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Expert: Regan Shinski - 1/18/2010


Question
Hello,

About two years ago Citibank stated that my wife had a CC card bill with a 7K balance. After complaining and Telling Citibank that she didn't open the account she blamed me for opening the account in her name and preceded to pay them a set amount each month. About a year ago I received a letter from the FBI saying I was a victim of Identity theft and listed CC numbers that they said was compromised by the person(s) they have in custody. One of the CC numbers was the Citibank account. Is there any way we can or should try to recoup the funds she already paid to Citibank  (around 6k has been paid) ??

thanks you

Answer
Darrin:

I am so sorry you are in this position.  I would start with a few things:

1.  Contact Citibank and explain the situation.  Forward the FBI letter.  If they don't immediately help, formally dispute every charge that was not yours.

2.  Contact Visa, Mastercard, or Amercan Express - whichever it was - and do the same thing.

3.  Follow-up with law enforcement to see if the criminal has been apprehended.  Sometimes there is court-ordered restitution and punitive damages.

4.  Seek out victim advocacy groups relating to identify theft.  For example, one link is here:

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/help/it.htm

At first glance, it appears there may be some type of government programs to help.

Good luck,
Regan

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Regan Shinski

Expertise

I can answer questions on collections, repossessions, bankruptcy, credit repair, credit counseling, FICO scores, credit planning, and the cause and effect of credit related decisions. I can also answer questions on collection settlements and preparing to sue your creditors for false debts and credit credit reporting.

Experience

Fifteen years ago I was financially devasted due to severe health issues. I filed bankruptcy, had a foreclosure, car repossession, tax lien, and ruined credit. I immersed myself in credit law. I settled dozens of accounts and had them removed to improve my credit. I personally sued four creditors and collection agencies and won cash settlements for their false reporting on my credit reports. Since then, I have completely recovered and have nearly $100,000 in revolving credit lines and perfect credit. I have owned a credit repair company for the past five years and have an additional three years of specific work in the collections and debt management industry. I am fully versed in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Acts (FDCPA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and have used them successfully in collection settlements and lawsuits for myself and others. I am also familiar with and abide by the Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA). I have deleted or helped delete literally hundreds and hundreds of derogatory items from consumers' credit reports and helped negotiate many settlements with collection agencies and creditors. I have also advised people on bankruptcy at any stage. In the current credit market, I have successfully advised numerous people on how to obtain credit and how to negotiate for better terms.

Education/Credentials
BA University of Minnesota

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