riddler 0 #1 July 19, 2010 This one is new to me, so I'm wondering if anyone knows what the heck is going on? I've lived in my home for 11 years. A few months ago, I started receiving mail saying "Welcome to the neighborhood" for one Mr. Charles Garcia. He must have ended up on a mailing list claiming to have bought my house. My address, his name. No big deal. Over the weekend, I got a phone bill from Qwest (the local teleco), saying they had installed new phone service for Charles Garcia at this address. OK, now it's no longer a mistake - someone is definitely claiming my address as their own. I talked with Qwest this morning, and I ensured that "Charles Garcia" is not using my SSN, just the address. Who else should I contact to let them know that Charles Garcia does not live here? I could see this going so far as a debt that would attempt to place a lien on the property (although it wouldn't hold up in court, obviously). I'm just trying to save myself a future headache.Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butters 0 #2 July 19, 2010 I've been getting responses to my classified ads asking for my phone number and address from obvious scammers."That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,402 #3 July 19, 2010 Now if it had been Jerry Garcia, that would be more interesting. "There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
k-dubjumps 0 #4 July 19, 2010 You can call the credit bureaus and but a fraud alert on your SSN. It requires any issues to take extra steps to ensure you are actually the person applying for credit. Experian: 888-397-3742 Equifax: 800-685-1111 Trans Union: 800-888-4213Adrenaline is my crack DPH #3 D.S. #16 FAG #12 Muff Brother #4406 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riddler 0 #5 July 19, 2010 QuoteNow if it had been Jerry Garcia, that would be more interesting Sorry, Jerry, no vacancy - Elvis is already camping in my basement. I should add that about two weeks ago, I got a letter from a company that I purchased one item from. They said that they're database had been cracked and given to a third unknown person. The credit card info was encrypted, but the address info was not. I suspect it may have originated with that, but I don't know.Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TImBryant 0 #6 July 19, 2010 My wife is so afraid of scammers she wants to shred every little piece of junk mail we get just because of stuff like this... Couldn't someone just get an address from a phone book? What about by just driving by your house? What kind of damage can someone do to you by knowing and using your address?tagline..... what's a tagline? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nataly 38 #7 July 19, 2010 Clearly you have never dealt with debt collectors.. They harassed a friend of mine until he just about lost his mind - they once even came in and started grabbing some of his stuff trying to repossess his assets!! And they weren't even after him! According to my friend they were pretty aggressive and wouldn't leave him alone - he eventually moved apartments. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skyrider 0 #8 July 19, 2010 QuoteMy wife is so afraid of scammers she wants to shred every little piece of junk mail we get just because of stuff like this... Couldn't someone just get an address from a phone book? What about by just driving by your house? What kind of damage can someone do to you by knowing and using your address? Fake rental scams, and this sounds like one! First he sets up "his" name at the address, then list a phone number at said address, then puts out an add , to rent, asking that people not bother the present tenant...Collects first and last from as many people as he can...then disappears! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #9 July 19, 2010 Contact the post office, tell them he's not (and never has been) at that address, and ask them not to deliver mail addressed to him at your home. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CarrieByTheSea 0 #10 July 19, 2010 Quote My wife is so afraid of scammers she wants to shred every little piece of junk mail we get... Good for her. After removing names*, always shred and recycle. *Removal List: --Pre-approved Credit Card and Insurance Offers: Call 888-567-8688 (888-5-OPT-OUT) from your home telephone; it will be checked against an address database. Or visit www.optoutprescreen.com/. --List Brokers: Pooling information effortlessly gleaned from phone books, public records—including real-estate transactions, tax files, and birth certificates—and other sources, these companies prepare and sell mailing lists to all kinds of businesses. Write to each listed below, requesting that your name be removed from all of their mailing and telemarketing lists. Preprinted mailing labels to ease the task are available at www.fightidentitytheft.com/junkmail_labels.html. Dun & Bradstreet Customer Service 899 Eaton Avenue Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18025 Metromail Corporation List Maintenance 901 West Bond Lincoln, Nebraska 68521 R.L. Polk & Co. / Name Deletion File List Compilation Development 26955 Northwestern Highway Southfield, Michigan 48034-4716 Database America Compilation Department 470 Chestnut Ridge Road Woodcliff, New Jersey 07677 Acxiom U.S. To request an opt-out form be mailed to you, call 877-774-2094 or complete the request at Acxiom U.S's website. You will then have to fill out another form and mail it back as well. *Direct Marketing Association: The 5,200 member companies of this trade group use the telephone, mail, and the Internet to pitch their products directly to consumers, bypassing such intermediaries as traditional bricks-and-mortar retail outlets. The DMA regularly updates its list, but the companies it notifies to remove you may not be as prompt. Thus six months may pass before solicitations from all DMA members cease. *To stop receiving all mailings from DMA members, go to www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailing. Please note, “consumers” is plural in the address. Mail your request directly to: Mail Preference Service Direct