Woman mistakenly declared dead by credit reporting agency
Filed under: Identity Theft, Consumer Ally, Credit Reports
Anne Howe is not dead, but her credit report said otherwise. So, as far as the bank refinancing the mortgage on her Bothel, Wash., house was concerned, there would be no loan. After all, she was dead. If you're dead you don't have a credit score. Without a credit score you don't have a loan.Never mind that Howe was a regular at the bank, had an active account there and signed a notarized statement that read: "The report of my demise is inaccurate information."
"I just said, 'What? What are they talking about?' I said, 'I'm certainly alive. My doctor knows I'm alive," Howe told KGO-TV in San Francisco.
Howe's daughter Julie Kerr of Napa, Calif., turned to KGO-TV 7 On Your Side consumer reporter Michael Finney to see if he could bring her back to life on paper. You'd think being alive would be enough. But it wasn't that simple.
"I have to say that you don't hear that very often, where people are being reported deceased when they're not," consumer credit counselor Dan Parrish told KGO.
It turned out that the bank that issues the Lowe's store credit card had reported to credit reporting agency Experian that her account was closed because of a clearly premature report of her death.
After Finney spoke with Bank of America, the bank extended the rate lock on her loan as Howe worked to bring herself back to life. Finally, the bank that issued the Lowe's credit card wrote a letter to Experian and Howe was alive again. Her loan was also approved.
MoreOli Scarff, Getty Images
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
2-16-2010 @ 7:10AM
Michele said...
Some people are idiots. My daughter was told by the IRS that a woman had been using her social security number for years, they also had her name and where she worked, but said they couldn't do anything about it.
Reply
3-01-2010 @ 4:43PM
Mike said...
Michelle, what you describe is Social Security Identity Theft. Most Americans only (mis)understand Financial ID Theft. www.mikepriganc.com has information - and offers a plan for sale (full disclosure!) - about all FIVE forms of ID Theft. ID Theft can NOT be prevented entirely. Having Restoration Benefits available is crucial. Let experts do the work for you. Also, check out "ID Theft, The Personal Guide" at Amazon - written by my nephew, Mark Priganc, again, full disclosure - it has an amazing amount of information about the problem and solutions. Good luck!
2-16-2010 @ 11:53AM
Al Schrader said...
There is a story but no comment section on here about a Fat Movie Director that got thrown off a plane for being too fat. I worked for McDonnell Douglas for 19 years and I've invented a new Fat Plane for fat people. It has extra wide everything: seats, aisles, doors, restrooms, etc. No steps, instead has a power lift from tarmac to cabin door. Plus a special galley with pizza oven & shake machine. A very nice plane. Email me with your aircraft order...alfredschrader @ aol.com
2-16-2010 @ 12:13PM
BHimchak@aol.com said...
Michele: If I were your friend....I'd SUE the IRS for gross negligence for violation of the Privacy Act because they KNEW about it. Yes, they have the obligation and due diligence to report fraudulent activity and the only way they get away with garbage is by them trying to get YOU to believe their garbage.
Find an Attorney....Sue them in Federal Court for damages and gross negligence and Violation of the Privacy Act
2-16-2010 @ 7:48AM
BEV said...
Michele: I would think the IRS would be very concerned if someone is using anothers ss number. Hope your daughter went to see a lawyer. This person might also have used the ss number for other things. Have your daughter check credit bureaus and let them know the ss number has been compromised.
Reply
2-16-2010 @ 10:49PM
Mike said...
Bev: You would think the IRS would be concerned but, what if they are receiving taxes (at least FICA) from 3, 4, 5 or more sources all for the same tax ID. They only honor 1 refund request! AND, it bring major problems to the real owner because the IRS may be looking for taxes due on the sum of all the income under that number. In most cases of this nature, the fake users aren't having adequate taxes withheld to start with. Major Problem! www.mikepriganc.com
2-16-2010 @ 7:57AM
Scott said...
