AudioEdit: Consumerist.com Fears Identity Theft

Image courtesy of We saw a credit card on our credit report that we had no idea about. We called up Bank of America.

We saw a credit card on our credit report that we had no idea about. We called up Bank of America.

Besides being transferred between four different people and Bank of America being closed yesterday, this was actually a pretty painless process. Keisha is nice, informative, and swift.

Now, though, we’ll see how good they are at getting this removed.

Transcript after the jump.

Related: What To Do When Your Identity Is Stolen

BOA: Thank you for calling Bank of America. For service quality review purposes, this call may be randomly monitored or recorded.

KEISHA: Bank of America member services, this is Keisha, how may I help you?

CONSUMERIST: Hi Keisha, I am Ben Popken and I am trying to find out about this card that I found on my credit report that I’m not aware of.

KEISHA: Ok, what’s your social?

SFX: Blooooooop.

KEISHA: And does it say single account, joint, or authorized user?

CONSUMERIST: It says authorized user.

KEISHA: OK that means you’re on someone else’s account, do you know who else’s account you could be on?

CONSUMERIST: Oh, um, no. I mean, I even asked my parents about it and, they said they had no idea.

KEISHA: And you’re not aware of anyone else who might have put you on there?

CONSUMERIST: I can’t think of anyone who would’ve.

KEISHA: Ok, what you can do then is fax in a credit dispute and we can um verify with the credit bureau the credit it’s reporting and get it removed from your account. From your file, I’m sorry.

CONSUMERIST: Ok, how do I go about doing that?

KEISHA: Ok, the fax number’s 336-805-1067, and just um attach a copy of your credit report, just the page that has the account on it and put a put a note on it to remove from Trade Blarg because you’re not aware of the account as an authorized user.

CONSUMERIST: Remove from what?

KEISHA: From Trade line. From your trade line.

CONSUMERIST: Trade line?

KEISHA: Mhmm. And make sure your name, current address and current phone number are on there.

CONSUMERIST: Name, address, and phone number…

KEISHA: And is your social on your credit report?

CONSUMERIST: Umm…

KEISHA: Because we’ll need that too.

CONSUMERIST: I’ll put that there too.

KEISHA: Alright so just fax that in to us and we’ll get that removed for you.

CONSUMERIST: Ok.

KEISHA: If you need a confirmation letter, just put that on there, just state on there somewhere that you need a confirmation.

CONSUMERIST: Ok.

KEISHA: Ok?

CONSUMERIST: Just out of curiosity, how else would someone have put me on there as an authorized user?

KEISHA: Well, authorized users, you don’t have to um sign and you don’t have to report a social, they usually just report it by name. Basically when people add you it’s supposed to build up your credit. Um, but if you’re not aware of it, we can have it removed.

CONSUMERIST: Ok.

KEISHA: Ok?

CONSUMERIST: I mean, is there any situation where it would be to someone’s advantage to add me as a user?

KEISHA: Not really. It’s basically to your advantage if they have good credit.

CONSUMERIST: Ok. Do you have any idea why someone would have done this?

KEISHA: No, people call in and say, “I want to add this person and then they can access my account,” and then we send a card for that person. You’re not legally responsible as far as if they went past due or they got charged off you would have to pay for the balance, no, only a co-applicant has to do that. But an authorized user is not responsible.

CONSUMERIST: So, somewhere someone went nuts–

KEISHA: (Chuckles).

CONSUMERIST:– and pulled my name out of a hat, basically.

KEISHA: Could be, or whoever added you on, it’s just reporting for their account. And that will be in the confirmation and they’ll tell you the fact that it was removed.

CONSUMERIST: Will they, in the confirmation letter, disclose who the other person on the account was?

KEISHA: They may or may not, or they’ll just give you the full account number and you can call back and see whose account it was.

CONSUMERIST: I see. Ok.

KEISHA: Ok, you’re welcome, you have a good day, bye.

Note: Thanking Keisha and saying goodbye got cut off in the recording.

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