I just checked my credit report and score only to find that there is now a collection account for $94 on my report from National Recovery agency, a debt collector. I called to see who they were and what this collection account was for (as I owe no one anything and my score WAS perfect!) and was informed it was from COLUMBIA HOUSE cd/dvd club. The address they have on file that I supposedly received items at is a very old address and the timeframe (10 years ago) they said I received the items, I no longer even lived there.
Apparently someone at my old address recieved an offer in my name and took advantage of it, but never paid the bill (obviously) and so in 2006 the account was charged off by Columbia House and only now in 2011 reported to a collection agency.
I was informed by the collection agency that Columbia House didn't even need a social security number to be able to put this on my credit and ruin it. They are perfectly legally allowed to do what they did just by using a name and previous address on my report to "match" it up. I was also told that I would somehow have to "prove" that I did not recieve the items they are alleging I owe them for... How am I supposed to do that? I keep records for 7 years, this has been 10 years, so how am I to prove that I resided elsewhere at that time?
It should be illegal for Columbia House to ruin people's credit-worthiness with unverified claims that are impossible for us innocent people to prove otherwise. Columbia House allows people to receive items with no payment and they do not verify identities of thier "customers" allowing for others who intercept their mail offers to easily commit fraud and never be detected, while use innocent people get screwed in the end!
Way to go Columbia House... Thanks for effing up my credit!!!
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