Identity Theft. What Can I Do?

[westsubjohn]

I live in illinois. I am a victim of identity theft. I had a utility opened in my name by my former guardians when I was 15 years old. I am 18 now. A couple weeks ago I got the unpaid bill. Shouldn't the gas company have been able to link my social security number to my birth date? Is it legal to give a 15 year old a utility bill? had they caught this from the get-go, my credit wouldn't be destroyed and I wouldn't be spending hundreds of hours trying to deal with getting this fixed. Can I sue the gas company for allowing someone to steal my identity as a minor?

 

[DAD10]

01 Lure

It seems as if the guardians were acting in behalf of your interests, your 18. You can pay the bill yourself. Example: Lets say you had a verizon acct (online) and someone set up a sub email acct to illegally monitor your acct that would be something, or say they made charges on a credit card in you name with your info that would be something. Your situation sounds like your LEGAL Guardians were acting in the best interests for you.

 

[westsubjohn]

how could they at all be acting in my best interests? I had no knowledge and they have not paid the account. The gas company is going to send the 800 dollar bill that they put in my name to a collection agency. that does nothing for me

 

[DAD10]

Pay your bill. Your 18. It was for your Gas.

 

[MrJenkins]

Pay your bill. Your 18. It was for your Gas.

you're an idiot.

OP is stating that when he was 15, his legal guardians used his social security number/name and a different birth date to establish a utility(most likely natural gas) since he states it was a gas bill.

Legal guardians proceed to not pay the bill and they are now sending the 18yr old to collections. He had no part in them opening the account and would not be responsible. Sadly, this happens all the time when one parent(or both) are blacklisted due to previous unpaid utility bills.

I'd suggest contacting local police and filing a report, then sending that to the credit agencies and the gas company.

 

[Antigone*]

Pay your bill. Your 18. It was for your Gas.

I agree with Mr.Jenkins ~ you are ridiculous

OP file a police report as was already suggested. Write a letter to the gas company and include a copy of the police report. I'd go so far as to say who you lived with at the time. If the debt is on your credit report, dispute it with the CRAs. The gas company should remove the bill from your name and the CRAs should also do the same.