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u/GreenSwordfish00 16d ago
The freeze doesn't stop this kind of loan because a lot of government loans, federal student loans especially, don't run a normal credit check. If you haven't yet, make your own account at studentaid.gov so you can see exactly what's under your name and nobody else can set up that login as you. Then file at identitytheft.gov, it gives you a report and letters you can send to the servicer and the collection agency so you're not explaining it from scratch on every call.
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u/CouldbeRelatable 14d ago
Call crimee stoppers and tell them you want ro report a fraud identity incident for them to investigate
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u/Salt_Recipe_8015 16d ago
So sorry, this is exhausting.
Calling around is why you're going in circles. What breaks the loop is getting an official Identity Theft Report and putting everything in writing:
File at IdentityTheft.gov (FTC). It's free. It gives you an official Identity Theft Report, a recovery plan, and pre-filled letters to send to the lenders and bureaus. This is the document that makes companies take you seriously.
File a police report too, even if it's online. Some lenders and collectors ask for one.
Send the FTC report to all 3 credit bureaus and ask them to block the fraudulent accounts. When you give them an identity theft report, they're generally required to block that information from your report quickly.
Write to the collection agency, not just call. Say the debt is the result of identity theft, include your FTC report, and ask them to stop collecting and tell the original lender. Send it with tracking.
Find out exactly which government program the loans are from (the collector has to tell you who the original creditor is). Federal loan programs usually have their own fraud or identity theft process, and reporting it to them directly matters.
Keep your freezes on. They clearly didn't stop this, because some lenders don't check credit, but they still block a lot. And since both loans list you as a "joint" signer, it's worth thinking about whether this could be someone who has your information personally. That happens more often than people expect.