I recently found out that I had a $995.00 bill from a doctor that i have NEVER even met. The physician's office reported it to a collection agency, and the doctor will take no responsibility, of course. The collection agency basically tells me, "tough luck, pay it." I have told them that I will not pay for something I didn't do. I have tried dealing with the doctor and the bill collector, but they tell me there is nothing they can do to help me. Is this true? The incident occurred in 2001 and I just became aware of the problem. I would greatly appreciate some help with this matter. Thank you for your help!
Answers:
It sounds like you were the victim of identity theft.
From the website below, here are measures you can taken directly from the FBI's website:
"If You are a Victim of Identity Theft
These steps are among those that should be completed by persons who believe they have been the victim of an identity theft:
鈥?Contact the fraud departments for the three major credit bureaus to place fraud alerts on your credit file in order to reduce your risk of further victimization.
鈥?Obtain and review a current copy of your credit report to determine whether any unknown fraud has occurred--(You will need to more closely monitor your credit going forward as some identity thefts can continue for extended periods of time).
鈥?Contact the account issuer(s) where fraudulent accounts have been opened or where your accounts have been taken over--Ask for the fraud/security department and notify them both via telephone and in writing.
鈥?Close all tampered or fraudulent accounts.
鈥?Ask about the existence of secondary cards.
鈥?Contact your local police department and file a police report.
鈥?Notify the police department in the community where the identity theft occurred, if it is different from your own.
鈥?Obtain copies of any police reports filed.
鈥?Keep a detailed log of who you talked to and when, including their title, phone number, and other contact information.
鈥?Contact the Federal Trade Commission's Identity Theft Clearinghouse and file an identity theft complaint at www.consumer.gov. Those complaints are utilized by law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, that investigate identity theft. You can also obtain additional information at that website regarding your rights as a victim."
You can report the identity theft at:
- www.IC3.gov
http://www.fbi.gov/publications/financia...
As for disputing the debt (not from the above website, my person opinion.
File the fraud claim with the FBI (only if you are absolutely certain that a fraud occurred, if you or your family were involved in a car accident or had any major operations that year there is the possibility that there could have been other Dr.'s involved in ER treatment or surgery and their office staff screwed up the paperwork) and send a copy to both the Dr. and collection agency.
Continue to dispute the amount in writing (don't deal with them over the phone anymore, indicate any future dealings need to be sent to you via written correspondence) and be certain to reitterate the doctor's office/collection agencies failure to meet due diligence requirements in trying to contact you within a reasonable period of time, which 6 years is not and is nearing the statue of limitations in most states where they could sue you, in which you could dispute the claim and file a report with the FBI so the person that committed the fraud could more easily criminally and civilly pursued.
Talk to your insurance provider, and if they don't help, ask to speak to their manager and keep working right up the ladder, if they don't help, or say they can't, let the head honcho know you are going to file a lawsuit against the matter and see what they say then. If you can prove it wasn't you that seen the doctor for that bill, then they CAN NOT legally make you pay for it.
You need to get in touch with the Credit bureaus, all three. Trans union, experion and I cant think of the other one. Let them know you were fraudulently billed and they can take the charge off. It happened to me with my identity. Someone stole my DL and used it to get two cell phones and racked up over a thousand in calls. They will help you through it. Good luck.
Bull. Go to the doctor again and say "pull up my file" I want to know my blood type, color of my eyes, height, weight. That info is going to be different than what is standing in front of you"who is me"right now. Want to try to explain that in court?
So you doctor, looked at somebody else.
That is my first response.
The doctor could send bills to anyone just to get money without seeing anyone.
Since the doctor thinks the patient is you, request copies of all medical records. There should be information in there that would contradict your actual status.
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