Dear identity thief,
Yes, you. The woman who opened a Telstra mobile account and ran up a bill you intended me to pay.
You want to be me and enjoy my clear criminal history and (previously) unblemished credit rating? Well it’s a package deal.
You also get this:
- three separate creditors going under in the past twelve months owing us tens of thousands of dollars.
- the food detritus left under the girls’ table after every meal.
- a bathroom that we suspect needs majors works at a cost that makes my toes curl.
- the constant veil of sadness that comes from losing a beloved brother.
- a daughter who has developed a fear of the water following a lengthy battle with whooping cough.
- maths sessions at the eldest daughter’s class: where your inability to control the kids leaves you with a feeling of complete inadequacy. Every Wednesday afternoon.
- the prospect of having your front tooth extracted next month, wearing a denture for 6-8 months and paying $7K for the privilege.
- nightly worry sessions held sometime between the hours of 1 and 4am. Lately these sessions are longer and more frequent, partly because your already busy mind now has identity theft to worry about.
I have little hope that you’ll face any kind of punishment in this lifetime, but there’s a special place in hell for people like you. I have it on good authority that, in hell, identity thieves experience all the lousy stuff of the lives of the people they pretended to be and none of the good stuff. I hope your bathroom works are hideously expensive and your denture is ill-fitting.
Sincerely,
Amanda - who wouldn’t trade with you for quids.
Cindy@ Your Kids OT says
Oh Amanda, that's horrible! Such an invasion of privacy. I had $$$ Euros taken from my account a few months ago. Luckily bank paid me back. But had to go through the claims process, cancel cards, change things had direct debit, etc. So sorry about life's woes too, hope someone gives you a hug...sending you a virtual one.
Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says
Thanks Cindy. It's amazing how much better a good rant makes you feel! Glad you got your situation cleared up - hopefully I have a similar ending. 🙂
mummywifeme says
Oh my goodness. You poor thing!!! What happens in this sort of situation? Who pays for the bill? I'm so sorry to hear about this and all of the other tough things going on. Sending hugs and positive thoughts your way.
Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says
I'm in a 'resolution' process with the debt collection agency and have made a complaint to Telstra. So far, I'm the only person in any hurry to sort it out though! Thanks for the positive thoughts. I'm feeling much better for having had a good whinge!
Lydia C. Lee says
Oh no! That's terrible! I hope they're caught and you are clear of the bill!! With mobiles can't they track the person down physically?
Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says
I think Telstra cut the number off back in 2011 when 'Amanda' didn't pay the bill Lydia. I don't think the person will be caught, but I'm hoping that the dispute process is fair. 🙂
Malinda (@MBPaperPackages) says
Oh no, how horrible. I hope that you don't have to pay their Telstra bill. You clearly don't need another thing on your list. xx
Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says
Thanks Malinda. I'm hoping it's eventually sorted out too. (I'm three weeks into the dispute process with the debt collection agency!)
Lara @ This Charming Mum says
That is just amazing. We've had bailiffs (or whatever they were) knock on our door demanding money once too from a man with the same name as my husband. Very scary to think you might be stuck with the bill! Hope you manage to sort this one out - and that karma finds the culprit.
Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says
Thanks Lara. I'm in dispute processes with both Telstra and the debt collection agency.
Jody at Six Little Hearts says
Oh that's beyond terrible? Do they have any trail on her at all?
I had this happen to a friend with his credit card. I am sorry to say that two years later this man was still using his identity and running up enormous bills.
I hope things are sorted out for you pronto and that the other areas of your life run a little smoother too. Hope the Whooping Cough has departed?
Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says
Oh dear Jody! Gee I've heard some horror stories, I feel very lucky that it's just a phone bill.
(Fingers crossed it's just a phone bill!)
We're on the tail end of the whooping cough now, the girls are much better, thank you.
Shelley@moneymummy says
That is awful! Hopefully it all gets sorted very soon so you can take at least one worry off your list. What a horrendous experience! Sending all my most positive thoughts for a fast resolution xox
Rachel says
Jesus that sucks Amanda! The worry list can drag you under some days. I'm too afraid to write mine down at the moment because in case it drives me to the gin at 3.00pm in the afternoon! I hope that sharing yours with this scum-bag of a human being has at least lightened the subject for you a little xx
Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says
If you can't vent your spleen on the internet, what's the use of it Rachel? And yes, I do feel better for it! 🙂
Trish MLDB says
Very scary stuff. I hope you sort it out . You think they could track them down using phone bill /numbers she called and where she called from. They can do it on CSI and NCSI.
moodiefoodiejay says
Some people are just plain shitty, Amanda. Happy-be-nice-to-me- universe thoughts being sent your way xo
Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says
Thanks Jay. I still wouldn't swap my lot for anything! 🙂
Dawn Pereira says
So sorry to hear about this Amanda. A friends mother nearly lost her house due to identity theft. We have to be so careful. I can't believe people can get away with this sort of thing. My thoughts are with you and hope you will have a satisfactory outcome.
Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says
Her home? That must have been terrifying Dawn. Poor thing. I'm very lucky it's just a phone bill. xx
Ai Sakura says
Oh dear sorry to hear that this happened to you!! Hope everything clears up soon and that you get proper rests at night. Big hugs.
