Expert: Apex Credit Services, LLC - 12/9/2008

Question
Hi, I'm in need of advice. About six monthes ago I went through the grueling process of trying to remove 4 bad items from my credit report. The bad part was most of them wern't my bad debts, they were items that my (now deceased) grandfather racked up. He has the same name as me, and used my social security number to rack up electric bills and phone bills etc. One was mine, unpaid to a bank. Anyways, I figured my best bet to get rid of these with the least headache was to just pay them, so I got my *free annual credit report* and paid the majority of them. I tried to dispute one because it was clearly not mine (an electric bill from a city I do not live in under a different name then mine) I got a letter from experian that it was in dispute. I checked with all of the collections agencies after I paid the debts and they said items would be reported paid to the credit agencies (Experian, TransUnion, Equifax) except the one that was still in dispute. So I moved on in life thinking my headache was over. WRONG. I find out yesterday as I'm aplying for a loan that I still have two negitive reports on my credit file. One of them the bank (that I paid, I still have a zero balance sheet showing it paid) and the other the electric bill that I had disputed. Apparently, Experian found it valid and kept it on my account?!?! I'm pretty sure the bank thing I can fix easily by hounding the collection agency that is trying to collect, but what do I do about the Electric bill, for some reason they still think it's mine even though I have proof I live in another city, and it was under a different name! How can they dispute that and still find it valid? Can I ask for proof that it is mine? What compounds the issue is you never speak to a person. Please Help!

Answer
Thomas:

   Experian can be very frustrating.  At Apex Credit Services, LLC we often help identity theft issues.  It seems that however, you've already tried your hand at that and now have viable FCRA claims against both the debt collector and Experian and FDCPA claims against the debt collector.  Accordingly, I'd advise you to consult an attorney in your state.  If you're in Tennessee, consult Barnette Law Offices, LLC and Jason Barnette.

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