Can an individual obtain a credit report on another individual without consent?

[Callie25]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? TX

Last week I went to Credit Karma to obtain a credit report. This is not a service I have ever used in the past however someone has already set an account up under my social security number. When I tried to reset the password the email address was of course blanked out but showed the first letter of the email address and showed that it was a gmail account, again I have never used gmail so I know this is not my email address.

I did obtain my credit report through other avenues and it doesn't appear that anything has been added. I did contact Credit Karma to see if I could find out who it was and they said they could not release any information to me but if I do file a report they would be happy to provide the police with the ip address and email used to register for the account and they suspended the account.

I contacted the police to see if I could file a report and they said that since nothing was added to my credit that there was no harm done therefore they would not investigate it. Is this correct? Can anyone just use my social security number to look at my credit report anytime they want? I feel violated by this act and would like to find out who did this and press charges. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Proserpina]

How many people know your SS#?

 

[Callie25]

How many people know your SS#?

Not many, however my ex-wife had it memorized and I honestly wouldn't put anything past her at this point. The only thing is I don't know how to find out if it was her or if she has shared my SSN with others or if someone else has somehow gotten ahold of it and using it. Regardless of who it is I would like to press charges on them if I can.

 

[Proserpina]

Not many, however my ex-wife had it memorized and I honestly wouldn't put anything past her at this point. The only thing is I don't know how to find out if it was her or if she has shared my SSN with others or if someone else has somehow gotten ahold of it and using it. Regardless of who it is I would like to press charges on them if I can.

In other words, you don't know.

You can go ahead and make a police report, but you may find that the Prosecutor will decide not to act. It's even harder since you have no proof of anything.

 

[Callie25]

In other words, you don't know.

You can go ahead and make a police report, but you may find that the Prosecutor will decide not to act. It's even harder since you have no proof of anything.

Right I don't know. However, Karma Credit did say they can provide the police with the ip address, email address, and date time the account was created. I have contacted the police but they say since whoever it was didn't actually obtain any credit cards or anything they won't do anything. It's kinda scary knowing that anyone that might get a hold of your SSN can go get a credit report at any time without consequences. From everything I have read on identity theft and fraud anytime anyone uses someone's personal information to benefit themselves it is considered a felony. If it was in-fact my ex-wife to obtained my credit report she did so trying to get some sort of dirt on me before court therefore benefiting herself. Is this not illegal?

 

[Proserpina]

Right I don't know. However, Karma Credit did say they can provide the police with the ip address, email address, and date time the account was created. I have contacted the police but they say since whoever it was didn't actually obtain any credit cards or anything they won't do anything. It's kinda scary knowing that anyone that might get a hold of your SSN can go get a credit report at any time without consequences. From everything I have read on identity theft and fraud anytime anyone uses someone's personal information to benefit themselves it is considered a felony. If it was in-fact my ex-wife to obtained my credit report she did so trying to get some sort of dirt on me before court therefore benefiting herself. Is this not illegal?

But she hasn't gained anything and that's likely why local law enforcement can't really act. Given that IPs can be spoofed, I'm not convinced that's a valid route to begin with.

Now with that said - and you don't have to be overly specific - what's the court action for?

 

[Callie25]

But she hasn't gained anything and that's likely why local law enforcement can't really act. Given that IPs can be spoofed, I'm not convinced that's a valid route to begin with.

Now with that said - and you don't have to be overly specific - what's the court action for?

It's for custody of our child. She knows that I have an abundance of documentation against her and in my favor. She has nothing on me and is grasping for something.

 

[Ohiogal]

Since when is Callie a boy's name?

 

[Callie25]

Since when is Callie a boy's name?

Sorry wasn't aware that we had to use a name that specifies gender.

 

[Silverplum]

Prospective landlords and employers run credit reports. Did you consider those possibilities?

 

[Proserpina]

It's for custody of our child. She knows that I have an abundance of documentation against her and in my favor. She has nothing on me and is grasping for something.

Then rest assured, if this is all she has, she's got nothing.

Your finances can't be used against you but even if they could, ask yourself how she's going to get that admitted as evidence when she quite clearly had no right to gather that information.

Unclean hands and all that.

 

[Callie25]

Prospective landlords and employers run credit reports. Did you consider those possibilities?

It wouldn't be either and I'm fairly certain landlords and employers use a company to run background checks and don't go and set up an account with Credit Karma portraying themselves as the person the SSN belongs to.

 

[Callie25]

Then rest assured, if this is all she has, she's got nothing.

Your finances can't be used against you but even if they could, ask yourself how she's going to get that admitted as evidence when she quite clearly had no right to gather that information.

Unclean hands and all that.

I completely agree with you and nothing on my credit report could come close to comparing to the documentation I have against her. That isn't really a concern for me. However, how is it ok for her (if it is her) to just go an pretend to be me to set up accounts using my SSN to obtain personal and confidential information about me?

 

[cbg]

Not everything that is "not okay" is actionable, though. And not everything that is actionable is worth taking action on.

 

[You Are Guilty]

I completely agree with you and nothing on my credit report could come close to comparing to the documentation I have against her. That isn't really a concern for me. However, how is it ok for her (if it is her) to just go an pretend to be me to set up accounts using my SSN to obtain personal and confidential information about me?

It isn't. (Google "pretexting" under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act).

Only thing is I don't recall offhand what GLBA penalties are (or even if there is a private right of action), and I'm on a 2 minute break at work so someone else will have to do the research.