If you look at the report in the article, it is NOT Experian that is reporting her as DEAD. It is GE Money Bank (Lowes). Don't blame Experian. However, BOA should have realized that if only one creditor is reporting her as DEAD, then there maybe (must be) an error. BOA should have just completed the refinance loan. This is not a typical fraud type situation. She probably wasn't getting any cash out anyway.
Reply
2-16-2010 @ 8:10AM
John said...
Sorry Scott,
It is Experian for accepting an unverified report by one of it's clients which damaged an individual.
They are aidng and abetting a fraud by one of their clients (nothing new in the banking and credit reporting agencies) and should be held liable for damages.
Reply
2-16-2010 @ 8:18AM
angela clark said...
OMG! I am reported dead on my credit report, too. I file a dispute and Equilax responded "According to our investigation (?), the information reported is accurate". I filed another dispute and am still waiting to hear if I'm "alive".
Reply
2-16-2010 @ 8:35AM
TTREXXX said...
I WAS OUT OF WORK FOR A YEAR AND VERIZON HAD ME LISTED AS DECEASED,BUT THEY STILL PAYED ME EVERY WEEK..lol I WENT BACK TO WORK AND THEY COVERED IT UP.
Reply
2-16-2010 @ 10:53AM
MrDoughnut said...
You were out along time an didn't learn to spell? What were you doing during all that time?
2-16-2010 @ 12:21PM
kristi said...
what did they mispell? i don't think you are one to talk since "along" is improper grammer. I should be a 'long' time. duh
2-16-2010 @ 8:44AM
LEG said...
It goes to show you that these institutions are quick to report something that is negative, but VERY slow to report a positive or to adjust an error in a timely fashion.
There are many more errors being made due to companies drastically cutting back on their staff and therefore increasing the work load on those who have managed to hang on to their jobs.
With this economy and the fact that our credit ratings has a direct impact on our quality of life, it's imperative for these companies to be extremely accurate in terms of reporting financial data.
Reply
2-16-2010 @ 9:05AM
melissa said...
the same thing happened to my husband recently. One of his credit card companies (FIA card services) reported him as deceased. Evidently some complete idiot who works there mistyped a social security number. It's unbelievable that there are no checks and balances for something like that. All 3 credit reporting companies just take the word of one card company? Also, FIA would not lift a finger to help us get the situation corrected. They basically said an insincere "sorry" but would not take any action to fix the problem. We had to make several calls and also send notorized letters stating that he is, in fact, not deceased. It was such a pain, but we finally did get it straightened out.
Reply
2-16-2010 @ 9:58AM
pearl said...
I have perfect credit but when I tried to open an account at Sears they did a credit check and it was denied. I asked why? They could not tell me.I did not know at the time that I was reported dead.
I was reported dead by Nations Bank, ( Now Bank of America) when I was to receive my 1st social security check from them.
No one would tell me why I did not receive it. Not the bank not the social security? I called and called.Finally I good guy at S.S. said," I shouldn´t tell you this but you are dead".What a shock!!!
I had to go to their office with 3 proofs of ID to finally have it fixed.
2-16-2010 @ 11:26AM
Mark said...
Ok, gotta love that - "I shouldn´t tell you this but you are dead" - when IS it a good time to tell someone that? Have to wonder if this could work the other way, though...ok, I'm "dead", I can't get a loan...but would I still have to pay an already-existing loan? I mean, since when do the dead pay bills?
2-16-2010 @ 9:04AM
David said...
She looks dead in the top picture though. Isn't that enough proof?
Reply
2-16-2010 @ 9:35AM
debbiecee said...
WOW!!!What an ignorant no class idiot you are!!People like you should not have the right to free speech...go hide under a rock please..
2-16-2010 @ 10:02AM
Kevin said...
Hey David, you had me laughing so hard, I had tears in my eyes. But that wasn't very nice to say that about her, she has to have kids and grandkids as well. "Do unto others as you would wish others to do unto you"----- that is written in the Bible
2-16-2010 @ 3:03PM
Bigdaddy said...
Right on dude! She really does look like a corpse! Hee hee hee...