Ai @ Sakura Haruka
Robyn says
Oh honey, no wonder you're up worrying at night!!! It's sux being a grown up sometimes doesn't it. But at least you have your beautiful family and I'm a firm believer of what goes around comes around!!! She will have her turn!! My brother had his entire identity stolen last year / passport, ID and everything! Not fun :((
Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says
It sure does Robyn! It's none of the eating ice-cream for breakfast and doing what I want all day that I though it would be! Your poor brother! At least this is just a phone bill!
Bec @ The Plumbette says
Wow what awful burdens to carry and what a shocker of a year!! Identity theft does more than steal your identity! It steaks your time and joy as you spend time trying to sort it out! In relation to the creditors issue, my parents have been there over 20 years ago with young children and losing their dream house which we were only in for 18mths. Amazingly through hard work and blessing and favour from the big fella above they more than made up for their losses. I'm gonna pray for you gorgeous because I bet you've had sleepless nights and worries that have burdened you and I'm the type of person that likes to fix problems but in this case I can't. I have faith that the identity theft will be sorted and those money issues will be forgotten with extreme favour that you will see unexpectedly. Will give you a big hug when I see you at Problogger next week. And those precious daughters of yours, I hope they are getting stronger after the whooping cough issue and the fear of swimming will just be a phase. Xoxo
Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says
Oh you're a darling, Bec. I'm looking forward to that hug and to squish that beautiful baby Phoebe! xx
claireyhewitt01 says
This would be so frustrating. When you try and open accounts you seem to have to provide so much, but then when someone wants to do a dodgy, it all seems too easy.
We are close to farewelling Whooping COugh too - though it has shown its claws in the eyes too. But we can talk about that at dinner next week!!!!
Toni @ Finding Myself Young says
How horrible. My SIL had this done to her (by her own mother!) unfortunately in her case she ended up paying off the bill to save her credit rating because the phone company and debt collectors didn't want to bother investigating, they just wanted their money. Hopefully its sorted out in your case though.
Amy @ HandbagMafia says
Oh man, that sucks. I hope they catch the person. It's such an awful thing to do- you must feel quite violated. I have had bills run up in my name by an ex- I had to pay them (different situation) and even then I felt so betrayed and angry!
Annaleis from Teapots and Tractors says
Amanda hope you can get them to sort this out for you quickly. Such a pain in the a*** to be frank. I hope those late night worry sessions start to easy for you.
Kylie Purtell - A Study in Contradictions says
That is so absolutely disgusting that someone has done that to you. I don't know what is wrong with some people, and yes, there most certainly is a special place in hell for them. Gah!!!
Nikki @ Wonderfully Women says
Hoping that karma dishes out a big dose to that b@#ch and that you have a quick and speedy resolution! xx N
Sammie @ The Annoyed Thyroid says
Oh no! Poor you! I hope it gets resolved quickly and Telstra comes up trumps. Your identity thief should bear in mind that what what goes around, comes around! Good luck with the gnashers. I've found that having a hot dentist makes the pain and cash splashing just a tiny bit more bearable, so on that note, I hope your dentist is drop dead gorgeous!
Emily @ Have A Laugh On Me says
You do have more than your fair shit of crap going on right now lovely. I'm with you right now and 1 to 4am is when my mind won't settle, it wonders, thinks too hard and makes for very long days. I will make you smile, I hope, over PB, can't wait to catch up with one of my best blogger mates!! xx
EssentiallyJess says
Oh I'm so sorry Amanda! That super sucky. In fact super sucky is not an adequate description of how sucky it is, but I'm not a fan of bad language. Though in this case it's warranted. I do hope there is some form of justice or compensation for you.
Lauren @ Create Bake Make says
What a shitty thing to happen.. I hope you get some sort of resolution soon xx
marleisa says
Buggar - that is actually a fear of mine. I need to look into protecting my identity a bit more - especially when I do so much onlines these days!
Stephanie says
Gosh, what an awful thing to happen to you. Hopefully it gets resolved quickly. x
Tegan Churchill says
Oh that's horrible. I hope you get it all sorted out soon. When I was little, my mum was interviewed by the police because a woman with the same name had made off with millions of dollars worth of diamonds. At the time we were living in a tiny council house in a small town. My mum said to them 'you think if I had millions of dollars worth of diamonds then I would be here'. It was cleared up pretty quickly.
Zamamabakes says
Oh my goodness!! You poor thing. But so well said. Hope it all gets sorted ASAP and I hope the other things challenging you in your life eventually become less painful. Kind thoughts to you and your family xx
Craig Curtin says
You need to understand how the whole relationship with Telstra and the debt collectors work. Firstly Telstra use a whole series of debt collectors and when they bring a new one on board they give them the oldest and shittiest cases - so this will be ongoing. Don't stress about it - none of them will go to any monetary lengths - they will just send crappy letters letting you know the end of the world is nigh if you do not pay in 14 days etc.
The way it works
1) Telstra give their bad debts to a new collection agency - with instruction to send out collection letters but not to spend any money with solicitors, court or lodging bad debt listings with credit agencies.
2) Each time they give these to a new agency there is a small percentage that is collected or positive movement happens, there is a big percentage where letters/phone call follow ups are returned or not answered etc - Telstra then move these onto the next company on the list - without providing any info to them about anything that has happened
Moral of the story - if it helps you - vent at the agency and send them letters etc - but expect the same thing to resurface in another 12 months or so. After 7 years it will die on the telstra books and should go no further.
(i used to do this for a living for Telstra)
Craig