If you've come directly here, check out the first part of this story here. This is my own personal experience with Early Warning Services (EWS, I'll call them) and Regions Bank and how much of a mess is made from having a SSN identical to a TIN or EIN number of some business I have no association with.
March 20, 2012
It's the first I've gotten the chance to move forward in my own little investigation into this whole mess. I head over to the bank and see that the same woman I bawled like blubbering idiot in front of, is available. I step into her office and tell her I still need to get to the bottom of all this. I hand her the letter I received from Early Warning Services (EWS). She calls their fraud department and she starts getting the runaround. She mouths over to me that the guy on the other end of the phone is very rude and they haven't received any confirmation from EWS that I've been cleared. So she calls EWS and learns that they only sent me a notification verifying there were no records found. She calls their fraud department back and ends up emailing them a copy of the letter I received and we wait for them to call back saying they've received the letter.
While we're waiting, I start telling her about how I was/am still able to log into my account online and that I have a negative balance because a payment went through even though my account was supposed to have been closed. She does some digging around, but can't really give me an explanation as to why it went through. She assures me I won't be charged an overdraft fee for it.
She finally gets a return call from their fraud department and just like that, the account has been unblocked. I didn't go into the bank expecting for the account to still be open. I only went in to find out where this was all stemming from, but since they bank hadn't closed my account (for whatever reason and more than two weeks later than they said they would) everything is now just as it was before this whole thing started. Well, okay. I guess.
So basically, EWS said "Oh, she's fine. We don't have any records on her." Regions Bank basically said "Ummm…Sorry for the inconvenience, here's your bank account back." Meanwhile, I'm still left with unanswered questions and now I'm getting really pissed off. I ask the lady at the bank and she couldn't give me any answers. I can tell she knows…something, but she won't tell me. Instead she urges me to call EWS when I get the chance.
I go ahead and make a deposit to cover the negative balance on the account, order a new checkcard (I had already cut it up and threw it away knowing the account had been closed) and head home to call EWS. Finally, I'll be able to get to the bottom of this. Ms Lady answers the phone and I tell her I need to find out why this happened, if I'm a victim of identity theft, and what measures I need to take so ensure this doesn't happen again.
Here comes the nitty gritty…
Ms. Lady tells me that there is a business that went to a bank and entered in my social security number as their EIN (employer identification number) or TIN (tax edentification number). Then she starts talking about the laws in Texas regarding EIN's and I'm like "I've never even lived in Texas", but it leads me to believe that this business is based somewhere in Texas (not that it matters). Ms. Lady goes on to tell me that the EIN or TIN that was issued to this business is exactly the same as my SSN (social security number). The only reason my name/SSN was flagged is because this business has some outstanding credit issues or 'records'. It wasn't noticed until I tried to open up a joint account with my oldest son. I'm dumbfounded.
How the hell does this happen? Aren't EIN's, TIN's and SSN's issued by the government? So am I to understand that the government just issues out these numbers arbitrarily? With all the numbers that are floating around out there, you'd think that there would be some kind of check system to ensure that numbers are used more than once. Right? So why wasn't this caught in the database of all databases?!
I called the Social Security Administration and after being on hold for close to an hour, they tell me it isn't their problem – that I should call the IRS. So I call the IRS and am on hold for another hour before I get a live person on the other end. Ms. IRS lady simply says I need to fill out some forms and send them to their office. Within 60 days after receiving the forms, they'd send me a letter stating they're investigating. Ugh! How frustrating. Ms. IRS lady also suggests that I contact the three credit bureaus and get copies of my credit report. Double UGH!
Trying to get to the bottom of all this has been crazy. Knowing that there are actual IRS forms that have had to be made up for this very issue is scary. To think that the bank can just close or freeze an account without any kind of an investigation first, is downright scarier! I still have to fill out these forms (one of which is an Identity Theft Affidavit), and have to get copies of my credit report. For now, it's over. All there is left to do is hope nothing comes up on my credit report and wait for the IRS to do their investigation.
Thanks for following along. :)
Which is exactly why I deal ONLY with local banks when it come to MY checking/savings accounts. The people at my bank have been dealing with me for 20 years and they KNOW my face, my habits and my numbers. Heck, they even know my voice! They have called me in the past and told me someone was trying to cash a check and did I write that check? I asked their name and they gave it to me and I said yes, this person IS authorized to cash that check. I quit banking online 6 years ago. I don’t have a PIN number for my check card because I don’t want the ability to go to the ATM and get money out anytime I want to. This way I HAVE to go to the bank or get extra cash at Walmart when I make a purchase. I’m less likely to spend more than I intended that way. I’m not on Wayne’s account nor is he on mine although we are both able to sign each other’s accounts in the event of an emergency. This works for both of us very well and we are seldom overdrawn. In fact in the last 8 years I have not been overdrawn even once and neither has he. I would prefer not dealing with a bank at all, but that’s not possible in today’s world. I get a disability check and they do not mail you a paper check anymore. Mine goes directly to the bank and I call and check the balance on the date it is supposed to come in and THEN and only then I add the deposit to my checkbook and begin using that money. I have had waaaayyy too many experiences with being overdrawn or thinking I had money when I didn’t. I don’t let myself do that anymore. I deal as little with my checking account as possible. And don’t even get me started on credit cards! I broke that relationship off in 2004 when we ended up filing for bankruptcy because we BOTH found it too easy to use that card — then too hard to make the payment when it came due. Once burned, twice shy! Don’t have one and don’t WANT one!!!!! Life is so much simpler now without them. It’s much easier to live within our means, too. We don’t have a lot of extras, but I’m nearly 62 years old. I have all I really need anyway. Glad you (kinda) got to the bottom of this disaster, Annie. The IRS is really good to work with as long as you don’t owe THEM money.
They will be very helpful in getting to the real bottom of the problem. I didn’t think they issued TINs and EINs the same as SSNs either. In fact a TIN is in a different format than SSNs and EINs are supposed to be also. When I was doing taxes I had to work with TINs and EINs also. Bureaucracy can be a nightmare. What’s supposed to make life easier and more organized can really SNAFU things when something gets out of place. Good luck. I’m thinking of you.
From what I’ve come to understand, they can issue EIN, TIN, and SNN’s that may be the same, but the numbers are formatted differently. Like SSN’s 000-00-000 and an EIN may be 0000-0-00-0 or something like that. Still, some forms ask that you omit the dashes when entering them in. I don’t know, it’s all crazy.
Aside from the one credit card hubby has for work, we don’t use any credit cards either. We haven’t had a credit card in probably 10yrs. or so. I hate them. Hubby deals mostly in cash only. I use my check card quite often though. In fact, I prefer to use the check card over cash only because I don’t like to carry cash around.
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