Thanks, BunnyTVS. I’m in Canada, and I’m not sure about how the home address pertains to the credit bureau report, but I’m in the process of obtaining that, so we’ll see! I haven’t actually spoken with a live person at Equifax yet, but hope to tomorrow, and I’ll tell them what’s been going on.
I spoke with both Equifax and TransUnion today. They said not to worry if it’s someone else’s name - only things in your own name, using your date of birth, etc., can mess with your credit rating. Whew.
AFAIK, you can ask your post office to hold your mail. That’ll prevent any mailbox shenanigans. Of course, you’ll have to pick up your mail at the post office, but for most people once a week will do.
Well, sure. The credit people at the end of the phone at the jewelry store didn’t catch the scam, or the person phoning in the info didn’t want to lose a sale (comission, I would guess) by scrutinizing the ID too closely.
But that is the way credit (or credit fraud) works. You present enough “good” ID to the average undertrained cashier, who wants to ring up sales for his comission check, it gets approved* and out the perp goes with the swag. Its then somebody elses problems, Jack!
Being an “Type A” personality, and an Asshole, I used to take shit like that personally. If someone was ripping my employeer off, he was ripping me off ( in hindsight, a totally misguided philosophy. My employeer didn’t give a shit about me, even so far as to not pay me a living wage, let alone any consideration for my personal well-being or safety… but I digress) and I would stand them down and chase them out of the store! (Okay, It only happened twice!) But still.
Where was I? What point was I making?
Ah! Yes! Well, “Mark” most likely walked out of the jewelry store with a bunch of crap, and the net result is higher prices and interest rates for everyone else.
Moral: Be a better crook than everone else.