Last year, I became a victim of bank fraud when one of my business checks, sent by a client via US mail, was intercepted. While I was investigating the missing payment with my client, the fraudster had somehow opened a bank account in my business’s name, using my personal information, and deposited the stolen check.
Fortunately, I had credit monitoring through CompleteID, which alerted me to a new account opened in my name with my date of birth. Initially, I didn’t connect the missing check to the alert, but I acted quickly, calling the bank within 30 minutes of receiving the notification. I provided all the required details (name, SSN, address, etc.), and they assured me they would look into it.
A couple of days later, my client confirmed that the check had been cashed, and the bank details they provided matched the alert from my credit monitoring service. That’s when I realized I was dealing with identity theft. I immediately called 911, gathered all the necessary details, and filed a police report. For the next few months, I worked with the client and their bank to recover the stolen funds—a long, stressful ordeal that I hope to never repeat.
I also reached out to the bank that had opened the fraudulent account, requesting an investigation and for them to close the account. Despite multiple phone calls and letters, I never received a response. Finally, after recovering my funds, I received a statement from the bank charging me a maintenance fee for the fraudulent account. Now, I’m facing collections for an amount of $112.
While I don’t want to pay this fee on principle, I don’t have the time to deal with this as I travel frequently and struggle to manage all correspondences in a timely manner. I’m seeking advice on my options for dealing with this collection.
Fortunately, I had credit monitoring through CompleteID, which alerted me to a new account opened in my name with my date of birth. Initially, I didn’t connect the missing check to the alert, but I acted quickly, calling the bank within 30 minutes of receiving the notification. I provided all the required details (name, SSN, address, etc.), and they assured me they would look into it.
A couple of days later, my client confirmed that the check had been cashed, and the bank details they provided matched the alert from my credit monitoring service. That’s when I realized I was dealing with identity theft. I immediately called 911, gathered all the necessary details, and filed a police report. For the next few months, I worked with the client and their bank to recover the stolen funds—a long, stressful ordeal that I hope to never repeat.
I also reached out to the bank that had opened the fraudulent account, requesting an investigation and for them to close the account. Despite multiple phone calls and letters, I never received a response. Finally, after recovering my funds, I received a statement from the bank charging me a maintenance fee for the fraudulent account. Now, I’m facing collections for an amount of $112.
While I don’t want to pay this fee on principle, I don’t have the time to deal with this as I travel frequently and struggle to manage all correspondences in a timely manner. I’m seeking advice on my options for dealing with this collection.
Statistics: Posted by destiny — Sat Dec 21, 2024 11:54 am — Replies 3 — Views 91