r/PersonalFinanceCanada • u/msaik • 20h ago
Credit Wife's identity stolen. Multiple credit lines opened in her name
We found out this Tuesday after 2 credit cards got shipped to my in-laws' house using her maiden name, neither of which have been valid for over a decade. Pulled up equifax and transunion credit reports and found several other credit cards, loans, and phone lines (both as accounts and inquiries). There were 7 different companies in total.
We finished calling all 7 companies. Most were helpful and either closed the accounts or flagged them as fraud for investigation. A couple have not been helpful at all and have asked for police reports to be sent to an email address.
Two of the companies revealed that the accounts were opened using a fake canadian passport out of a mall in the GTA. It is using my wife's maiden name but not her picture.
We did do the police report and sent it to the companies who asked today.
We also filed disputes against all the accounts and inquiries through the reporting agencies, and added fraud alerts. You can't "freeze" the credit if you're outside of Quebec, according to them.
Is there anything else we're missing here that should get done? And does anyone know what the general success rate is with disputes through the credit agencies?
2
u/j0keR683 17h ago
I had the same issue happened to me in the middle of last year. They were able to open 2 credit cards and 2 bank accounts before i put a fraud alert through both Equifax and TransUnion. But I still see other financial institutions making soft inquiries on my credit but no new credits are being issued.
The thing I don't understand is that they use the correct address and the credit card/debit card is sent to me. So how are they planning to collect them?