Marketing Association P.O. Box 643 Carmel, New York 10512 *To stop telephone solicitations from DMA members with whom you do not have a current or past business relationship, visit www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offphone."Nature is cruel, but we don't have to be." ~ Temple Grandin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeJD 0 #11 July 20, 2010 QuoteClearly you have never dealt with debt collectors.. Agreed. Some of those 'debt recovery' firms are borderline criminal themselves. It's a good reason to nip any problems like this in the bud, because even though you might win out in the end there can be a lot of pain and anxiety along the way. To the OP: as well as contacting the firm directly, I'd make a point of returning to sender any future mail with this guy's name on it - clearly marked 'not known at this address.' I do shred anything that shows both my name and address, or at least separate the two - although this kind of information is freely available from sites such as 192.com, so I also try to be ex-directory as far as possible. I just don't believe in making life easy for these scumbags, and anyone I want to hear from has my contact details already. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #12 July 20, 2010 QuoteMy wife is so afraid of scammers she wants to shred every little piece of junk mail we get just because of stuff like this... We do have a cross shredder for our mail for this reason, pretty much."Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazon 7 #13 July 20, 2010 Quote Quote My wife is so afraid of scammers she wants to shred every little piece of junk mail we get just because of stuff like this... We do have a cross shredder for our mail for this reason, pretty much. I have a wood stove that all the trash mail goes into. NO ONE is putting any of that back together Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riddler 0 #14 July 20, 2010 Does anyone know why I would get "welcome to the neighborhood" junk mail for this guy? The only time I've ever gotten that is when I bought a house. Is it possible he took out a mortgage on my property? How would I find out?Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
monkycndo 0 #15 July 21, 2010 The "welcome to the neighborhood" is often a list generated by a change of address filed with the post office. I got a bunch of junkmail shortly after I moved the last time.50 donations so far. Give it a try. You know you want to spank it Jump an Infinity Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
headoverheels 292 #16 July 21, 2010 QuoteDoes anyone know why I would get "welcome to the neighborhood" junk mail for this guy? The only time I've ever gotten that is when I bought a house. Is it possible he took out a mortgage on my property? How would I find out? Hmmm... along that line: http://www.wsbtv.com/news/24311535/detail.html Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brettski74 0 #17 July 21, 2010 QuoteDoes anyone know why I would get "welcome to the neighborhood" junk mail for this guy? The only time I've ever gotten that is when I bought a house. Is it possible he took out a mortgage on my property? How would I find out? You can do a title search, but that will probably cost you a fee - perhaps $100-200 or so. That will show you the registered owner along with all encumbrances registered against the property such as mortgages, liens, clouds, etc. As far as I'm aware, any new encumbrances registered against the property would either require your signature, or cause a notice to be sent to you and any other party listed on title, such as a mortgagee, lien holder or cloud holder. Transfer of ownership would also require holders of such encumbrances to give you a discharge, first. Of course, there have been instances of title being transferred fraudulently which could bypass some or all of these obstacles. This is one of the reasons for title insurance now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #18 July 21, 2010 QuoteYou can do a title search, but that will probably cost you a fee - perhaps $100-200 or so A lot of US counties have this info on line for free nowadays. Not all of them. Worth checking out, though. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,402 #19 July 21, 2010 Try this: http://www.denvergov.org/tabid/37889/Default.aspx?link=http://www.denvergov.org/apps/realpropertyapplication/realproperty.asp&title=Real%20Property"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bertt 0 #20 July 21, 2010 How did Qwest install phone service without coming to the house? Did they assign a phone number that can be used to find Mr. Garcia? Have you contacted police to see if they have any interest in this? OK, I'm going to watch South Park now.You don't have to outrun the bear. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riddler 0 #21 July 21, 2010 QuoteHow did Qwest install phone service without coming to the house? I live in the city, in an older home. At any point, Qwest can activate phone service at my house with just a computer switch at their station. QuoteDid they assign a phone number that can be used to find Mr. Garcia? Nope - called their assigned phone number myself, and it was never "activated" by the owner. In other words, it rang until a message came on, saying this phone number has not been enabled by the owner. QuoteHave you contacted police to see if they have any interest in this? Nope. Not going to bother the police until I know for a fact that an actual crime has been committed.Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riddler 0 #22 July 21, 2010 QuoteTry this: Thank you! That was very helpful. I found my property, and nothing out of the ordinary is reported on it.Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #23 July 21, 2010 Quote Quote Try this: Thank you! That was very helpful. I found my property, and nothing out of the ordinary is reported on it. Yet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riddler 0 #24 July 21, 2010 Quote Yet. Phhbbbth! I haven't died yet, either, but I'm sure it will happen someday Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
