The long game

By Lost - This FML is from back in 2009 but it's good stuff - United States

Today, I got rejected for approximately the tenth credit card I've applied for, so I called a bank to find out why. Apparently I took out a car loan in 2004 and bought a house in 2006. I was 13 in 2004. The credit report does not have any records of this. Thank you identity theft. FML
I agree, your life sucks 53 138
You deserved it 2 710

Same thing different taste

Top comments

I don't know how it works in New York, but here each rejection costs you credit points, so you haven't been doing yourself any favours by applying so often. Then again, Identity Theft sucks, FYL

LadyKaya 0

Well, I'm sure if you tell them your age and prove it, they'll fix it...but hey, that still sucks.

Comments

vt_mruhlin 0

It seems like there should really be some legal consequences for creditors and reporting agencies who screw up this bad. I mean, checking the age that corresponds with a name and social security number shouldn't theoretically be that hard.

Now you know and can work at resolving it. Might not be easy, but certainly doable. Use your internet connection to find how to deal with it.

I doubt this for a couple reasons: 1. Loans and mortgages should always show up on a credit score. Since whoever bought them was using your identity, it would have been attributed to you, not them, and shown up on your score. 2. If you were 13 (or younger) when your identity was originally stolen, what exactly did you have that could be stolen? You were still a minor, which means that nobody - credit card companies, banks - would have entered into a contract with you. The only piece of information attached to your name would have been your social security number. And you wouldn't have had any reason - credit card applications, college applications, job applications, etc. - to use it. Which means that the likelihood of somebody managing to come across it was incredibly small, especially when compared to all of the people who throw their bank statements away without destroying them or use online accounts that have poor passwords.

You make good points, but I'm sure there is some way for somebody to steal the OP's identity. People have made up fake kids with social security numbers to cheat on taxes and I'm sure it's possible for somebody to pretend they were the OP and use the OP's social security number to "prove" it was not identity theft. It got through because the bank saw a middle-aged person and didn't think to investigate further.

I don't know how any of this works, so I won't say anything about your points. However, I *have* heard of cases where toddlers had their identities stolen, so it's not entirely possible for OP.

did you not read the Fml? it WAS on her score

Get a debit card (do they have them in America?) It takes out money from your bank account which you actually have, instead of charging the bank which could very well leave you with a huge bill to pay.

boatkicker 4

but it doesn't effect your credit score, which will be useful when OP does actually decide to buy a house or car. I've known people to get rejected for loans because of that. If you use and pay off your credit card, it builds your credit.

Yes there are debit cards in america -_-

Report the car stolen.....it's in your name. And evict the residents from "your" house..... You are now the proud owner of a house and car; not the best solution as ID theft does suck!!! Good luck with the bank and other agencies. PS. 52 trolls saying YDI?????

You sir, win the award for brilliant ideas.

Flamersplamer 0

not really, that is admiting ownership of the loans and makes it impossible to get it corrected.

True flamer.... but you have to admit, it would be funny to boot your theif out on the streets.

upyoursmo 0

if this really happened to you, sorry to hear. HOWEVER, how can an underage person buy a car or house? even with ID theft, how can they approve a house loan for someone who's only 15? this doesn't sound real to me.

As said above, alot of places don't bother checking the age.

OUCH! i know exactly how you feel! happened to me at age 14...only thing it was my mother who stole my identity.. i found out about it when i was 20, trying to buy my first brand new/used car. sucks. FML! & FYL!

even little kids can get identity theft, and then have terrible credit for the rest of their lives.

hairytoenails 0

ydi for owning a shrine dedicated to miley-cyrus-eating venus fly traps IN YOUR PANTS

#18 that is brilliant #24 you are a moron, go drink bleach and die in a hole please and thank you