complete name.
So I get sent through to the fraud department, only the transfer gets screwed up and I get disconnected and have to call back. Another hassle. This time, they tell me that while there is an account, it's not under my name.
Cue HUGE sigh of relief.
It means that I can dispute with the credit agencies just fine and all it'll take is time.
Second, and this is the doozy, I got my mail this morning and found that I had a notice from the fraud protection service I've been using. It came through my bank and I got it for the credit report and decided to keep it in case any old debts came back to haunt me. This actually ended up happening, which makes me glad I got it. What makes me doubly glad is that when I opened the letter today, it said I have a past due account from Citi Cards. I've only ever had four credit cards and none of them were Citi.
Trying to get through their phone system was annoying. First they needed an account number and wouldn't do a 'dial 0 and get the operator'. I kept trying to track down another number and got zip. The 800 number for the fraud protection service was down because of the holidays, which meant that I couldn't get an account number from them.
Finally, I tried a few other tricks that I learned from my telemarketing days. Double 0 or # usually work. A single # brought me to touch-only service and a second # brought me to a customer service rep. I go through the 'I don't have an account here' and she goes 'yes, you do' and I give her my SSN and sure enough, she brings up an account. Then she asks for confirmation with my mother's maiden name. And here we get to the snag: it wasn't my mom's name. V-something. They wouldn't give me the complete name.
So I get sent through to the fraud department, only the transfer gets screwed up and I get disconnected and have to call back. Another hassle. This time, they tell me that while there is an account, it's not under my name.
Cue HUGE sigh of relief.
It means that I can dispute with the credit agencies just fine and all it'll take is time.
