Translator
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Possible Mistaken Identity With Hospital Collection Agency?
midnightminy asked:
My aunt got a collection letter/bill today from a hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah and we live in New York. We have never been to Utah or a hospital there. I thought someone stole my aunt’s information and used it at a hospital in Utah. So we called the toll free # and they told us someone went to the ER in 2006 and never paid. So the hospital looked up the name in all of US and found my aunt’s name (which was the same exact one as the person who didn’t pay the ER bill) & found our address instead and sent the bill to us. We also found out that the birthdate (1936?) used was not the same as my aunt (1943). So the person told us to fax a letter of dispute verifying my aunt’s information. They also want my aunt’s social security #, I don’t think thats a good idea b/c they could again mistakenly link my aunt’s SSN w/the other person who didn’t pay in Utah. I want to help my aunt asap, just in case this is identity theft.
My question is how should I write this dispute letter?
the hospital doesn’t have the SSN of the person who didn’t pay in Utah, so I’m thinking thats why they found my aunt’s name & address and billed us.
Marla, the collection agency is the hospital in Utah, its not a separate collection agency
healthcare
<BR%20/>Tags: Identity Theft, Mistaken Identity, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake City Utah, Hospital Collection <BR%20/>My aunt got a collection letter/bill today from a hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah and we live in New York. We have never been to Utah or a hospital there. I thought someone stole my aunt’s information and used it at a hospital in Utah. So we called the toll free # and they told us someone went to the ER in 2006 and never paid. So the hospital looked up the name in all of US and found my aunt’s name (which was the same exact one as the person who didn’t pay the ER bill) & found our address instead and sent the bill to us. We also found out that the birthdate (1936?) used was not the same as my aunt (1943). So the person told us to fax a letter of dispute verifying my aunt’s information. They also want my aunt’s social security #, I don’t think thats a good idea b/c they could again mistakenly link my aunt’s SSN w/the other person who didn’t pay in Utah. I want to help my aunt asap, just in case this is identity theft.
My question is how should I write this dispute letter?
the hospital doesn’t have the SSN of the person who didn’t pay in Utah, so I’m thinking thats why they found my aunt’s name & address and billed us.
Marla, the collection agency is the hospital in Utah, its not a separate collection agency
healthcare
DO NOT give them any specific info. they have all the resources they need to track down or write off this claim. the burden of proof is on them. on admission to this ER they are required to get a signed consent–if that does not match your aunt, case closed. i had this same thing happen to me and all i did was tell them they were wrong when they called me twice, they read me the ss# of the party in question because i would not give them any of my info–all i said was that is NOT my number and i have never rec’d care in —-city.
by the way ER’s are now beginning to require picture ID’s at admit- Bravo!
DO NOT PROVIDE HER FULL SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER or it will end up linked to the file. Only provide the last four digits so they can compare it to the number they have on file. You don’t need a form letter, just explain that the bill does not belong to your aunt and that they should either cease collections or provide any evidence they have that in fact the bill belongs to her. SOmething similar happened to me before, and they never contacted me again after I set them straight.
DO NOT GIVE THEM ANY INFORMATION. You should rip up the letter and ignore them. They are fishing for someone to pay any bill. If you start acting as if it’s your problem, they will make it so. A company that has the nerve to just send a letter to anyone with the same name to NY from Utah is the most outrageous crooked collection agency you could read about. The idea that they think you should prove to them is a sign of a monster at large over in Utah. This is collection agency theft, not ID theft. They will put that SS# on that debt and call back saying the person now has the same SS#. If you have time, go to findlaw.com and read some of the FDCPA cases against collection agencies. You will think your reading a crime novel.
you have very specific rights under the law. do not provide any additional information to the collection agency. DO NOT speak to them by phone and do not give them your phone number. All you do is this: write a letter in the format recommended by the FTC (who regulates these agencies) using the link below. I did this for an item incorrectly reported on my credit and it got removed. Medical billing is especially easy to have removed from your credit. Just don’t provide any details that is up to the hostpital and I can promise you they will fail. Once that happens if they still put this on your aunt’s credit report just start sending letters to all three credit bureaus and they are obligated to remove it.